Relatives
I have relatives all over the world- and some in South Africa. This Blog just got hit from South Africa, and I am excited that I might even one day have a reader that is from my family! I have cousins that live there that I have never met, but as a child my Uncle Roland came to visit us in Cincinnati several times. Once, on my grandmother's 60th birthday we all went to Middleburg, Netherlands, for a family reunion, where my Mother, my Aunt Barbi, and my Uncles Gerhart and Roland came to see my Grandmother. It was wonderful to have the "Geschwister" from 3 continents in one place.
I have heard such amazing stories about South Africa from my Uncle, that I imagined being there among the zebras, giraffes and lions as a child. I saw the photos my Aunt Barbi took, when she took a trip to visit Uncle Roland one year. It all stuck tightly in my mind as a super place to visit. During the race riots and unrest it was scary to read about what was happening, but we all were so relieved that South Africa came through this time into a new present. I never had the opportunity to visit.
I just wonder what my Uncle would think about my child, an African American child, growing up in my house, my own son legally, sunshine of my heart.
I think of how race is perceived in the country. Would I be able to travel with my son in South Africa? He traveled to Paris and London with his Father, without issues, but I sent a letter indicating that he is legally adopted. I know so little about the country. Here in the United States I am free to travel without problem, wherever I want with my son. I might get some strange looks, but I go where I want with him. I guess I get more questions, because I am not of childbearing age. "Are you 'grandma'?" Is the question most asked. I answer, "No, I'm just an older Mom." My friend graduated the same high school and the same graduating class I did, is raising her great-grand son, same age, in the same class as my 12 year old son, Weslee. That is the issue here in Cincinnati, my age, my gray hair, not my color. I have 3 other Latino children. Schools are accustomed to trans-cultural families.
I welcome all the new readers, from the countries that have recently hit my blog- Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and South Africa. I have been in North and South America, Europe and Asia, but not the Artic or the Antarctic. Australia and New Zealand, and a total of 33 countries hit my Blog. I will soon have a list of them all for you to see. Happy reading! I think it strange that few of my relatives read this blog...
I have heard such amazing stories about South Africa from my Uncle, that I imagined being there among the zebras, giraffes and lions as a child. I saw the photos my Aunt Barbi took, when she took a trip to visit Uncle Roland one year. It all stuck tightly in my mind as a super place to visit. During the race riots and unrest it was scary to read about what was happening, but we all were so relieved that South Africa came through this time into a new present. I never had the opportunity to visit.
I just wonder what my Uncle would think about my child, an African American child, growing up in my house, my own son legally, sunshine of my heart.
I think of how race is perceived in the country. Would I be able to travel with my son in South Africa? He traveled to Paris and London with his Father, without issues, but I sent a letter indicating that he is legally adopted. I know so little about the country. Here in the United States I am free to travel without problem, wherever I want with my son. I might get some strange looks, but I go where I want with him. I guess I get more questions, because I am not of childbearing age. "Are you 'grandma'?" Is the question most asked. I answer, "No, I'm just an older Mom." My friend graduated the same high school and the same graduating class I did, is raising her great-grand son, same age, in the same class as my 12 year old son, Weslee. That is the issue here in Cincinnati, my age, my gray hair, not my color. I have 3 other Latino children. Schools are accustomed to trans-cultural families.
I welcome all the new readers, from the countries that have recently hit my blog- Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and South Africa. I have been in North and South America, Europe and Asia, but not the Artic or the Antarctic. Australia and New Zealand, and a total of 33 countries hit my Blog. I will soon have a list of them all for you to see. Happy reading! I think it strange that few of my relatives read this blog...
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