Growing up in grade school with my Swiss last name was sort of a challenge for me. No one else had my last name, nor anything close to it. Gerber is my last name. Yes, just like the babyfood.
I grew up in a community that was predominately Korean. So, not only did I look different, but my last name was extremely different as well. Some would tease me and refer to me as "Gerber Babyfood" and other such names. Because of the light teasing, I grew to sort of despise my last name. I didn't like being different.
It wasn't until high school when my perspective changed. I remember talking to my dad about our Swiss culture and our last name. He explained how, in Switzerland, the way our last name was truly pronounced and it was beautiful. I then came to the epiphany of how lucky I was to have such a beautiful Swiss last name. I also realized how lucky I was to be different and how lucky I was to be part of such an amazing culture. From that day on, I've been so very proud of my last name and what it represented. No longer to I hide when my full name is called. Instead, I smile and claim who I am with pride.
Because my father and uncle are the only Swiss-Americans in our family in the States, I plan on even keeping my last name when I get married! I also want to have at least one of my children to have Gerber as their last name to continue our family's heritage here in the US.
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