Its not just grandma or grandpa, ya know.

Grammyism: "Who, me? No!" 

Romania: 

 Language- Romanian

• Grandmother: Bunica 
• Grandfather: Bunic 

Fun Fact!

• Rifca Stanescu is the youngest grandparent in Romania- having her daughter at 12 years of age, who then had her son at age 11. Rifca is only 23 years old. 

Italy: 

Language- Italian 

• Grandmother: Nonna
• Grandfather: Nonno

Fun Fact! 

• In Italian tradition, it is know that parents will often name their first-born son after their paternal grandfather and their first-born daughter after their paternal grandmother. For the second-born son or daughter is named after their maternal grandfather or grandmother. 

Greece:

Language- Greek 

• Grandmother: Yaya
• Grandfather: Pappous 

Fun Fact!

• Most grandparents in Greece will live with their children's family for their whole life, and children tend to live with their parents until they get married. 

Belgium: 

Language- Flemish 

• Grandmother: Bomma
• Grandfather: Bonpa 

Fun Fact!

• In case you were wondering, The Smurfs were created by Belgian comic artist, Pierre Culliford in 1958.

Japan: 

Language- Japanese

• Grandmother: Oba-Chan, Sobo
• Grandfather: Ojiisan, Sofu

Fun Fact!

• The eldest son is marked the heir of the family, which means when his parents become too old, he will move them in and take care of them. 

United States of America:

Language- Hawaiian 

• Grandmother: Tutu, Kuku
• Grandfather: Tutu, Kane 

Fun Fact!

• Ohana means family!- Lil and Stitch

The Girouard Family: 

Language- English

• Grandmother- Grammy

Fun Fact! 

• My grammy is absolutely crazy, and she knows it. 

Source of Information: http://www.grandparents.com/family-and-relationships/grandparent-names/grandpa-grandma-different-languages

Paper Bags and Popcorn

Grammyism: "I know, Im bad. What can I say?"

At least once or twice a month, a small old women whose name I do not know, waltzes in to my work, Cinemagic, with a large paper bag. This old women, probably my height in her younger years, reminds me of how short I will be at her age- barely able to rest her elbows on the counter. 

Most visits, she orders a large and a medium popcorn- both unbuttered and unsalted. Other times she may get a small, instead of a medium, with a large. I always seem to be the one to cash her out, and every time I wonder, Is all of this popcorn for herself? I also begin to wonder what lead to her popcorn routine. I have never built up the nerve to ask her, mostly because I don't want to disrupt her routine, but also because I like the mystery of it. The mystery of how some people become accustomed to certain things reminds me how unique everyones individual lives are. 

After little conversation and a complete transaction, the old women opens her large paper bag, places it on the floor- preparing it to cradle her familiar bags of popcorn. She leaves peacefully, bag in hand. Maybe next time I will gain the nerve to ask her about her popcorn routine. 

Maybe Too Many Years

Grammyism: "I don't want to live another life. This one was enough for me."

Within the past six years, I have truly gotten to know my grandmother. She is probably the most stubborn women I have met- refusing to rest while she is sick because she isn't "an invalid." She is also the strongest woman- overcoming more tragedy and heartbreak in her seventy-nine years of life. She raised her three daughters alone while her alcoholic husband drank himself into a deeper grave. Two out of her three daughters turned to reckless substances to mask their sadness- my grandmother left behind, mourning their lost identities. As a result of their actions, she had to raise two of her granddaughters for the next nine years. Years later, my grandmother lost a piece of herself with the tragic death of her daughter, Valerie, and also my mother. My entire family was afraid my grandmothers life would come to a sudden halt as well, and for a while the life within her did reach a dead end- but today she continues to praise her life and all it stands for.

I know it may be strange, but I appreciate my grandmother so much more because she is an elderly woman, with her own history and story. Those who are older are too often seen as a walking death sentence. The elderly are too often viewed as "old" or "ancient." I have been inspired by my grandmother to not only share her story, but also the stories of so many other elderly men and women  who don't have a voice. It is important to be reminded that they, too, were young once, as we are now. It is important to remember that most of us will be part of that older community one day- sharing our stories to the next generations. It is important to know that we will one day become what many of us fear the most- old. Along with many of you, I am terrified of old age. Not only will our young complexions fade, but our bodies will begin to turn on us, and often times, our minds. But what I find comforting is that no one can take the story of my life away. We will only lose our stories if they are never told and completely forgotten, so why not read and share the stories of those who are older now? With this blog, I plan to keep the stories of older generations alive, even when they are long gone. With their stories, I hope to help you, and myself, find the beauty in growing old.  The main question we should all think about  is: Why is living a long life and becoming old so unsettling?