Last month, I had the privilege of arranging a Diversity awareness session for my department. My department is relatively small but very diverse, with colleagues born in 10 countries from across the globe, educated in 14 countries and now working in 7 different countries. While this can be a challenge at times, it offers a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow. Preparing for this session made me reflect on my background and the diverse influences in my family through the generations.
The photographs below are from a recent trip to Goa, where our story began.
My grandparents were from Roman Catholic families, born and brought up in Goa. At the time, Goa was a Portuguese colony. Education in Goa was in Portuguese even though families often spoke Konkani, the local language, at home.
As working adults, my grandparents moved from Goa to India, part of the British colony at the time. This meant that their children, my parents were educated in British India, with English as the medium of instruction and ultimately their ‘mother tongue’. Both my family and my husband’s family spoke English at home even though Konkani and Portuguese was still part of our ‘heritage’ .
Fast forward to 1987 when my husband and I move to Norway. Our sons were born here and have grown up with English as their mother tongue and Norwegian as the medium of instruction at school. Now, as young adults, they use Norwegian most of the time, both at home and with friends and colleagues even though we still speak English to one another. As time goes on cultures and family traditions change and adapt to the society we choose to live in. It is wonderful to take the time to look back at the road our families have taken to get us to where we are today.
My beautiful life! 