The Challenges And Disadvantages Of Growing Up In A Diversified Family

Growing up in a diversified household has its disadvantages. My dad is Nigerian, born and raised in the village of Awka, and my mom is African-American. Growing up I was always reminded of where I come from. Attending Nigerian functions was, and still is a regular ordeal for my family and I. As a child; I hated having to attend these functions for a couple of different reasons. For one, it meant I had to socialize. The problem with socializing at Nigerian parties is that it is forced. You are constantly getting thrown into a girl or boy your age and told, “Talk! There’s someone your age here”. I’m a talkative person I’ll admit. Half of the time I am getting reprimanded for talking TOO much. There is something about being forced into a friendship

My fondest memories are the ones where I was around my family. Not the moments where we visited some extravagant museum, or went sightseeing throughout the village, but the moments where I was able to sit down and enjoy the company of family that I do not get the privilege to see but once every couple years. I learned a few very strong lessons in my trip to Nigeria. I learned to look for the beauty in things rather than the downfalls. I also learned that it is not required, but recommended that you learn the language of the country you are visiting, and lastly and most importantly, I learned to appreciate all of the family I have, even the ones that seem too far to connect

I sat in my bed and questioned what purpose I held not only in my household, but also in the world around me. Being young and not understanding what you were put on the Earth to do is hard, and I really feel for my 8 year old self. At 8 you should be enjoying life without stress. An 8 year olds’ biggest worry should be whether they are going to play at the neighbor’s house or stay in and watch their favorite movie. Life didn’t come as easy to me, but this is also not to say that I was the only 8 year old struggling in the world. I knew that I shouldn’t have been feeling the way that I was, but at the same time I also didn’t know how to fix