White Female Navy Brat Who Became Italian

My first assignment/paper is due tomorrow. I am to bring 3 artifacts that represent who I am culturally and ethically. Here is my paper and some pictures of some of the things that I will be bringing. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.

White Female Navy Brat Who Became Italian
I am a white, 47 year old female who grew up in a military family. My family has always had ties with the United States military. My ancestors served in the military even before the Revolutionary War. The tradition of military service is still strong in my family today. The first artifact that I am sharing is a Naval Academy midshipman tee shirt. This represents my family’s continued strong military involvement. My father was in the Navy while I was growing up. Therefore, I was a “Navy Brat.” The term “Navy Brat” is used to describe an identifiable demographic. Navy brats endure frequent moves, absence of a parent, authoritarian family dynamics, strong patriarchal authority and the militarization of the family unit. Moving around so much as a child has helped me understand some of the transitions that take place in the lives of my students when they move in and out of my classroom.

Moving around as much as I did must have sparked in me an interest to travel. I have been to almost every state in the United States. The phrase, “been there, done that, got the tee shirt” has inspired me to get a tee shirt from each state. When I have all 50 tee shirts, I plan on making a quilt out of them. I enjoy seeing new places and experiencing new things. I always take a road map along with me on my travels and adventures. Traveling throughout the summer has become a tradition that has strengthened the relationships in my family.
My third artifact that represents who I am culturally is a replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. My husband’s father was the first in his family to be born in the United States. When I got married I was accepted into my husband’s big, Italian family. The Italian culture is very family centered and rich in tradition. Throughout the last twenty-six years, I have learned many Italian traditions of which have become a way of life in my own family. While we do not kiss one another on the check when we greet each another, we do have large, weekly family dinners that include everyone in our extended family. I have been studying the Italian language over the past year. Last summer I had the opportunity to use my Italian language skills as my family and I visited Italy. During our visit, we were able to see where my husband’s family originated.