How Growing Up Between Two Cultures Taught Me to Value Tradition and Gratitude
Things that I didn’t appreciate growing up as a child of a first-generation immigrant in an English speaking country that I sure as hell do now.
As the child of a Polish immigrant mother, there was a point in my childhood when I realised that my experiences differed from those of the children around me. I often felt that I was missing out, believing that others had better things and more exciting opportunities. It wasn’t until I grew older and gained perspective that I truly understood how my upbringing shaped me in profoundly positive ways.
Not having a drawer of snacks or ready-made meals.
Growing up, my mum cooked most meals from scratch, often trying to blend the traditional dishes from her native country with British cuisine. Our meals were usually odd hybrids of the two, and I didn’t appreciate them then. I envied my friends who got to indulge in chicken and chips or microwave pizzas (which were all the rage back then). We usually had just one pack of sweets, like chocolate bars or biscuits, while my friends had entire magical drawers filled with treats. Fizzy drinks were a big deal in our house, reserved for special occasions only as were getting takeaways.
