Family Tradition

Your Name Informant: Marsh and Dave Soria, St. Augustine Florida, 1982

Title: Florida Summer Vacation

Genre: Tradition

Informant (who): My grandma, Marsha, and my grandpa, Dave. Both of my grandparents live in Littleton, Colorado and are currently retired. Marsha is 67 and Dave is 70. Marsha use to work as a secretary at Arapahoe High School. Dave has been a mechanic for many, many decades. Marsha comes from a Swedish, English, and Irish background whereas my grandpa comes from a Mexican heritage. My grandma received her associate’s degree and my grandpa has his high school diploma. Both of my grandparents are die hard Denver Bronco fans and they consistently attend every game. As for hobbies they enjoy cooking together, vacationing, spoiling their grandchildren, and reading for book clubs.  

Context (where): This information or tradition wasn’t necessarily collected, but more so it was just a passed down experience. This tradition started with my dad’s family and now it is done in my family. So the tradition of going to Florida started with my grandparents taking my dad and his brother. Now this vacation is done with not only my grandparents and my dad, but also my mom and the rest of my siblings. This tradition has always been an experience that everyone in my family looks forward to because we have become familiar with the experience so we know that we will always have a marvelous time. The sheer fact that we get to spend over a week and a half just as a family is something my parents really cherish because we are such a busy family that sometime this vacation is exactly what we need in order to become a closer family unit.

Text (the Cultural Artifact itself – the item): The tradition of traveling to St. Augustine, Florida to my grandparents’ time share every other summer began in 1982. My grandparents would take my dad, who at the time was ten years old, and my uncle Roman down to Florida to enjoy the beach and go to Disney World. This tradition started in the summer of 1982 and continued on throughout the years. Now every other summer my grandparents, parents, and my siblings all go down for about a week and a half to the tropical state of Florida. This tradition has created so many remarkable memories. For example, on one occasion my dad came into contact with one of his old college roommates who actually races sailboats for a living and we were able to ride on one which was such an experience. This roommate was also married to a surf instructor. This detail made the trip ten times better because not only did we sail the great waters of the Atlantic Ocean, but I was able to catch my first wave surfing. Other examples would include touring the old lighthouses in Florida or the crazy food that was tasted (alligator actually isn’t as bad as I thought it would be). This tradition of traveling to Florida not only provided great memories, but aloud my family to become closer and bond with exciting experiences.  

Texture (how): Florida has become somewhat of a symbol to my family of adventurous memories and endless laughter. Ever since I was little I would always look forward to going to Florida so that way I could lay on the grainy sand basking in the warm rays of the sun or collecting as many shells as I could on the beach. The month of July is usually when my family makes the excruciating flight to Florida, but once we land the moist air fills our lungs and we all know that it is time to start our adventure. Florida is a place of relaxation and almost sanction for my family to get away from the outside world and just enjoy our family.

Meaning: This tradition is one that I always look forward to because I know that my family will become closer and we always have an incredible time. This event brings joy to my heart because we make the greatest memories. For example, one time we were sailing and we got caught in a huge lighting storm and at one point the lightning struck right next to the boat which caused my mom to go into her protective mode. Honestly in that moment in time I have never felt more protected than in the arms of my mom when that storm was going on. My family also looks forward to the time that we are able to travel to Florida. The members of my family all have positive views because they know that as long as we are together there are going to be memorable experiences.