Don't they look hip in the 70's duds?!

My dad's side of the family came over America sometime around the Potato Famine (I think). I get my Irish roots from him. My mom's story is a little stranger. She is Greek, but was born in Tanzania (Africa), and came to the United States when she was ~14. She speaks English, Greek, Swahili, and a little French. She's the one who encouraged me & the rest of my sibilings to go to college. If it hadn't been for her help & support I wouldn't be where I am. My mom rules! Although she won't admit it in front of the other kids, I'm her favorite.

Oh yeah, she's not allowed in any secured government facility. One high school summer I was working in Argonne Labs. On the first day, my mom drove me & we stopped at the front gate to get into the complex. I had to show some ID, no problem. My mom shows her green card, the woman behind the counter says "one minute" and disappears. For a while. A long while. I'm getting ansy that I'm going to be late on the first day, when the woman finally returns with a supervisor who tells us that I can enter, but my mom cannot. Not even to just drop me off.

Turns out Tanzania had recieved funds from the Soviet Union, and was on some sort of hot list. So after much fighting she gives in, and lets a security guard drive me in. I was late, and at the time it was embarrasing, but hey, it makes a great story.