The idea of this blog came about because I wanted to do something about a conflict I experience on a daily basis – define who I am, embrace who I am, and answer others’ inquiries on who I am. People oftentimes feel a need to be able to place you in a box (are you an American or a Chinese? A Chinese American or an American Chinese?) so they know how to respond to you appropriately. Yet oftentimes people can’t seem to place me in a box, and this creates for some people frustration and confusion.
But I am not alone. I am a typical 1.5 generation, and an extremely proud one at that. Our coming of age has been deeply complicated by the need to master a new language, a new culture, and new ways of seeing and behaving, on top of becoming an adult without guidance from our parents or enough comfort level to fully embrace our new home.
While this tension and lack of identity could lead to delinquencies with tragic outcomes, it also puts us in a very creative space – a position that allows for selective combinations, a deep understanding of irony in time and location.
“In between-ness” is a disadvantage and advantage. We may not always choose wisely, but we are more aware of our choices. And in the end, just seeing choices where others see prescriptions can be a very empowering thing.
