leahrobin

[leahrobin]

Identity Ambiguity (To Others)-Who Are You?

The phone rang, I picked it up, “Hello”.  “Hello, may I speak with Robin. Glassberg? I replied, “yes, this is she” this is Mr. Inglewood the Camp Director, you applied for a camp counselor position here at our camp in Pennsylvania.”   I replied, “Hello, yes thank you Mr. Inglewood - I’m honored.”  He begins to ask me a few questions about where I live, he mentions that he noticed I lived in Freeport and candidly says, “ I hear a lot of Black people live there.”  I replied, “yes, but it is mixed.”  I thought this to be an odd question, but really didn’t think much of it at the time.  He continues to ask me if I am Jewish and I said, “yes.”  He then continues to discuss availability and the need for someone to start immediately.  I said, “ that’s not a problem, I can start on Monday or when you need.”  Mr. Inglewood continued by stating that they usually request a picture with the application, but they will make an exception in this case.  I thought great, I look better in person anyway, I didn’t tell him that.  All I could think was, how happy I was to not have to work for my father this summer on college break and do something I actually wanted to do. He said, “Welcome, to the camp-you’re hired!”.                                                              The following Monday, my mother dropped me off and I felt weird, I wasn’t really sure what was strange, but it felt cold.  I began to tell my mom that I’m not so sure I will like it here.  As usual my mother in her most condescending Jewish mother tone, “oh stop, you’ll be fine and I’m not taking you home-you worry too much.” I continue, “I will call you to pick me up if I don’t like it, ok!”.  Of course she replied, “you will be fine.”   I thought ok, fine and after all I ditched the only other job I had so my father wasn’t going to take me back to work for him.                                                                                                              That evening, after I settled into my bunk, I began walking to the mess hall for introductions and dinner.  The Director comes up to me and says, “you’re Robin?” He looked at me inquisitively. I said, “Yes, that’s me, nice to meet you Mr. Inglewood.”  He said, “ come sit with me for a minute and let’s chat.”  He continued to ask a series of questions, such as are you Jewish? Did you have your Bat-Mitzvah?  and a few others.  I began to start to feel weird again, slightly uncomfortable, and I didn’t understand why he was pushing so hard and the conversation ended with awkward smiles..                                                  I realized after I  left the camp mid-summer that my intuition was right all along.  Since I was Black he couldn't understand me, he didn’t even try to understand my story, Who I Am.  I was ok with that, but in reflecting on this story and my naive 19 year old self, I was so used to explaining who I was to make other people feel comfortable, not myself.     

Background: Robin Glassberg is a Black-Jewish women, biologically German and Brazilian.  Adopted at birth by a conservative Jewish family, given up by her Orthodox German-Jewish mother.  Grew up attending Hebrew School, Saturday Jewish school, and kept kosher till age 13.  Today, she is spiritual, but not religious. 

[leahrobin]

Reading My Stories Live

I like to write and have been writing for a while, but I really want to begin reading my stories.  First, I will share them on my blog and will have a different theme each time.  So, today I will post a story I wrote that i am thinking to read for an open-mic.  I would love if anyone would like to comment if you relate or not, I enjoy constructive criticism.  Here we go...

[leahrobin]

Fashionista waiting for summer again! Was on my way to Miami for the ABFF.

Can’t wait for warm weather, miss you Sunshine!!

[leahrobin]

Back to the Blog

Hello Bloggers,  It has been way to long that I have not written on my Blog and I am happy to say I am inspired by everything I see and the things people share with the world today.  I have been trying to figure out how to share my voice, thoughts, creative ideas, and I realized I have the tools right in front of me: Computer & Brain.  Since I left China in 2014, I moved back to the United States to Seattle and back to NYC.  I realized that when it comes to America for me, I work best in cities that have a lot of people (over 800,000 is good fit for me).  Although, Seattle is so beautiful and smells amazingly fresh everyday - it was too small for me and creatively a bit stifling.  I think being mixed and Black may have something to do with that - For Me, but it doesn’t negate that it is so beautiful.  Point is, I am back in NYC, I’m back blogging, and  excited to write and share my thoughts with everyone!

[leahrobin]

Good Morning, Qingdao! It's About the Little Things...

I have spent  one month and 14 days in China.  I never thought it would be possible.  I was scared to accept a job here and now on a one year contract I am here.  It's funny because when you are away from your country you miss things you never thought you would, but replace them with new things in your host country.  For example, I miss walking around Park Slope and feeling so comfortable, but now every morning I enjoy walking to the corner store in my complex and get a bottle of water.  It starts with the women who recognizes me, "Ni Hao" and then she says' "hello" and I do the same....   This makes my morning!  The little things...

 -American in China

[leahrobin]

Qingdao China, "Beach Barbecue"

[leahrobin]

Living in New York can be like this little girl staring at the bubble. Anything is possible and at the same time everything isn’t possible. ….point: Life is what we make it yin and yang we need the good and the bad