It’s only appropriate that my first blog post on Telligenti.com provide some insight into who I am and where I come from. At first glance, I may appear to be a typical privileged white girl with little appreciation for the source of her mall money. Admittedly, I’m sometimes envious of the apparent richness of Latino culture, specifically, but taking a closer look at my own heritage, I have several parallels with my Latin-American counterparts.

 
On my Father’s side, I am the first generation to speak English as a first language. My Grandparents immigrated from Canada to Maine, and my Father had to learn English on the fly in public school. At the same time, he taught his friends some French. Regrettably, about the only French I speak is an ironic stock phrase: J’espere que je parle assez bien pour m’faire comprande, or “I hope I speak well enough to make myself understood.”

 
On my Mother’s side, I am the first generation to earn a college degree. My Grandfather was a fisherman, and Mom recalls often eating the scraps from his catch for dinner. There are still several fishermen in the family--Red Lobster is unthinkable knowing what it’s like calling my cousin to find out what time he’s coming into dock, buying his fresh lobster at “cost,” bringing them down to the boathouse to boil them over a fire in a pot-full of saltwater and seaweed topped with steamers (or clams for you flatlanders) with a pan of butter melting on the side, cracking those suckers open with rocks and my bare hands, and throwing the shells back in the Atlantic as I go. It does not get any better.

 
Still, growing up I appeared a spoiled only child. My parents owned and operated a family restaurant, and my peers assumed we were rich and I was given my brand new Burton snowboard, Fender bass guitar, and second-hand Fords. The reality is I have been on the payroll since I was twelve years old and made those purchases with my own cash—and even paid off both Fords early. I have earned everything I have.

 
On second thought, I suppose I am privileged. Privileged to have parents who fostered a sense of independence and original thinking. Privileged that my folks never handed me anything. Privileged to have that immigrant mentality so I wasn’t too scared to move to Big D and land a job at this phenomenal company called Telligent.

 
So you see I’m really not so different from my successfully acclimated Latin American counterparts who have an interesting heritage, a healthy work ethic, and a sometimes-waning foreign language. I just come from the North and stay out of the sun.