Culture???
OK so I must give some devils there do. For the first time in a long time I am in a class that actually might make me think. I know that sounds insane that at an overpriced institution some neurons might actually be firing!! It's a cultures of psych course and the professor seems to really know her shit which is awesome. On the first day of class we all had to do like a family tree and describe what we consider ourselves. My response was muttish. But the conversation that ensued did indeed get me thinking as to where I fit in culture.
ethnicity wise I am 50% greek 40% irish 5% french and 5% english.
1GREEK
Although I am percentagely most greek I have never really felt connected with that culture or that side of the family. Stas is definitely the most greek of the family. He has many of the same mannerisms and beliefs and attitudes that I have seen over there. It's strange to me considering that every direct greek member of my family kind of rebelled against the traditions of the culture. My grandmother refused an arranged marriage and eloped at 14. My father (who was born there but raised mainly in Brooklyn) refused to return there with his mother. He never encouraged us to speak greek or really to be heavy into the culture. Even if he had due to time limits I really never experienced much of it from him. However when I look at my current relatives (cousins, aunts etc.) that are both here and in Greece I have never felt much of a close connections with them in a cultural way. If they are not fresh off the boat then they never got on the boat. They speak a language I am only barely familiar with and have lived in a different class and value system then I was brought up in. The majority of them are indeed wealthy (due to grandma's elopement we got shafted a bit in inheritance but still enough). They still believe arranged marriage is an option (including to me) and still believe that I should find a nice greek boy to settle down with. Although I don't deny that I am indeed greek and do have many of the traits of that culture I am also american. Unlike them I was born and raised here. I do not know what it feels like to be an immigrant except for when i visit greece and my disassociation with the culture becomes even more pronounced. They are european and meditteranean while I am inherently something else.
2.IRISH
This side of my heritage I have always been drawn to (as you all know). My mother is something like 3rd or 4th generation so although it is more diluted I have still always felt closer to this heritage. The language is similar, I was raised Catholic not greek orthodox, like me my mother was not raised as a "wealthy" although neither of us ever wanted for anything. This side of the family is irish but also wholly american on top of being entirely long island (not something I am proud of but something i can relate to. Both sides of my family have feisty rebellious and strong women in them (including my mother which is why we dont get along sometimes) but I always associated my type of rebellion to the irish side. It was always the less somber, less dramatic side. THe women of that side of my family went to college back when women in college was nearly unheard of in this country. Although both sides are concerned with interpersonal relations this side of the family has women who are unmarried and quite content in fully fulfilling careers. On the Greek side the thought of me never getting married is something unacceptable. Also the entire history behind the irish in america has always facinated me. I have always worked and struggled for my independance and most of those struggles have been in working class positions, much like the irish were in (including those in my family) when they first came over. But even as I talk to people from the country I am more facinated with it. The constant distrust of the police (the police force in greece is a joke) which I think most people have here, as well as the general distrust for authority. Yea i wanna grow up to be an irish rebel what can I say.
3. OTHER
So although these historically are in my blood I still must reconcile them with my experiences. I am white (as the driven snow practically), I am indeed a women (dispite popular belief), and I was raised in WASP-ville. Although I was one of the irish rebels of my town it still is a part of me (yes even shitty long island is part of the culture I grew up with)I do have that sense of entitlement in a way that I take things for granted. BOredom bothers me just because I can indeed afford to be bored as well as to drink the boredom away. (PS greek side of the fam can't drink for shit)Although I am very curious about so many other cultures I at least reccognize my own ignorance from growing up in a bubble. I also do realize that as men my brothers can kind of afford to be more greek. They did not have 40 yr old men pinching there ass when they were 12. The irish side have more of a chivalrous bullshit respect for women which I admit I am a fucking sucker for. In ireland versus greece there was much less of a distinction between mens and womens "places" and their "work". I just find it interesting how in a country so diverse and trying to make its own culture we kind of pick and choose who we identify with in our own selves.
tis all
ethnicity wise I am 50% greek 40% irish 5% french and 5% english.
1GREEK
Although I am percentagely most greek I have never really felt connected with that culture or that side of the family. Stas is definitely the most greek of the family. He has many of the same mannerisms and beliefs and attitudes that I have seen over there. It's strange to me considering that every direct greek member of my family kind of rebelled against the traditions of the culture. My grandmother refused an arranged marriage and eloped at 14. My father (who was born there but raised mainly in Brooklyn) refused to return there with his mother. He never encouraged us to speak greek or really to be heavy into the culture. Even if he had due to time limits I really never experienced much of it from him. However when I look at my current relatives (cousins, aunts etc.) that are both here and in Greece I have never felt much of a close connections with them in a cultural way. If they are not fresh off the boat then they never got on the boat. They speak a language I am only barely familiar with and have lived in a different class and value system then I was brought up in. The majority of them are indeed wealthy (due to grandma's elopement we got shafted a bit in inheritance but still enough). They still believe arranged marriage is an option (including to me) and still believe that I should find a nice greek boy to settle down with. Although I don't deny that I am indeed greek and do have many of the traits of that culture I am also american. Unlike them I was born and raised here. I do not know what it feels like to be an immigrant except for when i visit greece and my disassociation with the culture becomes even more pronounced. They are european and meditteranean while I am inherently something else.
2.IRISH
This side of my heritage I have always been drawn to (as you all know). My mother is something like 3rd or 4th generation so although it is more diluted I have still always felt closer to this heritage. The language is similar, I was raised Catholic not greek orthodox, like me my mother was not raised as a "wealthy" although neither of us ever wanted for anything. This side of the family is irish but also wholly american on top of being entirely long island (not something I am proud of but something i can relate to. Both sides of my family have feisty rebellious and strong women in them (including my mother which is why we dont get along sometimes) but I always associated my type of rebellion to the irish side. It was always the less somber, less dramatic side. THe women of that side of my family went to college back when women in college was nearly unheard of in this country. Although both sides are concerned with interpersonal relations this side of the family has women who are unmarried and quite content in fully fulfilling careers. On the Greek side the thought of me never getting married is something unacceptable. Also the entire history behind the irish in america has always facinated me. I have always worked and struggled for my independance and most of those struggles have been in working class positions, much like the irish were in (including those in my family) when they first came over. But even as I talk to people from the country I am more facinated with it. The constant distrust of the police (the police force in greece is a joke) which I think most people have here, as well as the general distrust for authority. Yea i wanna grow up to be an irish rebel what can I say.
3. OTHER
So although these historically are in my blood I still must reconcile them with my experiences. I am white (as the driven snow practically), I am indeed a women (dispite popular belief), and I was raised in WASP-ville. Although I was one of the irish rebels of my town it still is a part of me (yes even shitty long island is part of the culture I grew up with)I do have that sense of entitlement in a way that I take things for granted. BOredom bothers me just because I can indeed afford to be bored as well as to drink the boredom away. (PS greek side of the fam can't drink for shit)Although I am very curious about so many other cultures I at least reccognize my own ignorance from growing up in a bubble. I also do realize that as men my brothers can kind of afford to be more greek. They did not have 40 yr old men pinching there ass when they were 12. The irish side have more of a chivalrous bullshit respect for women which I admit I am a fucking sucker for. In ireland versus greece there was much less of a distinction between mens and womens "places" and their "work". I just find it interesting how in a country so diverse and trying to make its own culture we kind of pick and choose who we identify with in our own selves.
tis all