Re: White people dating Armenian
I agree on the speaking English part. Nothing annoys me more than immigrants who refuse to learn the language of the land that's providing them "a better life". However, that does NOT mean forget your own language, culture, history, traditions, etc. The 2 can co-exist.
If she grew up in Glendale, then yes. Since the Armenian culture has a strong presence in So Cal, I'd say she would be far more reluctant to just forget about preserving the culture, versus an Armenian in say No Man's Land, Kansas.
I was born and raised in the far SW suburbs of Chicago. There are a few Armenians scattered here and there closer to the city, but where I live, you get a blank stare when you tell someone "I'm Armenian". There was only one other Armenian I ever came across in school, and he didn't know anything about the culture (3rd gen). I never had any Armenian friends growing up, nor any family outside of my immediate one. We visited Glendale once (have TONS of family in that area) back in '85, and I was blown away. I thought it was messed up that everyone seemed to be speaking Armenian. It felt like I was on another planet. Then it was back to WASP and yuppie land.
Yet, in spite of pretty much having known only Americans all my life, I still find the American pop-culture to be extremely cheap and boring. And this is coming from someone who most that know me would consider "all American" (if I don't mention my ethnicity). I've always struggled to find a way to get what I mean across to the average American, and I don't think there's a way to do it. The closest thing I've heard is when the dad in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" called them "dry toast people". There's no culture, or soul to the way of life. Just drinking with a bunch of dipsh*ts, sex, going along with the latest fashion/trends, popularizing crappy music, etc. Not that Armenians are immune to this, but this is the entire basis for the American culture.
Regardless of my situation, I've done my best to retain the language and learn about our history. And while it's very unlikely I will marry an Armenian girl due to where I live, it is absolutely mandatory that if I ever have kids, they learn the culture as well, no matter WHO I marry. I don't say this as an insult by any means, but it is virtually impossible for someone so removed from his/her ancestry to understand the importance of this, especially to a culture that is getting smaller and smaller in numbers.
I agree on the speaking English part. Nothing annoys me more than immigrants who refuse to learn the language of the land that's providing them "a better life". However, that does NOT mean forget your own language, culture, history, traditions, etc. The 2 can co-exist.
Originally posted by neontyper
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I was born and raised in the far SW suburbs of Chicago. There are a few Armenians scattered here and there closer to the city, but where I live, you get a blank stare when you tell someone "I'm Armenian". There was only one other Armenian I ever came across in school, and he didn't know anything about the culture (3rd gen). I never had any Armenian friends growing up, nor any family outside of my immediate one. We visited Glendale once (have TONS of family in that area) back in '85, and I was blown away. I thought it was messed up that everyone seemed to be speaking Armenian. It felt like I was on another planet. Then it was back to WASP and yuppie land.
Yet, in spite of pretty much having known only Americans all my life, I still find the American pop-culture to be extremely cheap and boring. And this is coming from someone who most that know me would consider "all American" (if I don't mention my ethnicity). I've always struggled to find a way to get what I mean across to the average American, and I don't think there's a way to do it. The closest thing I've heard is when the dad in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" called them "dry toast people". There's no culture, or soul to the way of life. Just drinking with a bunch of dipsh*ts, sex, going along with the latest fashion/trends, popularizing crappy music, etc. Not that Armenians are immune to this, but this is the entire basis for the American culture.
Regardless of my situation, I've done my best to retain the language and learn about our history. And while it's very unlikely I will marry an Armenian girl due to where I live, it is absolutely mandatory that if I ever have kids, they learn the culture as well, no matter WHO I marry. I don't say this as an insult by any means, but it is virtually impossible for someone so removed from his/her ancestry to understand the importance of this, especially to a culture that is getting smaller and smaller in numbers.
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