My Hyphenated Identity
Philip Van Eick
ENG 101 Section 3
Professor Sobel
“My Hyphenated Identity”
9.25.2013
My Dutch-Indonesian Life
I consider my hyphenated identity to be an important part of who I am, which is Dutch-Indonesian. This is a distinct group of people from the islands of Indonesia, situated across the equator. Although the Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in the area, the Dutch settled and stayed in Indonesia for roughly 300 years.
The Dutch were there a long time and created a unique people referred to as Dutch-Indonesians. Being Dutch-Indonesian means each group influenced each other for over 300 years. My father was born in Jakarta and he and his immediate family consider them selves Dutch-Indonesian. Although my mother’s family was from Europe, I consider self mostly Dutch-Indonesian. Most of my family is on my dad’s side. We are a unique group of people, being tall and slim with brown eyes and hair.
It is fun to see my cousins from my dad’s family. Some of my dad’s cousins look different from each other. Their eye colors can be bright blue, green, hazel as well as brown. One of my dad’s cousins likes to tell a story about growing up in her family with blonde hair and green eyes. Visitors would frequently ask, “Why is the neighbor’s kid always here?”
When we visit them I feel like I belong there. It is fun to see my cousins and basically I give them back the warmth they show me. I ask questions about what they do. I also play intensive word games with them. I usually have so much fun I don’t realize I am learning at the same time. I use that good feeling and good manners wherever I go.
My dad’s dad worked for a large manufacturing company and my dad’s mom worked in the operating room in Danbury Hospital. One of dad’s cousin’s was an athlete in high school as he was also. A cousin of his is a nurse and there are a couple of teachers. Two of his second cousins teach in public schools and one is a policeman in the Town of
ENG 101 Section 3
Professor Sobel
“My Hyphenated Identity”
9.25.2013
My Dutch-Indonesian Life
I consider my hyphenated identity to be an important part of who I am, which is Dutch-Indonesian. This is a distinct group of people from the islands of Indonesia, situated across the equator. Although the Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in the area, the Dutch settled and stayed in Indonesia for roughly 300 years.
The Dutch were there a long time and created a unique people referred to as Dutch-Indonesians. Being Dutch-Indonesian means each group influenced each other for over 300 years. My father was born in Jakarta and he and his immediate family consider them selves Dutch-Indonesian. Although my mother’s family was from Europe, I consider self mostly Dutch-Indonesian. Most of my family is on my dad’s side. We are a unique group of people, being tall and slim with brown eyes and hair.
It is fun to see my cousins from my dad’s family. Some of my dad’s cousins look different from each other. Their eye colors can be bright blue, green, hazel as well as brown. One of my dad’s cousins likes to tell a story about growing up in her family with blonde hair and green eyes. Visitors would frequently ask, “Why is the neighbor’s kid always here?”
When we visit them I feel like I belong there. It is fun to see my cousins and basically I give them back the warmth they show me. I ask questions about what they do. I also play intensive word games with them. I usually have so much fun I don’t realize I am learning at the same time. I use that good feeling and good manners wherever I go.
My dad’s dad worked for a large manufacturing company and my dad’s mom worked in the operating room in Danbury Hospital. One of dad’s cousin’s was an athlete in high school as he was also. A cousin of his is a nurse and there are a couple of teachers. Two of his second cousins teach in public schools and one is a policeman in the Town of