If you are of European descent…

[Anonymous]

I'd love to just because I feel very connected and peaceful when I am there for some reason. We've been here since the Revolution so they won't have me. I don't feel bad being here. I was just born here, what am I gonna do about it?

[Anonymous]

Can’t we just ignore the colonizer poster? People just like to post inflammatory comments to take topics off track.

[Anonymous]

OP, you are lonely. You are fantasizing about a life that cannot exist because that is easier than facing and trying to fix your reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd love to just because I feel very connected and peaceful when I am there for some reason. We've been here since the Revolution so they won't have me. I don't feel bad being here. I was just born here, what am I gonna do about it?

You can always try to find a job that will give you a work visa.
Why not give it a chance to see what it's like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The US isn’t the only country built on slavery and imperialism. Most borders today are the result of many contentious centuries of land battles. I mean look at Russia still trying to invade Ukraine, China trying to claim Hong Kong, Pakistan and Israel fighting over Palestine, and so on. I’m not really sure where you can go that is some sort of moral utopia. You can’t let the weight of history’s ugliness weigh on you because the color of your skin. That isn’t helpful for anyone.


It’s better to stay in the US, acknowledge how our country has been set up to systemically favor the dominant white culture (which will soon be the minority), and be a part of the voting class that helps reshape policies to help POC. Also, the US is becoming increasingly more mixed-race. Just be supportive of this and embrace diversity instead of running back to Europe.

Mask off moment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you are lonely. You are fantasizing about a life that cannot exist because that is easier than facing and trying to fix your reality.

And seven pages in, the most accurate response of all.

[Anonymous]

Maybe OP could move to a state that has a lot of people with German and Norwegian ancestors. Minnesota maybe?

[Anonymous]

OP, I very much doubt your great grandparents immigrated to the U.S. "on a whim". Most people move for economic reasons.

I would like to suggest that you ask your parents, grand parents, and aunts and uncles what they know about why your great grandparents moved to the U.S.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OP could move to a state that has a lot of people with German and Norwegian ancestors. Minnesota maybe?

This is actually not a terrible idea -- there are parts of Minnesota where they've retained a lot of cultural traditions from "the old country" and there is a sense of community around them. You could meet people with similar familial backgrounds and maybe find things in common between your family's history and theirs. All without having to try and get a visa to live abroad and learn a new language. And if you have kids, you could raise them with more connection to your ancestry, but also as Americans since that is what you are.

This is the first concrete suggestion in this thread that I think actually addresses OP's problem in a practical way instead of yelling at her for feeling as she does. OP, think on this! I understand why you feel as you do and think it's valid, and this might be one way to address it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OP could move to a state that has a lot of people with German and Norwegian ancestors. Minnesota maybe?

This is actually not a terrible idea -- there are parts of Minnesota where they've retained a lot of cultural traditions from "the old country" and there is a sense of community around them. You could meet people with similar familial backgrounds and maybe find things in common between your family's history and theirs. All without having to try and get a visa to live abroad and learn a new language. And if you have kids, you could raise them with more connection to your ancestry, but also as Americans since that is what you are.

This is the first concrete suggestion in this thread that I think actually addresses OP's problem in a practical way instead of yelling at her for feeling as she does. OP, think on this! I understand why you feel as you do and think it's valid, and this might be one way to address it.

Actually, I don't think this is a good idea. Trying to connect with people because of some common ancestry way back and because they share skin colour seems like a futile exercise. I don't see how this would create a sense of belonging.

[Anonymous]

I don't feel like you (and am not an immigrant).

But given our gun violence epidemic, and the crazies who are being installed into places of power in our government...I feel like I fit in the US less and less (or have any desire to share a country with people who have the MAGA mindset).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OP could move to a state that has a lot of people with German and Norwegian ancestors. Minnesota maybe?

This is actually not a terrible idea -- there are parts of Minnesota where they've retained a lot of cultural traditions from "the old country" and there is a sense of community around them. You could meet people with similar familial backgrounds and maybe find things in common between your family's history and theirs. All without having to try and get a visa to live abroad and learn a new language. And if you have kids, you could raise them with more connection to your ancestry, but also as Americans since that is what you are.

This is the first concrete suggestion in this thread that I think actually addresses OP's problem in a practical way instead of yelling at her for feeling as she does. OP, think on this! I understand why you feel as you do and think it's valid, and this might be one way to address it.

Actually, I don't think this is a good idea. Trying to connect with people because of some common ancestry way back and because they share skin colour seems like a futile exercise. I don't see how this would create a sense of belonging.

So what do you suggest? This makes more sense to me than trying to move to Germany when you don't speak German, but it's obvious OP is seeking some kind of connection to a place and people. Her family is already scattered through the US, why not try moving to an area where she might find some people who are a similar amount removed from the immigrant generation and whose families might have similar stories. I don't think the issue is about shared skin color -- presumably OP meets white people all the time, but she doesn't feel like she belongs with them. This might offer some belonging. A community with deep German roots will likely also have German cultural events, be more likely to teach German in the local schools or at a community center, have a history of German-inspired arts, etc.

I know it seems really basic, but I've known many immigrants who are just one or two generations removed who have found community in immigrant enclaves with lots of families with shared heritage. I think there might be something to this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe OP could move to a state that has a lot of people with German and Norwegian ancestors. Minnesota maybe?

This is actually not a terrible idea -- there are parts of Minnesota where they've retained a lot of cultural traditions from "the old country" and there is a sense of community around them. You could meet people with similar familial backgrounds and maybe find things in common between your family's history and theirs. All without having to try and get a visa to live abroad and learn a new language. And if you have kids, you could raise them with more connection to your ancestry, but also as Americans since that is what you are.

This is the first concrete suggestion in this thread that I think actually addresses OP's problem in a practical way instead of yelling at her for feeling as she does. OP, think on this! I understand why you feel as you do and think it's valid, and this might be one way to address it.

Actually, I don't think this is a good idea. Trying to connect with people because of some common ancestry way back and because they share skin colour seems like a futile exercise. I don't see how this would create a sense of belonging.

So what do you suggest? This makes more sense to me than trying to move to Germany when you don't speak German, but it's obvious OP is seeking some kind of connection to a place and people. Her family is already scattered through the US, why not try moving to an area where she might find some people who are a similar amount removed from the immigrant generation and whose families might have similar stories. I don't think the issue is about shared skin color -- presumably OP meets white people all the time, but she doesn't feel like she belongs with them. This might offer some belonging. A community with deep German roots will likely also have German cultural events, be more likely to teach German in the local schools or at a community center, have a history of German-inspired arts, etc.

I know it seems really basic, but I've known many immigrants who are just one or two generations removed who have found community in immigrant enclaves with lots of families with shared heritage. I think there might be something to this.

Given her comment about her ancestors emigrated on a whim, it's doubtful OP has any familiarity with their history and culture. If she's feeling a lack of belonging, she's better off getting more involved in her local community whether through religion, volunteering, or hobbies. This is a really transient place where it's hard to make strong personal connections, so I empathize with OP, I just think she's built a fantasy that doesn't reflect reality and won't actually solve her problem.

[Anonymous]

I’d like to live in a country with less hustle culture and more healthcare + vacation time, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, i feel a yearning to return to my ancestors’ land. It’s not guilt but I definitely don’t feel great or proud about being descended from colonizers. I wish my family had maintained Irish citizenship through the generations.

how far back? Ireland is pretty generous with their citizenship. It's great to have dual citizenship. My spouse and kids are dual citizens of the UK. I would be able to get it if I lived there for like 3 or 4 years.

You need an Irish-born parent or grandparent to claim Irish citizenship. Having a great-grandparent is insufficient, unless that great-grandparent registered the grandparent as a foreign birth abroad when s/he was born.