One of the things I like about living in the NYC metro area is the ethnic diversity. And ancestry always seems to come up in conversation. With some people, it is obvious by their name or looks but with others there might be a question. A few years ago I had to ask this woman if she was Italian or Jewish.
When I lived in KCMO, they had a big St. Patrick's Day parade. I was asking all these people I knew if they were Irish and they didn't know! They didn't know! Heck, my father's family has been here since before the Civil War but we know our roots. Actually, it was rather boring there because you were either white or Black. Weren't even that many Hispanics at the time, as I recall. Couldn't even get decent Italian food. Okay, the barbecue was out of sight.
And I think we are the only country that does this. A few years ago, my cousins' friends from France were visiting and they happened to live near Monaco which, as you probably know, is near the Italian border. The wife's family had moved from Italy to France so we said she was Italian. Absolutely not, they said. She was French!
Lots of diversity here and, for the most part, we all get along. Hm, think I'll have Chinese tomorrow night. Or maybe Italian? Or a hot dog?
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