Rebuilding Rob

I’ve never been one to take pride in something that I had nothing to do with. I didn’t earn my ethnicity, so I really have no right to be “proud” of it. On the flip-side, I have no reason to be ashamed or it either.

I am predominately Irish. If I was to put a percentage on my ethnicity, would say I’m “3/4 Irish” as it is from both my mother and father’s sides of the family.

I wish I knew more about the history of Ireland, and where exactly my ancestors came from in Ireland. Thanks to my cousin, I am able to trace my ancestors directly back to the first Mayflower voyage.

Like many other bloggers out here, I know a lot about the stereotypes about being Irish. I know some of the more recent history of Ireland as it stands.

The one thing that has intrigued me is that my maternal grandmother (my mom’s mom’s) side of the family is Polish.

Like several countries in Europe, being Polish is more of an ethnicity than it is an actual nationality. Poland, as a country didn’t form until after World War II, even though people, in that particular, part of Russia called them selves, Polish. I remember learning about that as a kid. After my grandmother passed, I remember, my mom and my aunt were looking at my grandmother’s birth certificate. They had seen where their grandmother, or my great grandmother, was listed as having been born in Russia. But again, since people of that region identify themselves as Polish, and ultimately, Poland became an independent nation, I identify myself as being Polish

And do I even want to get into the endless supply of Polish jokes?

When I was in college, I had a classmate whose family was of Palestinian descent. I remember being privy to a few conversations where people would ask about her ethnicity, and she would proudly say “I’m Palestinian”. Obviously with the state of affairs in the Middle East, I’m sure this is a touchy subject for her. Even though I personally don’t “take pride” in my ethnicity, I was happy to see this young woman like people in the eyes and say, resolutely, “I’m Palestinian”.

If you like my blog, you should read My GenXer Life. As the title implies, it is written by a fellow Gen Xer who ties her blog posts in with song lyrics from our Generation. @mygenxerlife i figure you’d appreciate the title of this post.

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier, related posts:

• Rob’s Retro Movie Review: This is Spinal Tap (1984) – The Movie That Scaled to Eleven
• A Death in the Family (And My Disposable Income): My Life in Comics
• The Supporting Cast: Navigating the Eras of Male Friendship
• Life is What Happens: A Look Back at My Non-Existent 2025 Vision
• The Moment I Walked Inside a Hallmark Movie

The article “Pride (in the name of love)” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.