No, I'm an American. However, I am fourteen nationalities that I know of. Really should do an DNA/23 & Me test. It would be interesting to see if there are more genetic strains from far-flung places in my blood.

My nickname started when I worked in an automotive factory and had to keep correcting my coworkers when they misspelled my name. My intentionally dramatic, outrageous diatribe?

My name is Michèle
With one L!
The French way
The right way
The only way
MY way!
Emphatic but you won't forget it!

But they did...

So, again, I would declare (with the same dramatic hand gestures):

My name is Michèle
With one L!
The French way
The right way
The only way
MY way!
Emphatic but you won't forget it!

But they did!!! Again and again.

Finally they replied, "Awwww shuddup! We're just gonna call you Frenchie!" We all had a good laugh and the nickname stuck!

Learned only 20 years ago about the Belgian blood in our family by way of my paternal grandmother from Scotland! She was a rebel! Married a verrrrry brown man from the Philippines who just happened to be major Filipino royalty and minor Spanish royalty. That Spanish side? That's where the French came from. In the history books. A Spanish-French ancestor was instrumental in the Panama Canal Treaty. In obscure Filipino history books you'll see my Spanish forebear mentioned again since he married into Filipino royalty and was appointed provisional governor of all of the Philippines as he was the great landholder in the Province of Loca Sur and more. My great grandmother (the Filipino royal) looks positively aboriginal.

My mother's side? Scandinavian! So, her five children are a walking United Nations.

My husband? Polish (father's side), English and Cherokee (mother's side).

If I'd been able to have children, wow, they'd be 16 nationalities. Point being, I grew up not tolerating differences, not accepting differences but EMBRACING, CELEBRATING differences.

Oh, my mother's five children? Not one of us resembles another. Not one of us resembles either of our parents. Unique. And don't get me started on international cuisine! I grew up in the kitchen and was a sous chef by the age of eleven! Attended cooking class in Paris at the Ecole Escoffier where they couldn't teach me a thing. I confess I never did improve my knife technique (too set in my ways) and I did come home with a couple good recipes.

Oh, I apologize. From the Windy City, accepted a corporate transfer to Music City USA, fell in love, married and moved to the Heart of the Beautiful Bluegrass. We're hurtling toward our 36th Anniversary. Despised by my in-laws, they said "It'll never last!" Well, I'd say 35 years and counting is a good start. We met on January 29, 1985 and married November 10, 1986. Love at first sight! Long engagement because we lived hours apart. So, we celebrate the anniversary of the night we met and also celebrate our wedding anniversary.

Meant to be. Fate. Kismet. Bahksharit!