Two Worlds as One Anonymous

“Τι κάνεις? Στην υγειά μας! Opa!”

“Howdy, partner. What’s in that iron skillet, ma’?”

Those phrases from opposite worlds represent my diverse cultural life growing up with a Greek mother and a father from North Dakota. From my mother I learned to enjoy more than just gyros by adopting some of the Greek language. From my father’s side of the family I developed a love for nature, hard work, and even hunting. I’ve attended a Greek Orthodox Church my entire life and have been very active and committed in that community and in charity work ever since I was young, witnessing how unfortunate some people have been. I have baked Greek foods for fundraisers, cleaned up the church, cooked for the homeless, and sent gifts and food to those lacking the ability to do so themselves for almost six years now.

The most influential charity I experience is an annual gift/food drive for families where I then personally delivering the gift baskets with food to the underprivileged families. The first year I helped out, I was shocked to see how some people have to live. Some were surrounded by filth and sickness appearing to have little chance of getting medical coverage. After witnessing that in fifth grade I developed the greatest desire to lend my...