tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34115138.post1618946814122836813..comments2024-03-18T23:48:24.941-05:00Comments on Kindergarten's 3 Rs: Respect, Resources and Rants: A Lifetime of Personal DiversityUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34115138.post-4880539229245450622008-04-13T18:05:00.000-05:002008-04-13T18:05:00.000-05:00You're very welcome Jenny, and thanks for reading!...You're very welcome Jenny, and thanks for reading! The easiest answer I've created over the years when I'm faced with meeting a person, or group of people, who believe they can capture who I am or what I'm like simply by plugging me into one of their cultural stereotypes is this: "While I'm flattered by your interest, the easiest way to sum up my background, heritage, and belief system is this: I am the round peg that no matter how hard you try, will never fit into your square hole. Ever." Followed quickly by a smile! :) Feel free to borrow the line if you ever need to make someone stop and think for a moment.Michaele Sommervillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14990037834550670314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34115138.post-4751083593435284622008-04-13T17:32:00.000-05:002008-04-13T17:32:00.000-05:00Hi Michaele, I was so struck while reading your po...Hi Michaele, <BR/><BR/>I was so struck while reading your post, because I have so many paralelle experiences growing up. My father is Inupiaq, and lives in Anchorage. My mother is 'Cacasian' - and that really means that her family is Eastern European Jewish in origin. My parents divorced when I was four, and my father stayed in Alaska, and my mother returned to her home town of Kansas City, Mo. I have grown up in four different ares of the mid-west, and now live in a suburb outside of Chicago. I've ALSO experienced that 'What are you?' question my entire life. When I tell people, many expect me to be a historical and cultural expert on the Inuit. I have little to offer them as I grew up primarily with my mom and identify mainly as being 'culturally Jewish'. I came across your post online because I was searching for ideas on Inuit based preschool crafts, as I have been asked to organize a craft for our preschool's 'Family Day' at the end of this month, a day where everyone is supposed to celebrate their culture. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I have experienced MANY of the same things that you stated - my mom was always asked if she adopted me, if I was from Vietnam, etc. Later on while at an Alaskan Summer Day Camp I was made fun of by other kids for being have 'Gussak' or something, for not being 'pure-blooded'. I've NEVER felt like I fit into anyone's expectations of me, on so many levels, and alot of that feeling stems from this issue, I think. I always refer to it as feeling like the displaced Eskimo. <BR/>Thanks for your post!<BR/>Take Care,<BR/>Jenny S.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com