Listening to the Next Generation >> Michael

My catchphrase is “GR-AUSTRO-American.” Meaning Greek, Austrian, American. I wouldn’t say they are conflicting identities, but rather three overlapping identities that make me who I am. Because I’ve been educated primarily in the United States, and grew up primarily in this society, I feel more American than I feel anything else. But that Greek part of me is definitely a major part of who I am and so is the Austrian side. So for me, I guess it’s balancing those three things. It never felt like a struggle. I guess it’s just sometimes hard to explain to people exactly how that fits together. But it does.

Got Greek? interviews Michael A. from Harvard University

My father is of Greek descent. He actually was born in Athens and went to the University of Athens in the mid 1950s. He came to the United States as a graduate student at Brown University in 1959, and has been here since then. He met my mother here, who’s was visiting from Austria. So I’m actually half Greek and half Austrian.

Q: What was it like growing up with Greek and Austrian heritage?

A: In some ways, you’d think they seem like two very contrasting cultural backgrounds. But in some ways, to me, they seem very complimentary. I identify myself both as Greek American and Austrian American. I guess my best description is I’m a “GR-AUSTRO American.” I’m still primarily an American. I grew up here. But I spent a lot of time in Greece as a small child. The first two years of my life were spent there as well. I’ve also spent a lot of time in graduate school and even as an undergrad back in Austria. So I’ve kind of had my foot always on both sides of the Atlantic at the same time, I guess. It’s something hopefully going into my career that will always be a part of me as well.

Q: You mentioned that you spent your early years in Greece. So what has been your connection to the Greek language?

A: I heard Greek a lot as a small child. At home, we spoke English primarily because both my parents had different native languages. But my mother spoke fluent Greek as well and spent a lot of time living there. I heard the language a lot and my grandparents only spoke Greek. So I learned to communicate basically. Then I took courses when I was in university as well, trying to really lay the foundation on top of that understanding that I had. I did the same thing with German as well, and started learning in high school, took it a lot in college and went there to study. For me, it was something that I kind of actively pursued to make it something I could use as an individual.

Q: Now that you’re an adult, how do you see your connection to your Greek heritage playing out?

A: It’s always a part of me and it will always be. I still have a long life ahead of me, hopefully. Now that I’m in law school, I’m trying to figure out kind of where I want to spend the first few years of my career. I’ve been in graduate school for seven years now. So I’ve been in grad school for a long time. I’m about to take my first real job and I’m trying to figure out where that will be. One possible place will be being based in Europe for a while. If that’s the case, then Greece will be an even more proximate place that I’m sure I’ll still have a lot of contact with. I know it that when I’m not there for long periods of time, I miss it a lot. So it’s something that’s definitely always in my core. And it always will be.

Q: How do you explain to your heritage to your friends not of Greek descent?

A: I guess in some ways, it’s both easier and harder now post the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In some ways people understand it more, while others are confused more and have misconceptions. I kind of have a little bit of a different situation than most Greek Americans, in the sense that my father came over by himself as a graduate student, instead of, coming over with his whole family. So my only Greek family in the United States is my father. The rest of my family is back in Greece. The same thing for my Austrian side. My mother came over by herself and the rest of my family is all over Austria and Germany. So for me, I guess I have less of that huge Greek family in the United States but a more direct connection back home to Greece.

Q: What do you value from your Greek heritage?

A: I think one of the most fundamental Greek values is family. That’s something that’s incredibly important to me and always will be. I think, in all cultures, family is important. But in some ways, it’s even more so in Greek culture; and I think the Greeks in America are much more a coherent ethnic and cultural group than almost any other ethnic and cultural group that you can imagine. I think that’s one of the greatest strengths and that comes from the family, and the connection with the church. It comes from an affinity for the homeland and a real ability of being able to preserve the culture and those connections. That’s something I think that is fantastic.

Q: How do you describe yourself: Greek American, American, American with Greek background, Austrian or something else?

A: My catchphrase is “GR-AUSTRO-American.” Meaning Greek, Austrian, American. I wouldn’t say they are conflicting identities, but rather three overlapping identities that make me who I am. Because I’ve been educated primarily in the United States, and grew up primarily in this society, I feel more American than I feel anything else. But that Greek part of me is definitely a major part of who I am and so is the Austrian side. So for me, I guess it’s balancing those three things. It never felt like a struggle. I guess it’s just sometimes hard to explain to people exactly how that fits together. But it does.

Q: Judging by the ring on your finger, it appears you are married. In your relationship, how does your Greek heritage play out?

A: On both sides of my wife’s family, her ancestors in this country go back pre-Revolutionary War. Whereas I trace back to 1959 and 1965 on the two sides of my family as the first people to come to the United States. So we come from very different backgrounds. But for me, having her family compliments my background. And for her, having my family compliments her background as well. Getting married, you bring together those two families and I think it’s just been a positive thing for her as well to feel part of a different culture and community. She’s also spent some time abroad now and really wants to spend some more time abroad in the future. I think she’s loved the time that she’s spent in Greece and just something that adds to her life as well and to my life.

Q: As you have to go to class now, is there anything you would like to share before we wrap up?

A: The one thing I can say is that I’ve been very glad to participate in events put on by the Next Generation Initiative over the last year or so since I finally found out about it. I’ve had great opportunities. This past summer, I was in Washington working in the Justice Department and then in the Treasury Department. I went to about five or six Next Generation Initiative events during the summer and got to meet a lot of other Greek Americans. We have  since developed contacts with each other outside the organization and developed more social bonds. That’s been fantastic and I hope that continues.

Q: Based on that, in what ways do you think the Greek community in the United States should support young people like yourself?

A: I think creating opportunities for people who have that type of similar background to get to know each other and to be able to talk about what it means to them makes a big difference. Because you can then define more clearly as a group what that is, and you can find other people who have the same type of affinities and the same type of beliefs. I guess it helps you maintain them yourself by realizing that. And you realize the commonalities that you have even coming from very different places and growing up in different places. But there are certain things that still unify you. I think that just having that type of dialogue and those type of connections really helps perpetuate that.

Q: Thanks for your time.

A: Sorry I have to run off. Thanks.