Lake Zurich High School Student Media

Bear Facts
Lake Zurich High School Student Media

Bear Facts
Lake Zurich High School Student Media

Bear Facts
All content by Photo used with permission of Leah Parmas
Leah Parmas, junior, grew up with Lithuanian parents, and a big influence of cultural food and speaking Lithuanian in the home. “The language, the food - I loved the food when I was little,” Parmas said. “I know sometimes American children are like, 'Ew, fish and raw stuff,' but I grew up literally eating fish eggs by spoon. I grew up eating sardines, tuna, all that ‘weird stuff’ that people would think is nasty, but I love it. Whenever we go to Lithuania and I see [this food], it reminds me of my childhood. ” One unique aspect of having immigrant parents is hearing about their childhoods and “how they came to America, how hard it was for them, and compare it to how I am now,” which “definitely humbles me every day,” Parmas said. “[Being a child of immigrants] is definitely an experience. It's different than anything [but] I would never choose it any other way,” Parmas said. “I think it's also really important that I'm exposed to different cultures, different lifestyles, raised by people that have never lived here before. I think that overall, my parents and I both learn more things every single day about what it's like to live in America, and I'm just grateful to have their knowledge on what it's like outside of [America] because I’ve never lived anywhere else.”

[Photo] Stuck in the middle

Sasha Kek, LZ Life Editor
December 17, 2021
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