Usually, when I tell people I'm Greek, their reaction is typically along the lines of "So is your family like the one in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding?"" I laugh and say yes, but no. That is because yes my family is big, loud, and slightly crazy, and yes I share my name with multiple cousins, but there is so much more to my big, fat Greek family than what most people see at the surface.

My Greek heritage has always been a major part of my life; in fact, it is my life. My culture defines who I am, and in everything I do. In every decision I make, I always incorporate the values that have been instilled in me from being raised in a Greek family, one of the most important ones being the value of family.

Everyone hears the saying "Blood is thicker than water," and that could not be more true for my family and I. From every New Year's party cutting the special Vasilopita cake and fighting over who gets the flouri (or quarter) that brings luck for the new year, to nights spent reminiscing about stories in Greece, to dancing and jamming out to Greek music whenever we have the chance, my family is one filled with a lot of culture, and most of all, a whole lot of love.

It is such a special thing to have people in your life who are not only there to support you through thick and thin, but people that are also your best friends for life. And now, being miles and miles away at college, I realized that I have never felt closer to my family. Their constant love and support are always with me, even though I am not physically with them. Their laughter over FaceTime calls is contagious; their arguing in the background while I'm on the phone with them is refreshing; their constant saying "It's going to be ok, I know you'll get through it" during the rough patches of the semester is comforting.

I am so fortunate to have people that I can always turn to. Between my parents, my siblings, my aunts, my uncles, my cousins, my grandparents, we are a big group of people, but we are an even bigger support system for each other. We fight, and laugh, and cry together, but no matter what, we are always there for each other, and that is something I am forever grateful for.

To my big, fat, Greek family, thank you for being there. Thank you for answering my late night FaceTime calls when I'm stressing about something and in need of advice; thank you for always making me laugh with your radiant, outgoing personalities and indescribable sense of humor; thank you for sending me homemade Greek food and desserts when I get tired of eating turkey sandwiches and salads. But most of all, thank you for teaching me the value of family, and the value in having people that you can always turn to when you're feeling like others have turned against you.