Family History

"Family histories occur at the same time as other histories but on a more personal level." (Martin & Nakayama, 65). In my family this statement is very true. Political history affected my family's immigration to the United States. My great grandparents came to the United States from Europe. There is some debate over which European country my family actually came from. Some people say Poland, and others say Germany. I believe that my family is actually of Polish decent. I think that because of the political history happening concurrently my ancestors immigration, that they may have not told the truth about where they were from. I believe the events of World War II were what influenced my family to lie about where we came from. Although I do not know where exactly my family is from, I feel that my family history has greatly influenced the person I am today.

It is interesting to think about family history and how it relates to who we are today. Because of the choices of my family members, I live in the United States and was raised Catholic. We celebrate Christmas and Easter, and speak English. If my family were from another country, I may have completely different religious beliefs and speak a different language. I appreciate what I have today. It is hard for me to imagine growing up in a different culture and in a different family. I also appreciate that our country is very diverse. Intercultural communication in the U.S. can help me understand other cultures, their histories, and customs. When relating our history to people of other cultures, we can learn a lot about ourselves and the people around us.