Staying In Touch With Your Roots Isn’t As Difficult As You’d Think

Being a third-generation immigrant is amazing. I consider myself to be both American and Nigerian, and I absolutely love it. I get to benefit from having two cultures and believe they each play an integral role in sculpting me into the person I am today.

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However, there’s no doubt that I’ve often wanted to know more about my heritage and Nigerian background as a whole. I imagine many other teenagers have been in a similar situation. Knowing where to turn can feel difficult, but there are plenty of resources to make it possible.

Here are four awesome ways to stay in touch with your roots. 

Use them now, and you’ll soon have a far greater understanding of where you come from.

Research Family History
The most obvious starting point is your personal family history. Naturally, the best people to speak to about this aspect is your parents and grandparents.

However, the internet is a wonderful resource for carrying out research. You might be able to track down family trees and other cool things. Who knows what you’ll discover. Whatever you discover, it will provide a better foundation for staying in touch with your roots.
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​Stay Abreast Of Current Affairs
Modern facilities don’t only make it possible to stay in touch with our family roots, though. We can just as easily keep track of what’s going on in another country by checking current affairs. This can be your secret weapon for appreciating both cultures that you love.

For me, staying in touch with the latest Nigeria entertainment news is a great way to do this. It makes me feel like I’m still experiencing a little bit of life back in Africa, despite the fact I’ve only been there three times in my life.

​Visit
Nonetheless, there is no substitute for visiting. Engaging with the place will give you a far better understanding of things, and it’s something that will live with you forever.

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This is especially beneficial during the late teenage years. College is a period where we are all trying to discover who we are. What better way to achieve this than taking an extended trip back to the birth country of our grandparents?

It doesn’t matter if you go on vacation or take a volunteering adventure. It’s an incredible life experience and is one that anyone in a similar position to myself should be eager to take.

Find A Local Support Group
One of the great things about modern society is that there will almost certainly be more people from a similar background living in your town or city. With a little hard work, you should be able to find groups and communities of like-minded people. Use them to your advantage.

Social media platforms like Facebook are also a great place to meet people. Or if you can’t find a group, you could always start one yourself. Those meetings can be a great way to celebrate your heritage and learn more about the culture you come from.

​Appreciating your background doesn’t stop you from loving your current life. Instead, knowing your history can help build a better future.

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by IC Contributors