7.09.2006

family






Today I realized again how much I hate the thought of being far away from any of my family members. My parents are leaving for a couple of weeks, and I may not see my brother and sister-in-law and nephews for awhile. And my sister's in Montana. I like hanging out with friends, but I enjoy having my family around, too. I'm nervous about student teaching on the West Coast and then deciding where to look for a job. Some people are way more independent than me and they like having space from their families. I look at most other cultures, and family is central to these cultures. In China, people think Americans are insane for making their infants sleep in cribs in separate rooms from their parents. The only assisted living homes are those belonging to the families of the elderly who take care of their aging relatives. Why is a person in America only considered successful if they do everything on their own? I am a little more sensitive to this issue since being so homesick in China, but I still don't embrace that part of my culture. I don't agree. I think family should still be central. Of course, family does not necessarily have to be blood-related, but I think many of us take our families for granted. I don't want to turn this into a bad ABC Family movie, but I like my family and I wouldn't mind being near them for a long time.

6 comments:

Philip said...

Who to feel sorry for, well, hmmm, heres the best spin I can offer: I'll be making money while you spend it. And so, as a result of tomorrow, I'll be richer while you are poorer.........ok, thats the best I can come up with.

Jihad Hernandez said...

west coast where?

Kunnari said...

you had me so sad until the "abc movie" and then it was just too funny. Your post is interesting. Why is it that independence is so trumpeted here in the ol' US of A?

Amy said...

i updated.

for you.

:)

Carolyn said...

i think about this a lot b/c my core community includes my 2 sisters and my cousin. i love being with them but sometimes i just get these bits of stubborness where i feel like i should steer my own path. when we die i think we'll wish we had spent more time with our families...and you look creepily like your sister in that picture of her...

Hannah said...

Hi! I have the same question as Rosie: "West Coast where". I knew you'd be in "my state" later, but I don't really know what you're up to now.
I would love to be with my family this week (and give my mom a big hug), but mostly I am loving being here.