Travel Tales

My grandparents

SO people keep asking about my grandparents. They are pretty cool. My grandma immigrated from Czechoslovakia during World War II, but she is from a place called Transcarpathia, in the Ukraine. Look for it on the map- Gabby can probably find it. When she grew up there, it was part of Hungary. My cousins that you guys met in the beginning of the year are related to me through my grandparents.

My grandmother had to escape Europe during the war because she was Jewish, and the Nazis were killing anyone who was Jewish (actually, they were killing anyone who Adolf Hitler didn't believe was the perfect race. ) She was 18 when she left, and had 4 sisters. By the time she got to New York, via Ellis Island, only two of her sisters had survived the war.

You will learn a lot about the Holocaust as you get older, and unfortunately, it has happened to other groups of people in the recent past. Although it is sad, it is also very important to study so that we can all work be aware and take action against it happening to anyone again.

My grandpa was born in Ohio. He was in the military when my grandmother came to the states. They fell in love and got married, and eventually moved to Los Angeles, where more family from Europe had escaped to. Eventually, they had 3 girls, my Aunt Judy, my mom, Anne, and my Aunt Linda. When my mom was young, the family moved to Burlingame, and my mom went to Mills High school.

THe funny thing about all of this is that my dad's parents were also in Cincinatti, Ohio when they were young. They, too, are Jewish, but they were first generation Americans. That means they were the first generation that was born in the US- their parents were born in Eastern Europe also. They didn't know each other in Ohio, but both families moved to Los Angeles before they met, and they got married in LA and had two boys- my Uncle Charlie, and my dad, Don. When my dad was 12, their family also moved to the Bay Area, to Millbrae, about two blocks away from my mom's family. My mom and dad met at Mills High School!



ABout 9 years ago, my mom's parents moved back to southern California, to Leisure World in Orange County. It's a gated city where you have to be at least 55 to live there, and they have a lot of activities for older people, right next door to a large hospital so it's easy for elderly people to get to. My grandpa is stubborn, and really funny, and is happy everywhere. He and his three brothers recently took a trip to volunteer in South America. My grandma is also happy to be near her sisters, but doesn't get to see them as much as she wants. She can't drive anymore, and she gets tired easily, and I think she is just frustrated. I talked to her this evening, and she said she keeps making lists of things for me to help her with, and then she forgets where she puts it, or changes her mind. She really likes to go shopping, and I absolutely HATE shopping, but I have a feeling I am going to be spending many afternoons at the mall. My grandmother was extremely fashionable when she was young, and that's a part of her that will stick forever. You should see some of the outfits she comes up with- imagine a 4'7" tiny woman, wearing bright green pants! She loves to dress up, and will make any excuse to do it.

Well, that's the story for now.

posted by Rebecca @ 9:53 PM