My father came to this country in 1981. As a young man at the time he sought a new beginning to life in this great country we call America. With him he brought many of the teachings of his country mainly his religion. In New York City there is a large concentration of Greek Americans that are of the same faith. However the Greek Orthodox religion is shared by many people Greek and non-Greek alike. About a decade ago while on vacation my grandmother gave my father an icon to take home with him to hang in our house. The icon itself is a silver cross, about the size of a standard sized letter paper, bordered in stained wood. My younger brother and I were instructed to hang it upon our wall, we were told that it was there to bring good things into our life, and lead bad things out. Traditionally, we would have to pray under the icon every night, but that tradition didn't take hold. Even though I may not follow the tradition day in and out I have a reverence for it. It goes to show that no matter where you end up the things you learned and the culture you were raised in will always be a part of you. Passed down from the old world to the new.

– Nicholas Christoforou

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant