Heritage

I think everyone should make an effort to learn about where their ancestors came from, especially if you live in a country of immigrants like the united states. I know that I took the initiative to ask my mother and my grandparents about where my family came from. I learned that my fathers side is a mix of ethnicities, mostly English with some Irish, German, and supposedly a little bit of Finn, at least according to my grandfather. On my mothers side, the vast majority is Irish with a tiny bit of Welsh and Scottish. So obviously most of my heritage lies in the British Isles, but I've also learned about the journey my ancestors went on to make it to the states. I learned that my fathers side, my grandmothers family in particular, came to the states from Canada, Nova Scotia to be specific. My fathers side has been on the North American continent for generations after they came from north western Europe. I had hoped that they were American revolutionaries but once I found out they were Canadian, I was disappointed because I could only infer that they were Loyalists like all the colonists in Canada. It's always fascinating to learn about where people came from and what their stories are. Everyone in the United States who aren't Native American have ancestors that went on a perilous journey in order to give their descendants a chance at living a better life. Of course, tragically, there was a specific group that didn't come to the United States of their own free will. They came to this country in chains as slaves; of course I'm talking about African Americans. However, despite the inhumane path they were forced on, they grew to help shape this country into what it is today. I think it's important for everyone to visit the country or countries that their family came from at least once in their lives if they have the means to do so. I've spent some time in the British Isles and it was an amazing experience to visit my families home land. I learned about the culture of my ancestors and that experience has stayed with me throughout my life. Heritage is a beautiful thing and I think it's important for everyone to learn about theirs.