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How Many Races are there in the World? (2011). World Mysteries Blog. Retrieved from http://blog.world-mysteries.com/science/how-many-major-races-are-there-in-the-world/

Italy. (n.d). Countries and Their Cultures. Retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Italy.html

Poland Guide: A Guide to Polish Language, Culture, Customs, and Etiquette. (n.d). Commisceo Global. Retrieved from http://www.commisceo-global.com/country-guides/poland-guide

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There are many assumptions and stereotypes about the Italian culture. Many of the assumptions and stereotypes of the Italian culture is due to television shows and movies that portray all Italians in a certain way. If someone is not familiar with the Italian culture, they may believe that every individual acts in a specific way, when in reality they may not. Some of the assumptions and stereotypes of the Italian culture include:
1. Every Italian knows someone who is in the Mafia. This is not true for everyone and not true for myself. I do not know anyone who is in the mafia, however I have had family members know individuals who were.
2. All Italians act as they do on the show the Jersey Shore. The people on this show are the typical "Guido" and because of this show many people think about the way that they act and portray themselves. Many of the people I went to school with had the typical "Guido" look. However, the show obviously plays up the stereotypes to have people more engaged and interested in the show.
3. Italians are all loud. I have many family members who are Italian, but are extremely quiet and reserved. I believe a lot of this assumption comes from television shows and movies that individuals watch. Many of the television shows and movies have characters who are loud and obnoxious throughout because of their Italian culture.
4. Italians live with their family until adulthood. This is not true for all Italians. When I went to college, I lived on my own in a dorm without my family in the same city. I have also had many family members who do not live with their parents until their thirties, but did still go home every Sunday for the traditional Sunday dinner.

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Education is highly encouraged in my house. From the moment I was able to speak, college was always a discussion. My family would discuss which colleges we wanted to attend and what career path we were considering. They never discouraged any careers, which I feel helped to allow me to understand that no matter where my life path was heading, they would be proud as long as I attended school.

When I was younger, I had difficulty with reading comprehension. Even though I struggle, my mother instilled the importance of perseverance and how it was necessary to continue to try and succeed in school even though I was facing a challenge I was not sure I could overcome. Every night, my mother would work on my school work and extra reading comprehension practice with me. This showed me just how much she believed in the importance of school.

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Work ethic is extremely important in my family. My parents have both been working, whether in the home or at a job, since they were 13 years old. This continued in my family as I was growing up. I was responsible for chores in the home and when I was old enough, I began babysitting. I also went to work with my father who worked in construction in order to see how hard work pays off from a young age. I also went to work with my mother who worked from home in the basement. This allowed me to learn about the importance of not only work, but how to work hard and still be able to take care of a family.

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My family believes in being supportive through every situation. No matter how difficult a situation may become it has always been important for use to stand by and not turn our backs on one another. I was also taught about the importance of family dinners. Each night we ate dinner together as a family. My parents believed it was important to talk every night and know what is happening in each others lives. This was a time for us to talk about things that happened during out day, things that made us proud, and anything challenges that we faced.

My family also believes in not discussing family business to anyone besides each other. This included not telling extended family any personal business that occurred in our home. Much of this came from my parents having their own business. They believed it was no one else's business about how much money they were or were not making at any given time. This belief I believe in as well. I feel that it has helped my family become stronger because we were able to gain trust in one another.

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My family continues many of my father’s family traditions. Many of his tradition include family and food. As I was growing up, we had large family dinners every Sunday night. This not only included my immediate family, but my extended family as well. These meals always included traditional Italian food such as antipasto, bread, and pasta and sauce.

My mother’s traditions were different from my father's, but included food as well. Every year for Christmas my mother makes cookies. This is a family event and everyone helps make the dough, cookies, and decorate them as well. We still continue this tradition today.

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My father grew up Roman Catholic and used to attend a Catholic church with his grandparents. My mother was raised Protestant in her home just like her mother was. Protestantism was originated in Germany. This is how my mother’s family kept a part of their German heritage. I was raised Protestant as well. Protestant is a branch of Christianity and is extremely similar to the Christian religion, except with a few difference such as the saints they believe in.

Each Sunday my family and I attended a Protestant church that was close to my home. Before church began, I attended Sunday school and was able to gain new knowledge about my religion through reading various scriptures in the Bible. The Bible is highly valued by Protestants the same way it is valued by Catholics. Religion has been a large part of my life and continues to be today.

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Family plays a large role in an Italian and Polish home. In both cultures, family is the center of everything. Growing up, this was true for my home. Every weekend my family and I were with my aunts, uncles, and cousins. When we weren’t together, my mom was always on the phone with a member from the family. It has always been important for us to constantly be in contact with one another.

In the Italian culture men work while the women stay home and raise the children. In the Polish culture, both the men and women work. My home incorporated both cultures in this area. My parents own a construction business together and have since I was born. As I was growing up, my dad built an office in the basement of our home to allow my mom to not only work, but be home with her family as well. This was wonderful because my mom had strong beliefs in being home with her children during holiday breaks, weekends, and when we were sick. She was also able to attend school events without any issues. I believe this was a wonderful way for my parents to include both of their beliefs in the family role.

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My race is Caucasian. Through research, I learned that there are generalizations such as having a high forehead, narrow face, and a long, narrow nose that are associated with this race. These feature generalizations are true for me.

Growing up, my sister and I were known as the “mutts” of the family. This is due to the various ethnicities that I am mixed with. My father’s side of the family is Italian and Irish. However, my mother’s side is Russian, German, and Polish. My family mainly associates with Italian between our traditions, family roles, and beliefs.

My father’s grandparents are from Italy and came to America as immigrants. This side of my family is extremely close and always had family dinners every Sunday. My family continued this tradition for many years. On my mother’s side, we associate with her Polish heritage the most. This culture is family orientated and close with one another. Family is the center of this culture and may include close friends as family as well. Even though both sides of my family are close with one another, this does not mean that I lived with my extended family. That is a generalization that many people think of in Italian and Polish homes.

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                                                                                  My Background

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                                                                                  My Background

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I was born in Queens, New York. When I was 7 years old, my family and I moved to Long Island, New York. I was raised there until I was 15 years old and my dad received a job in Georgia. Most of my family on both my mother and father’s side still live in various areas in New York. It is still strange for me not to see my aunts and uncles throughout the week or on Sundays for family dinners.

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My father is the oldest out of my grandparents four children.

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This is a picture of my Nan and aunt Debbie on her wedding day.

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This is a picture of my grandpa Dick and grandma Carol. Both passed away when I was one years old.

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My grandfather is known as Pop. His sister Maryanne was born with Down Syndrome. He took care of her after his parents passed away.

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This is a picture of my immediate family. My sister (left) is 20 years old. My parents (right) have been married for 27 years.

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                                                               Family Tree

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                                                               Family Tree

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My family tree begins with my great-grandparents on both my mother and father's side of the family. I had the pleasure of getting to know my great-grandma Grace, but unfortunately my other great-grandparents passed away before I was born. My grandparents are below them on the tree (second generation). Out of my grandparents only my grandma Maureen is still alive today. My parents are below them (third generation), along with all of their siblings. Both of my parents come from large, close families and they are still extremely close today. My sister, cousins, and I are the fourth generation. Due to now living in Georgia, I am not able to see them as often as I used to. Some of my cousins are also now married and are beginning families of their own as shown on the tree.