VOICES
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in 2 inburg
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h Julia with
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Deutsch BY JULIA GREENWOOD
AMERICANA
This Backdropper recalls her experience as a Julia with
Peter, he r dad ,
dual-citizen of Germany and the United States.
M
in 2004 .
Neuschw an during th stein Castle e summe r of 2017.
see ing in the Ost 2019 . Felix swimm to Lübeck in | Spring p tri c p o r d k a b r ou g durin
30
2022
y identity as a German American is something I have always struggled to explain to people. On the outside, I sound and look American, but my family history and origin are much more complex. I have been told many times that my “becoming” story is something out of a Hallmark movie, but it seems so normal to me. My mom is American, and my dad is German. They were never married and have had the privilege of co-parenting me from different continents. Their story is very long and confusing, but essentially, they were family friends and the only reason I exist is that my dad’s flight back to Germany was canceled because of 9/11. Due to my parent’s different nationalities, I am a dual citizen, giving me legal rights in both countries, as well as an EU passport. Traveling internationally has been a major part of my upbringing, starting at around one year old when my mom (who was six months pregnant with my brother) brought me to Germany to meet my grandparents for the first time. Since then, I have been to Germany many times and my paternal family would come to the U.S. to visit me. I began traveling alone to Germany when I was 10 years old and having gone so many times, I am used to the routine of international travel.
