“Being raised in a different culture is something that has always been a part of my life. I was born in Germany, but I didn’t spend a lot of time there. I moved to Northern Ireland when I was two. And then, when I was about six, I moved to the United States. It has created some awkward situations, but most of the time it just makes me feel special. Most of my childhood was European. When people here talk about things like their childhood shows, I can’t relate. People say that they grew up watching Backyardigans or Phineas and Ferb, and I just think ‘I grew up watching an orange mouse and a blue elephant on TV.’ There are sayings that I feel like I missed out on, too. Often, there are times when I’m hanging out with my friends, and there’s an entirely different language basis. There are specific words and phrases for activities that I don’t know, but I just go with it. Some of these things I didn’t learn from my parents.

I frequently visit Germany now, because that’s where all my relatives live. But, I’ve been here for ten years now; I like speaking English. It’s what I’ve been doing for most of my life day after day. In the end, though, I feel like being raised this way is something that defines me. Everyone is raised differently, and it just makes me feel more like a unique individual.”

(Junior)