Origins

It was most likely clear, but I just came home from a summer trip abroad. Due to security issues, I wasn't allowed to put up any warnings, but here I am. Back and ready to jump into school season. So, for the first Turtle Thought of the fall, I decided to discuss something I learned while on vacation. Well, less of learned and more of "contemplated repeatedly." Disclaimer: I mostly focus on immigration into America as that's what I know.
So, I as a person, grew up as more of a military brat. I vaguely covered that in my I Am From poem on Inkitt. Anywho, we didn't move every few months or anything, but it was enough for me to always question my actual origins. Now, ethnically, I'm from Obu, Nigeria. I was even born there. But I left too early in my childhood to form any lasting memories. And save two trips totaling not more than five months in Nigeria, I've spent the rest of my life in America. So then, considering that I've been brought up in American culture, language, and way of life, is it really fair to call me a Nigerian? At heart and blood, yes I am, but through mannerisms and my view on life, I'm more American, aren't I?
That in itself always makes me think. Especially when you consider different family dynamics, you still can't really call me a full-bred American. People with immigrant parents tend to grow up in dual worlds in a sort. They go out, learn how to fit in with their peers, eat hamburgers, wear saggy jeans, casually curse up and down and wave American flags. But when they return home, it's almost like stepping into a piece of your homeland. Whether it means wearing traditional clothes, or switching languages or eating more ethnic foods, there's always a sort of shift. While this can occur in families who immigrated here decades or centuries ago, it's especially prevalent in immigrants' direct children's lives.
So my main question, where are those children from? If someone asked about family origins, and those children mention their parents' homeland, that makes perfect sense. It's where their family's from, and in many cases, a majority of their family is still there or just immigrating over. However, when asked where they are from, it only makes sense to talk about where they were raised. The town they grew up in is the town that shaped their view on the world, introduced them to certain types of people, and customs. So the child themselves, while having ethnic roots in that country, they themselves are from the town they were raised in.
But, to spice it up a little, let's remind ourselves of the fact I'm a military brat. Ever since I was a child, we've moved around quite a bit. Although, we did manage to sit in one area for a whole six years. We got used to the place, and if anyone asked, that's where I'm from. But let's consider the military children that move constantly and don't get the luxury of relaxing in a single spot for so long. Now, where are they from? Alright, then just choose the place they stayed in for the longest, yes? Well, not exactly. In my mind, it's now their choice in a way. Personally, I'd say for them to think of each place they've been to, and pick the one spot that influenced their behaviors and attitude the most. The place I say I'm from(H.) really did impact me. It was in that town that I started to socialize more, built my strongest ever group of friends, started dating, picked up writing and dancing, and formed my current personality. A lot was achieved in those six years. But the honest truth, is that a child could live in one place for six years, and another for four years, and the latter affects them more. So then, it wouldn't be proper to claim they're from the former, now would it?
That being said, I'm still a teenager. Who just moved into a new area. For all I know, this area could impact me more than H. did. It's possible. Although, I do believe that sometime in your 20s, the answer to that question isn't as flexible anymore. Simply because your brain is now fully developed and your childhood is over. Due to that, any other cities that affect you are no longer raising you into an adult, but rather developing you into a better adult.