Ethnic Roots Essay

The Haberlin family was originally from Germany. They where founded in Baden. The first ancestor to come to America came to Philadelphia in1749. They came to America voluntarily. When they arrived in Philadelphia they migrated westward to Indiana. They settled in northern Indiana around the Chicago area. They made a living by farming the land they lived on. The family was very close and they all lived and worked together.

My grandfather probably had the most impact on me. I grew up in a very rural area where there was a very limited ethnic diversity. My grandfather is what you would have a called a bit of a racist person. I grew up with him putting down other races. It was hard for me to really understand what he was talking about because I never interacted with another race until college. I have never really felt like I was of a superior ethnic group or felt badly about others. I just never really understood or was exposed to other ethnic groups.

My first encounter with race was probably on vacation to Washington DC. This was the first time I was exposed to a completely different way of life. I had never been exposed to such a large number of different races. My most recent encounter with a different type of ethnicity was with my fiancÐ"©'s friend who is from India. We went to an Indian restaurant with her and it was a completely different experience. I had never been in a situation where the entire setting was based on a different ethnicity. I am a white male so this has affected the way I have viewed other races. I am part of the majority race and sex so my opinions of other races varies in the fact that I don't understand how they have it. I am from the middle working class so once again I am part of the majority. I was also raised in a small farming community so everyone had the same view on other races. My community never really had to deal with very much ethnic diversity so they have not changed their ways. They are still