Halito ('hello' in Choctaw) and Chahta sia hoke ('I am Choctaw'), on my father's side, anyway. I also have a mix of European in my background and was born outside the U.S. even though I'm a U.S. citizen. Yes, I'm all kinds of mixed up! It's confusing and exciting. It's me.
Let's start with the Choctaw part of me. For your quick info, the Choctaws are indigenous (original native people) to North America and are a tribe that is federally recognized by the U.S. government. As I understand it, some of you may be Choctaw or have other tribal affiliations. Perhaps you have no such affiliations or are a mix of other cultures or ethnicities. Hello and welcome to one and all! I look forward to hearing about each of you over the coming weeks. What makes you wonderfully different? And what ties us together? I have asked myself these questions many times, especially since I've lived in so many places. I'll give you a "quick" timeline of where I have been.
My parents' jobs took them to many countries while I was growing up, but I'll just give you the places I "permanently" lived. Get your globes (or smart phones) ready. Seriously, you're going to want to keep track of my "ping-ponging" self. (I barely can!) Starting out, I was born in Maputo, Mozambique.
