Family Stories Essay

I was born and raised into a hardworking family that are the complete opposite of culture alienators. My siblings and I are all first generation in America on my mom's side and second generation on my dad's side. Life was very hard for my parents to raise all seven of us and depended on my grandparents for most of their help. Being that my grandparents brought all nine of their kids to America from Belize it was also very hard for them so survive and find stability. Most families that come to America from a third world country usually find it very difficult to keep up family traditions and sometimes lose all contact. My family found a way to stay very close and keep the Belizean culture very alive still to this day. As you can tell by now...show more content... This left my mom with seven kids to raise by herself. Meaning one on one time was rare, because my mom is not a superhero and could not be in multiple places at one time. Grief left my family and I in a place where we did not know what to do, but we eventually got out of it, and continued on with our life. We always remembered the hard working parents we had, and the hard working mother we still had. I am resilient and got back on my feet and continued to attend school, graduated elementary school, and will soon graduate from high school. Although, I have gone through many difficulties it has made me work harder as an individual and choose my career choice at an early age. Being that I was very into the heart at a young age, and my father passing from a heart disease, I always knew I wanted to study cardiology, and will someday soon become a cardiologist. Being that my mother has attended medical school several times, I first handedly have seen how difficult it can be. I have been told by many people to pick a different profession because of that; But because of how passionate I am about cardiology and the amount of times I have experienced people deal with heart problems has assured me that I have chose the right profession. I being a very conscientious person has has also assured me that I will be able to tackle medical school and become a cardiologist. I believe that the first steps of becoming a cardiologist is that I have personally experienced people suffer from

Get more content

"And he will be missed" We went to New Mexico a few years ago for my uncle James' funeral and this is how they ended it.. It wasn't much of a funeral because it was at the Moose Lodge. This is sort of like a pub bar thing. It had shuffleboard and pool but we aren't aloud to get the pieces for it because we weren't of age to go up to the bar. They had people food and they had an open bar and a shot in front of his ashes. "He looks a little dry, should I give him the shot?" My mom asked my uncle Jackie, all us thought she was funny, Jackie, Val, and Charlie didn't seem to think she was funny. So my sisters Hayley and Mikayla, my cousins Heather Grace and Victoria, my cousin's husband David, her step son Zay, and me played shuffle board the whole time we were there. When we left we went back to my aunt's ex–husband's,Joe, house because that was where we were staying. The 6 adults were outside while us 5 kids were inside playing games. They were there all night and when they finally left my sisters and Victoria watched The Breakfast Club, I was out like a light that night. When we woke up the next day my dad had already been to the gas station to pick up coffee because Joe doesn't have a coffee maker which was problem for my family. After everyone was finally ready, we went over to my uncle Steve's "house", it is a mobile home. WE spent the morning there, we even got to take a few of my uncle James' pocket knives, I took like 3, he made them all the time

Get more content

My Crazy Family

My Family History

Family history is very important to an individual. By knowing where you come from, you can have a better perspective of your life. Having a clear understanding of your family background allows you to better appreciate the things that you would normally take for granted. The house, the car, and the average clothing may look better when one sees the sacrifices their family has made. They will see that their family has worked very hard just so their family can experience the better things in life. A persons roots and origin is one of the most important things to explore. It alone can bring you closer to self–discovery.

There are two sides to a person's family and one side of my family has...show more content... One of these is that on Thanksgiving everybody comes together to my parents' house in New Jersey for a huge feast. On Christmas only my mother and the children (me and my brother) travel to Illinois to spend a week with my grandparents. On New Years Eve we all get together at my parents' house in New Jersey and toast to the New Year with champagne and apple cider. During Labor Day weekend all of my family travels to South Jersey to my grandfathers' condo. We usually spend all of our time on the beach and barbequing, except on Sunday when we go to church. After all, my grandfather is a minister. One of our biggest family traditions is going back to Puerto Rico. Every year my mother and I travel back to Puerto Rico for a portion of our summer vacation. Now that I am older I travel there more often and stay there much longer. My father never joins because he doesn't like my mothers side of the father too much and he thinks that we when we speak Spanish we are all plotting against him. Of course that's not true though. My bother doesn't speak Spanish so he doesn't like to go either. I guess that tradition is one that belongs solely to my mother and I.

The role of the people in family basically stayed the same for most of the generations with a little change in the later generations. Earlier the males were the only ones that worked in the family and the wife stayed at home and took care of the house and

Every family has their fair share of stories to tell with each generation. My grandparents told my sister and me some interesting stories and my parents passed them on to my sister and I. Through all the experiences that they have shared with us, it felt as if we were with them and shared that moment together. With all the stories that 'exist' it was inevitable that there were a few stories that intrigued us or stuck with us wherever we go.

One story that interested me was about the eventful time that my family had leading up to my parents' wedding on October 27, 1999. A week before the wedding there was a festival known as Diwali so everybody on mom's side met to have some fun. Everybody was playing cards in the house as it was raining outside. Around 10 pm the power went out, and in India, the power going out when there is heavy raining is nothing out of the ordinary. They continued to play cards in the light of a few candles, and around 12 it began to get windy and even at this point, nobody realized that anything bad was going on. It continued to get worse outside eventually, it got bad enough that the windows began to break and the wind began to rush through the ventilators. This caught their attention because the houses in India are made of concrete and the doors are made of iron. The storm was steadily increasing in strength and water began to rush into the house. As the night progressed, they began to see trees fall down by the dozens. Grandma and Grandpa began to

Growing up, my family was ideal. My sisters and I were all very happy and very coddled by my father, he was my hero in my early years, he would always be the fun and loving parent when my mom would yell. My dad was into welding, fishing, and playing guitar, I thought that no dad could possibly be more outstanding or influential than my own, he was impeccably intelligent and resourceful. My family and I had not spent a holiday apart, the amount of love that took place in our home was uncomparable. While growing up in my household, I had not faced many issues with myself and my family, we had always felt secure with one another and spent our days happily together, just us five. Until one day that five became a four. As I had gotten a little older, my parents started losing their love for each other, I was incredibly naive as a girl and felt as if this was temporary, as if were to stop at any moment and would end and we could somehow seem to not acknowledge what took place the previous night as all of us sat in our diningroom and devoured our breakfast in uncomforting silence. In every family you will encounter an argument between parents, but to me it was as if the world had plunged into a vortex. I never imagined them separating, I knew my sisters and I would not be able to handle that and we would slowly and mentally separate ourselves as well. I could not handle the heartbreak any longer so I eventually asked my mom a simple question, I asked her where her love had

Get more content

My Family Memories

As a young girl, I had what some people might call the "perfect" nuclear family. My parents, both very attractive individuals, had the two cutest blonde–haired and blue–eyed kids in church every single Sunday. Each afternoon, my dad would come home from his 9:00 to 5:00 and greet my stay–at–home mom with a kiss. We ate supper together every night at the dining room table; then, we would snuggle up on the couch before our parents told us bedtime stories and tucked us in. However, as they say, nothing lasts forever, and nothing is perfect. Although this may seem like an essay about one of those families you only see in movies, that is simply not the case. If my childhood were a movie though, it would not be the kind you're thinking. As I got a little older and started attending the elementary school right down the street, I begin to lose memories of my mom. No, she did not pass away, but I just don't remember her being around. I know that she put a ribbon into my curly hair every morning before school, but I don't recall any other memories of her. Because my parents got married when my mom was fresh out of high school and my dad was in his late twenties, my mom never went to school or got a degree, or even a job for that matter. However, she eventually decided that she wanted . . . more. Therefore, she started going to college at night to get her teaching degree. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and wanting my mommy, as most little girls do.

Get more content

Prologue A long time ago, or it feels that way, my life was good. Happy. Peaceful. Growing up, I never thought that maybe I was unlucky. I was always grateful for the riches my family had, for our presumed safety in the collapsing government. My mother, Adeline, died three years after my twin brother Leonardo and I were born, so I didn't remember her that well. My father said he'd never remarry, that he loved my mother too much, but sometimes I thought we'd be better off if he had. Let me explain. Six years ago, when I ten years old, my father disappeared. He left no will, and we had no near relatives of legal age. Despite our protests, everything my father owned was turned over to his colleague, an elderly man named Mr. Anselmus who wanted nothing to do with us. Mr. Anselmus had never been my father's friend, per say, but they worked together and he was the closest thing to a grandfather we ever knew. He wasn't exactly friendly, and he hated children, but he was a rich and powerful man and often got what he wanted. In this case, he wanted us gone. We never heard from him again. Description We were shipped off to a farm to work. Hundreds of miles away from our home, our life, our newly–non–existent family. As we pulled in on a broken down horse cart, clothed in nothing much better than rags that hardly protected us from the nipping, frosty air, we stared up at our new owner's massive castle. My brother wiped a tear from my cheek. I smiled, turning to him, and punched

Get more content

The best thing that has ever happened to me is my family. What can I say about my family, my kids? I can say that they are my angels the best present that god had send me. The most joyful gift that anyone can get. Family comes first more than anything in life. I am blessed to be a mother of three children. When I found out that I was expecting my first kid I was really in shock. Yeah I was only a teenager back then, I was nineteen years old. Back then I was attending high school everyone kept looking at me like a weirdo. My parents were upset at me but, they didn't left me alone with my pregnancy. They gave me their hundred percent support. You can imagine I was their princess and her only daughter. Long story short in June 23, 2004 I...show more content...

I don't regret my sleepless, crying, and craziness life. The love I have for them is everything and anything in this world. After all the craziness with my first two princess I tough I had finish. I had always say that an even number of kids it's a good number. But guess what I got pregnant again. When I found out I was pregnant I was very happy but, I said that will be my last one. After a long time and I thought about getting pregnant which I did. By this time my oldest was twelve and my youngest was seven years old. I had to restart all over again with diapers, bottles, milk, and diaper bag. Goodbye to my purses, hello diaper bag "again". This time I was expecting a boy "wow". I was really happy I was having a boy but, at the same time I was afraid. My mind was going crazy "oh my god a boy, what will I do with a boy". The month past super–fast by the time it was January 22, 2016. I was blessed with my baby boy. This time I had a lot of help my girls, my parents, and my brother. My girls will help me with anything the baby needed. I couldn't be happier with my three kids. When my last baby was born I decided to go back to school. After fourteen years I am here. I am afraid of being here but, I will not give up. My kids are my motivation to keep me going forward and never look back. My family is my world and wouldn't change it. To conclude my three kids keep me going. Does three angles are my motivation my motor to Get more content

My Family Heritage

Family Defined

The word family has changed so much in the past century. A family back in the 1950's was probably considered a husband, wife, and one or more children. Times have changed and families have become much different. The Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others book defines family as a, "Unit made up of any number of persons who live in relationship with one another over time in a common living space who are usually, but not always, united by marriage and kinship" (Beebe, Beebe & Redmond, 243). Families can be broken up into five different types. The first is the traditional family, which includes a mother, father, and their biological children. Next, is the blended family which includes...show more content...

William, known as Bill, was born on July 20, 1921 in Minneapolis, MN. He worked in the plaster/stucco business for over 25 years before working at Northwest Airlines. His wife's maiden name was Lorraine Mulcahy. Lorraine was born on August 13, 1922 in St. Paul, MN. Lorraine went to college at the University of Minnesota where she got her Bachelor of Science degree and became a dental hygienist. My grandma "Lo" is the genealogy nut in our family. She has searched for birthdates, marriage licenses, and other documents of her grandparents. I called grandma Lo to get some information on my great–grandparents and family stories. I found out I was part Norwegian and I never even knew it! Grandma Lo's parents were Edward Mulcahy and Olga Shermoen. Her father Ed was born on April 15, 1880 in Minneapolis, MN. Ed worked as a claim agent for the Great Northern Railroad in the twin cities. Olga was born on March 15, 1888 in Hawley, MN. She also worked for the Great Northern Railroad as a matron. Edward was 100% Irish while Olga was 100% Norwegian. This makes my grandma Lorraine 50% Irish & 50% Norwegian. My grandpa Bill was adopted in Minneapolis so his genealogy is unknown. He was told by his adopted parents that he was mostly Irish. If we pretended Bill was 100% Irish, this would make my mom 75% Irish and 25% Norwegian.

Father's side

My father's name is Gerald Otto Utz. He was born on January 23, 1950 in Springfield, MN. He is

My Family's Immigration

Annette Chu

Mrs. Grover

English 9A

26 November 2012

The Reason I was Born in the USA

±± or Gold Mountain was the name given to the United States by the people of China looking for new opportunities. The immigration story on my mother's side of the family begins with my great–grandfather's journey to the United States in search for a better life for himself, his wife, and his four children. At this time, the majority of the population in China was living in poverty. Being able to come to America was the dream of many in the hopes they would be able to become wealthy.

However, it was a rough start for my great–grandfather. The language barrier was a major obstacle and job options for foreigners were very limited; the only job...show more content...

Instead, my grandmother and my great–grandparents decided to meet in Hong Kong. It was a huge risk for my grandmother to take because she was leaving China. During the Cultural Revolution, this was viewed as being unfaithful to Chinese government and the person could be subject to public humiliation. Red Guards Nevertheless, they were reunited for a period of time.

Knowing that there was the possibility that they would never see their daughter again after she returned to China, my great–grandparents pleaded my grandmother to stay in Hong Kong. However, my grandmother knew by doing so she would be regarded as an anti–revolutionist, and her husband would be persecuted for her actions. Once again she was separated from her parents.

Years later, my mother knowing how much her mother wanted to be reunited with her parents, studied hard to give her mother the chance to come to America. By succeeding academically, she was able to travel to the United States as a foreign college student at the age of 18. After graduating, she became a US citizen and filed the appropriate papers that allowed my grandmother to immigrate to the United States. At the age of 65, my grandmother's family was complete

Having known my family all my life, it is easy to say that there are without a doubt three words that can solely describe my family, hardworking, hectic, independent. Surprisingly, both my mother and father work for the city, a combined working experience of more than twenty–five years. As for my siblings, I can't say much for them. But without a doubt, each and every single person, through blood, mean everything to me. I remember as a kid, waking up to my father's alarm at 4:30 in the morning, smelling the fresh brew or dark black coffee my whips up to keep him awake. Hearing him quietly walk around the house, grabbing his lunch box and heading out the wooden door was my favorite thing to sit and wait for before school on a winter day. Something about the cold nights and hearing my father shuffling around in a hurry to get to work made me particularly happy when I was a kid. Still, the memory warms my heart, though I do not see much of the alarm clock or the lunch box anymore for he has replaced them. Might as well as take away my inner happiness. Realizing that my father works more than fifty hours a week just to meet ends meet made me want to help out. But what was a kid supposed to do? I thought to myself that cleaning the house was the best answer but that was merely just a choir. Children at young ages usually don't understand parents, and I for one was no exception. I didn't understand why or even when my dad came home at the various times he did. Waiting at the

No one can't meet a family like mine's. My family is well diversified. Every family member plays an important role in all my family's lives. In my family, there are four people: my father, my mother, my little brother and me. My father is one who brings money home and is also responsible for organizing and planning family trips. My mother is the one who is in charge for making meals and makes sure everyone eats at the appropriate times. My little brother is the pet of the family. He actually doesn't have any responsibilities, for he's the pet. I am the rock of support in my family. I always go beyond my parents' expectations. I also support my younger cousins and little brother, by being a role model that they can look up to. Another...show more content...

Doing what my parents tell me to do is just one of many reasons why I am a rock of support for my family. Not only do I support my parents, but I also support my younger cousins and brother. As an eldest brother and cousin, I feel I must be a good example for the young ones. There are numerous methods of showing my cousins and brother support. One main way is by providing advice on making the right choices. For example my brother had a problem at school with one of his classmates. As a mature and responsible older brother, I advised him to use the non–violent approach. I told him to go discuss the problem and try to resolve it peacefully. My brother then asked me why he shouldn't fight his classmate. I explained how violence is the answer to anything. I advised him to first talk to his classmate in a professional manner. If then things get out of hand, I told him to let the teacher know the situation. In the end, my brother didn't need to get the teacher involved. In fact, their conflict was resolved by talking through with each other. I also am very supportive of my little cousins. One way I help them out is by tutoring them once in a while. They come over to my house and I assist them with their school work. Not only I help my cousins with their homework, but I also support them recreationally. I play various sports and activities with them. As their older cousin/brother, I feel I should be a good role model to follow. I am also known for being there

Get more content

Gathering research about my family and its history turned out to be an interesting and insightful opportunity, through which I learned much more than I expected. When I started this project, I knew that I would not be able to find as much useful information on the Internet as some of my peers. In effect, I realized that I would have to rely on other primary resources such as my parents and grandparents to reveal the story of my ancestry to me. After I had interviewed them, myfamily history became much clearer to me. More than 2 millennia ago, around the 3rd century BC, a group of Tamil–speaking people from present–day South India migrated to the nearby island of Sri Lanka. Among these people, known today as "Sri Lankan Tamils", are my...show more content...

The Peninsula has a hot, monsoonal tropical climate characterized by a dry season from February to October and a wet season from October to January. Because of the monsoons, the region is humid and averages three feet of rain each year, which is relatively low compared to the rest of the island. The climate of the region allows for many crops to be grown including many varieties of fruits and vegetables. While interviewing my parents and grandparents, I learned about many customs and aspects of the Sri Lankan Tamil culture. Sri Lankan Tamils are devotees of the Shaiva sect of Hinduism, mainly worshipping the lord Shiva. The three main cultural festivals celebrated in the area are Thai Pongal (beginning of the harvest), Chittrai Pongal (Tamil New Year), and Deepavali (Hindu Festival of Lights). In addition, pujas (religious rituals) are performed for different occasions, such as the death day of an ancestor or the celebration of a certain Hindu deity. It was also a custom to ask the village astrologer for advice on certain decisions, such as the name of a newborn child. Paternal Great–Grandparents In the early 1900's, Kadirasaipillai and Vairavipillai Kandappar, my paternal grandmother's parents, were born in the village of Puloly, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. They were both born into families of the Vellalar caste of Tamil society and went to school at Puttalai Vidhyalayam, the only schooling option

Get more content

The story of my family is one that I do not tell often. Although my entire family may not be in agreement at all ties, I know that there is a purpose for every single person in my family; there is a reason that I have the ties I do. Each person and each event builds on the continuous story of my life. Each new day is another chance to embark upon a journey that has the potential to change my life forever. Every time I see my parents, I tell them that I love them. Life itself is so fragile, and we never know what is in store for the future. When I think of my family narrative, I think of courage, resilience, love, compassion, joy, difficulty, and many more emotions and reactions. This is the story of my family as it relates to Marriage and Families today.

My parents were married on January 15, 1994. They have been married for 22 years now, and the beginning of my family was signified on that day. My parents were married for 2 years before having their first child. Twenty years later, I am still their only child. My mother's pregnancy with me was filled with stress and unexpected turns. I was born prematurely at two pounds and twelve ounces; an entire two months prematurely. My mom had to stay with me in the hospital for months because I developed jaundice and other conditions that deteriorated my health. The problems did not end there, however. I would love to believe that racism and colorism are not issues anymore, but sadly they are even today. The sight of my pale skin led Get