Interview: Mr. Jordan Triezenberg

Mr. Jordan Triezenberg is a history teacher who works in SPH KV. He teaches Humanities for eighth grade and Global Perspectives for tenth grade. He is a 25 year old Caucasian American.

How is your relationship between you and your grandparents? 

“Very positive. They like to know how I'm doing, and they're some of the first people I meet up with whenever I go back to the United States during the summer.”

What is your favorite memory of you with your grandparents? 

“That's an easy one actually. When I was twelve, we took a trip to Disney world. But it wasn't just my grandparents and me. My entire family from my mother's side came along with us. Aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. It was an entire week of fun, and I still remember the trip very well.”

Do you often meet your grandparents?

“Just in the summer. That's the only time I'm able to see them.”

What is your relationship with your parents? 

“Very positive as well. I communicate with them regularly; we talk a lot about how we're doing. Granted, we don't tell each other every single tiny detail of what happens in our lives. We just make sure we're kept up-to-date on the important things.”

Are you aware a lot of grandparents/elderly people in other countries are not treated well?
“Well see that's an interesting question. It's often assumed that the West is where all the elderly mistreatment happens, but simply isn't the case. However, if we're talking about the entire world, then yeah, definitely.”

What do you think about the way Western grandparents/elders are treated in other countries? 

“I think the first thing that should be known is that this sort of idea is a stereotype. The definition of "taking care of an elder" is watching over them, taking care of their needs like feeding them and giving them medicine, etc. Just because they're in an elder's home doesn't mean their families don't care about them. My grandfather stays in an elder's home and barely recognizes me. But everyday my mom, or my grandmother, or my aunts check in on him and make sure he's well taken care of. I think most people don't realize how expensive taking care of your elders at home is. It's much cheaper in Eastern countries, but where I'm from having your elders taken care of at home isn't a luxury everyone has.”

Why do you think grandparents/elders are treated that way in those countries? 

“I feel like that's largely due to the role family members have in the family. Western culture has a much higher emphasis on the individual and individuality. That doesn't mean you don't take care of the people around you, but generally it means people from those cultures have the most focus on themselves. With Eastern culture comes a much bigger emphasis on the group, especially the family. In my opinion, I think it ultimately depends on the culture.”

If you had the power to change this, what would you do? 

“Well first off I think the biggest issue is the stereotype Western countries to treat their elders well. In my opinion, the best course of action would be to provide people with a first-hand experience of what it's like to be in the shoes of families who can't take care of their elders. That way, people will be able to better empathize with people in those sorts of living situations.”

What advice would you give people who have bad relationships with their grandparents/elders? 

“Well, they'll be gone soon, so you better get the chance to know them while you can. I remember there was this guy at a restaurant with his grandparents, and the whole time I was watching them the guy only looked up to answer a few of their questions and looked back down at his phone. It looked like he wasn't so enthusiastic about being there with them. Besides, there's a lot you can learn from connecting with someone, especially your grandparents. They lived far longer than you have, so their experiences should teach you quite a bit."