When people find out that I write about my Balkan heritage, it’s really interesting how many of them start telling me about their dream to one day visit their own homeland. A cousin went back and you’re not going to believe what she found…because I’m hoping to go myself one day. When I’m ready, you know….
I can’t help but wonder how many generations down the family tree until this desire finally disappears. Does it wait for the second or third generation before hardening into a rock deep within the ground, or does the desire simply remain dormant until the right heir comes along and picks up the flame?
I wonder this for my own kids as well. It was easier for me, of course, because both of my parents came from the same country: Yugoslavia. Never mind that Yugoslavia is now comprised of six new countries–back then, at least, I only had one country to work with. My children will have two, Serbia and Japan, which for all practical purposes still seems relatively straight-forward. But what about their kids? How much intermarrying does it take until some future little Hoops or Zubs drops their Serbian or Japanese heritage altogether, and simply becomes another born-and-bread Americano mix? Who makes that final decision? For what purposes, and for whose gain?
