Greunke American Creed

My families history reflects  a lot of what it means to be an American. From hard work to immigration, my family has shown and reflected our American Creed throughout their lives.
My Grandpa was born in New York City, he went to a private boarding school for a long time and would often end up getting into trouble. He would spend his summer at camp where he would pick fights with other campers who might have gave him the wrong look. After he finished high school, he got drafted to go fight in the Vietnam war. He served as a part of the army, fighting enemy troops until the war was over. When he was sent home, he spent a summer as a camp counselor to earn a little cash and to have some fun. One night at the camp, he went with his buddies across the camp lake to a different camp where they were planning on meeting up with some girls. He met this one girl and they really hit it off, they would end up getting married a year later. When my grandparents eventually settled down, my grandpa became an attorney and would help the people of his community. His story shows the possibilities that we are open too and the happiness that anyone can achieve.

My Mother was born in a small town in Vermont. Unlike my grandpa (her father) she spent her time taking care of animals on their farm and exploring the wilderness around her house. My mother was definitely very adventurous in her life. When she graduated high school, she originally went to this small college to study journalism so she could uncover the next big scandal. However, her dreams changed when she finished college and spent two years abroad exploring eastern Europe. She met a lot of families and people that provided her with hospitality and lot of help adjusting to life on the other side of the world. She became close friends with this one girl in particular who was trying to move to the U.S. but couldn't because of how hard it was to become an American citizen. This really inspired my mom and it lead to her going into law to become an immigration lawyer. When she finished her law school at UNC, she moved to Nebraska to join a small law firm. A couple of years later, she would move to Cleveland to become an Immigration judge. Her story reflects the American ideal of perseverance and hard work to get where you want to be.

There are many more stories similar to that of my Mother and Grandpa's that are in my family. A lot of my family has done amazing things that have defined certain odds. This is something that is definitely a part of my families American Creed; the ability to put yourself in a better place.