My mom was born and raised on a little island in the Caribbean named Curaçao. She raised us differently due to her culture and my brother and I had different experiences from other kids. We celebrated holidays from Curaçao, had different food and had different family events.
My mom came here on a student visa for college in 1983. She studied at a college in Georgia and after she graduated she realized she fell in love with America and didn’t want to go back.
After she married my dad, they had two kids. She always dreamed of the picture-perfect American family as a child. She’d always wanted it but never thought it would actually happen.
She made sure when my brother and I grew up that we knew about Curaçao. Our opa came to America to visit all the time, we were both baptized in Curaçao and we took vacations there multiple times throughout our childhood.
I’ve visited Curaçao about five times and I love it. I love the colors of the houses, the food, the beaches, and my family down there. One of my favorite things to eat there are the pastiches, which I carve on a daily basis.
Most of my mom’s side of the family lives down there which includes my many cousins, uncles and more. I don’t see them as much as I would like and if I could I would see them more often.
I will never hate where I come from just because it’s different from most people. I love where I come from and the culture that comes with it. Curaçao will always have a special place in my heart and I don’t think I will ever become tired of going there.
I admire my mom for the courage to migrate to a foreign country all by herself. Even though she knew that she couldn’t speak much English she came to a country without anyone and took a chance.
Even though I might have had a different childhood because my mom is not originally from here, I wouldn’t change where she comes from if I had a chance.
