4. Make Something - Dad's Grape Leaves

Although my parents don't often cook, let alone cook food that is from their home country, my Dad will occasionally cook a delicious treat called grapes leaves.

Grapes leaves (final result displayed above) is an appetizer type dish that is typically rice and meat rolled into a grape leaf, hence the name. It may not look very appetizing and even skeptical to eat an actual leaf, I think it's a very delicious food and I am a VERY picky eater.

In order to make grape leaves the way my dad does, you will need the following ingredients:

1 lb Jar Orlando Brand Grape Leaves
2 Cups Long Grain Rice
1 Stick of Butter
2 lbs of Beef
2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
1 Tsp Turmeric
2 Tsp All Spice
4 Gloves Garlic - Minced
2 Tbsp Powder Onions

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl - melt the butter and put on top the mix and mix it again then open the grape leaves jar, separate the leaves rinse with cold water, pat to dry then put spoon fulls of the mix and roll the leaves. Stack inside a pot until you finish. Pour four cups of water on the rolled leaves and boil on high until the water is lowered then lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes more until all the water is gone. Enjoy!

This is pretty much the only thing I can relate to my father's home and I would say it's a good thing to relate it to!

9. Interviewing a Relative

(I had some complications with posting the video so instead I hand wrote my interview)

For the interview I chose to talk to my Mom who has lived a somewhat interesting life and also had the time to talk to me!

Ben: Where were you born?

Mom: Denmark.

Ben: What was it like growing up in Denmark?

Mom: Growing up in Demark is very similar to growing up in America for me. I lived with my parents, went to school, and I had a job from very young. Since we lived in the country, we had farms with lot of work in the fields.

Ben: Did any historical events or something relative to that nature happen while you lived there?

Mom: In my lifetime, nothing historical happened, in Denmark at least, but my Mom would tell me about World War II. How the German army would fly over where they lived and they would have to hide in the fields.

Ben: Did the Germans ever do anything to them aside from just fly over?

Mom: Oh yes, they would shoot if they saw anything moving.

Ben: How and why did you move to the U.S., what was the experience like?

Mom: I came to the USA when I was 17 years old to work in a house as a nanny for 1 year. The lady that I work for was from the same island and town as I was from in Denmark. Here I meet my future husband and I stay in the USA.

Ben: Living in America, what struggles did you endure?

Mom: I have a pretty easy life the only thing I had some struggles with is the language and after 37 year here I still have a accent.

Ben: How did your life change or differ since being in America?

Mom: Since coming to America I been married for 36 years, had three wonderful sons, and now I am the proud grandma of 5 grand-kids. My life here has been great and would not change it.

15. Spring Historical Site

"Initially a farming community supported by crops, including sugar cane and cotton, Spring was platted by the Houston & Great Northern Railroad in 1873. That same year, Callahan Pickette became the town's first postmaster. In its early years, Spring served as a commercial center for the surrounding area. It was also a focal point for German settlers, including Carl Wunsche, who was prominent in the town's development. The area still has a strong German heritage.

A new rail line reached Spring in the early 20th century and, with a round house and railway shops, the town grew in importance as a rail center. Developer R.L. Robinson subdivided land south of the original town, and the commercial area shifted to accommodate the rail junction. The railroads facilitated the development of the lumber industry; Spring boasted a number of mills, both large and small, in the boom era of lumber production. With the boom came the need for new businesses, including hotels, saloons, an opera house, gambling houses, a hospital and a bank. In 1907, residents established the Spring Independent School District.

The loss of the roundhouse and the onset of prohibition led to population decline, and the saloons, hotels, and other rail-supported businesses closed in the 1920s. Still, the dwindling community persisted creating a volunteer fire department in the 1950s and sustaining its school district, which integrated in the mid-1960s. As the population began to grow again in the early 1970s, new businesses opened, including many specialty shops. With its proximity to a growing urban center and, itself an area commercial center, Spring continues to attract new residents and businesses but retains its unique identity and its link to its early history."

Corey and I decided it might be interesting to see what the history of our hometown was like. Having both grown up here in Spring, Texas, we were kind of surprised to see the roots in which our town was founded upon. We would have never guessed that we were under such heavy German influence and its actually quite interesting to see how the town developed in such a way. Our town had its ups and downs, but I think it deserves much more recognition than its ever gotten. It would seem like to me that Spring was such a thriving city that got overshadowed by much more popular places such as Houston, especially being so close by, and Dallas and Austin. I'm glad to have grown up in such an influential town that has had so much interesting history.

8. Immigrant Roots

I am of the first generation of my family to be born in America. My Mother and Father came to USA during the 1970's. As I stated in my family story, my Mom came to the U.S. as a foreign exchange student and my Dad came to work and establish a future for himself here in America. Once my Mom met my Dad, she decided to marry him and live in America to raise their family.

Both my parents spoke their native language, but knew bits and pieces of English to get by. With time they both began to speak fluent English and were able to thrive and make a living in St. Thomas. After having two children, my parents moved to Texas, where my Uncle on my Father's side had been living for some years. My parents established Texas as their home and have lived here ever since.

Unlike my siblings, I was the only one to be born here in Texas. Neither of my parents taught me nor my brothers their native languages, but I do feel as if it is very important to learn any language along with English to better thrive in the world and I hope that my parents will teach my children the languages they speak.

My parents didn't carry much or even any of there traditions or customs from back home despite a few from my Mother. Every December my Mom lights a candle every Sunday for the entire month as well as a special Month candle with the number of days on it every day. On Christmas day, we gather as a family to share my Mother's homemade rice pudding in which she puts a single almond in. Whoever gets the almond in there bowl of rice pudding receives a special gift.

Although my family has no lasting history of this country, it is just beginning. As I have children, I will pass on everything I can of my heritage to make sure my family will always retain its such special roots.

14. The Wunsche Family Cemetery

This very tiny cemetery is stationed right off the side of I-45 at Cypresswood in the spring area.

"The mid-1840's brought German immigrant Carl Wunsche from Saxony to Spring,Texas which started around 1838. Farmer's brought their cotton to Charles Wunsche's gin near town. Charles and Dell Wunsche built the WUNSCHE BRO'S SALOON and HOTEL in 1902, with lumber from their own sawmill. Their brother William Wunsche, Sr., Ralph Hanks and Voress Bonin constructed it. Two stories high it stands today as the Spring Cafe. Spring's legacy from the Wunsche family include Wunsche Middle School, built on land donated by the family. A less conspicuous landmark, a very special plot of ground on a tiny knoll in front of the Spring High School and beside I-45 is the Wunsche Family Cemetery."

The Wunsche family was very influential in the making of the town of Spring, Texas. The cemetery itself wasn't much of anything, it was very tiny and probably not much bigger than the average size of a living room of most houses. Most of the gravestones were preserved enough that you could read where some were completely crumpled down to rubble and covered by moss, grass and dirt. There seems to be a huge difference in the type of headstone for the family. Half were made from some sort of granite stone where as the other half were made from what looked to be marble. This cemetery was definitely the most interesting cemetery I've ever seen or been to considering its size and relation to it's location.

6. My Family Story

My family is something different from most coming from very diverse backgrounds, but aside from that there is nothing exciting about my family. My Father came to America from Palestine in 1976 and my Mother came from Denmark in 1977. My Dad came to stay and make a life where my Mom originally came as a foreign exchange student. My parents eventually married and stayed to live a life here in Texas.

Both of my parents didn't witness anything back in there home countries from the time they lived there as well as had no family legends. We have no connection to anyone famous nor do we have any special connection towards an historic person or event.

You would think my parents having come from such interesting places that there would be even the slightest thing that would make my family stand out, but alas, we are just a simple family with no stories to tell.On one interesting note, my Mother became a U.S. citizen last year after having lived in this country for over 30 years.

12. Camping!

Although it's not exactly roughing it, I was definitely out of my comfort level! I spent the entire night sleeping in my backyard using only a sleeping bag. Compared to sleeping in my own bed, it was pretty terrible. I got bit by several insects and was constantly waking up because it was so cold. When I had woken up in the morning I was very itchy and the grass did not make it any better.

I went to my backyard at approximately 9:00 p.m. and was hoping to just fall asleep, wake up, and then be done with this whole camping experience, nothing went as planned. As I arrived outside and lay for about 30 minutes, I couldn't stop thinking about doing anything else, but going into my house and using the computer or even just browsing things on my phone. Finally after about an hour I was able to fall asleep, but not for long, I soon woke up to a mosquito sucking on my neck and just taking the life out of me! I quickly murdered that bug and then attempted to go back to sleep. Not soon after I awoke again, but this time due to the sheer amount of winter breeze making me ever so cold. I told myself I just needed to tough it out for this night and then never have to do it again so I went back to sleep and soon enough I awakened to the early morning sunshine. It was a very nice experience to wake up to such a wondrous sight, but not at all worth it!

All in all, the experience wasn't so bad, but due to my constant use of technology I don't think this is something I could do very often or possibly ever again unless joined with the right company of people.