German | Venezuelan

Photo credit: provided by subject

My Grandparents and Father moved out from Germany a few years after WWII ended. My Dad was a baby when he left the country and they travelled by ship to Peru, where my Grandfather found a job on a brewery. He lived for 10 years in Peru and moved afterwards to Venezuela due to my Grandfather’s new job. By that time, my Gad was already a teenager and he met my Mom when he was around 14-15 years old. My Mother is Venezuelan, but I’ve heard stories that her ancestors were Spanish and aboriginals. Both German and Venezuelan culture were always present at home. My brother and I attended a German school (where we had German as a second language class mostly every day), but all other school subjects were in Spanish. At school, we used to do a lot of activities related to the German culture, but at home we always spoke Spanish. My Grandparents also spoke to us in both languages when we visited them. For Christmas, we used to celebrate it first with my German Grandparents and Uncle (by following most of the German traditions), and later in the day we would do so with my Hispanic family.   

I think that interracial relationships are viewed differently depending on where you live. Venezuela had a lot European migration (especially after WWII), so there were a lot of Spanish, Portuguese and Italian immigrants in the country. There were Asian and Middle East communities as well, so it was common to see interracial relationships in the past. At present time, it continues to be the same as Venezuelans have always been very open to other cultures. Diversity is an aspect that I’ve always valued in my life and I will continue doing so. 

I feel that being mixed-race gives you a broader perspective of life, along with traveling and learning about other cultures. I like to believe that I represent the best of 2 different cultures and try to embrace the positive sides of both. This has also allowed me to grow personally and professionally, by having lived and worked as well in different countries (such as Canada and the US) and being able to successfully adapt to a new environment every time I have done so. 

I believe most of us have experienced segregation or racism at some point of our lives. In my case, it’s been a bit different, as I was always seen as a foreigner even in my home country (just because I have fair skin). When I moved to North America, I was also seen as a foreigner since I had an accent when speaking English, so being labelled as a foreigner has never changed. I wouldn’t say I’ve had negative experiences, but I have always been conscious about my identity, where I come from and where I want to go. 

I like attending Hispanic Food Festivals whenever I can, as I definitely miss eating certain dishes that remind me of my time in South America. I also listen to Hispanic rock bands and even try to attend concerts if I have the chance. Even though most of my family lives in Germany (parents and sister), we all still speak in Spanish to each other. I haven’t visited Venezuela in many years, due to the current political conflict in the country. I hope I can go back to visit again someday, once the turmoil is over.  

I do believe that my outlook on mixed-race has changed over time, especially after having lived abroad for so many years. I am proud of my mixed-race origins and this is something that defines me as an individual, and I will continue to embrace it. My workplace is very diverse, and most of my colleagues are from different countries and cultures, which I love. I work for an American company, so we all speak to each other in English.

If I was born again, I would definitely like to be mixed-race, no matter what!