I am from Trinidad & Tobago. My child hood was great. I came to Cleveland with my husband. We met while living in Italy. I was an exchange student and he was in US Navy. He was from Cleveland. My first thought about Cleveland was “it’s cold”. My thoughts about Cleveland didn’t change, it’s still cold lol. The only challenge I faced was the different cultures. The food wasn’t the same, and my family was far away. I am a dietitian for nutrition services. I’ve met a lot of people over the years, from my husbands friends and family, our church family, as well as people from different islands in the Caribbean. They all treat me like family. The main customs I continue here is America is traditional West Indian cooking. My family enjoys eating both the American and Trinidadian cuisine on holidays. I love everything about Cleveland. It’s my home. I chose to raise my family here, and of course we are the Champs! I think it’s important to welcome immigrants and refugees because America is a melting pot. We all come from all around the world. And we learn to work together. That’s what makes our country so wonderful. I think it’s important to travel abroad to see how other cultures live. Very humbling experiences come from traveling. People who aren’t fortunate to have the materialistic items can show you a way of living that you may have never experienced. |