Tag Archives: Taiwanese

Taiwanese, Swedish

hapa273Hey I’m half Taiwanese and half White, my “whiteness” being Swedish.

There are other half and half kids that look full Asian or full Caucasian, but I think I’m a mix. In some of my pictures people tell me that I look “so Asian,” while in others, “you look so white.”

My family and I don’t really celebrate American holidays. We do celebrate Thanksgiving in a way, but we eat mainly Chinese food (the best food, in my opinion). We celebrate Chinese New Year by going to our local Chinatown. That’s always fun. I haven’t really struggled being Hapa; I like being different.

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Taiwanese, Swiss, Scottish

hapa270Da jia hao! My name is Toby. I was born in Taipei, Taiwan in the early 1970s. I am 1/2 Taiwanese, 1/4 Scottish, 1/4 Swiss. My father met my mother when he was in the USAF, stationed in Tainan, Taiwan. I moved to the US with my parents when I was a little boy. I have lived in California, Texas, New Mexico & Georgia.

As a little boy in Taiwan, my cousins would always call me mei guo hai zi, which in Mandarin means “American kid,” yet when I moved to the US, kids would call me the Chinese kid. As a Hapa kid I always felt trapped between two worlds, unable to fully be part of either one.

Fortunately one talent that I was born with was the ability to play music, I have always been able to play multiple instruments and sing. It was through music I was able to connect with people and communicate in a way that transcended the fact that I looked & felt different than everyone else. I feel that ability “saved” me in a way and has helped get me through the hardest times in my life.

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Taiwanese, Greek, English, German, Native American

I am proud of my multi-racial culture now more than ever. Growing up, I experienced a great deal of racism. Some of it was blatant and out in the open, some of it was in a more subtle passive aggressive way with looks or veiled comments.

My brother and I were different than the other children in our predominantly Caucasian neighborhood. For awhile, we were the only children of color around. People didn’t know how to categorize us.

The pain that comes from feeling ostracized and not belonging created deep wounds, but also great character. I was able to find my own identity through an outlet of art and creative expression. Continue reading →

Japanese, Austrian, Filipino, American, Mexican, Taiwanese, Dutch

You’ll see on the left a group of good-looking individuals.

These are some of the proud Hapas that I’ve met over the years as an international student living in Asia. The fine collection includes mixes of Japanese, Austrian, Filipino, American, Taiwanese, Dutch and Mexican heritage.

Like me, they have been told, “You have to choose; you can’t be both” and have been asked countless times, “What are you?” I just want to thank them and everyone on this site for sharing the joys and hardships they’ve faced as being multiracial, and for voicing their stories. Continue reading →

Taiwanese, Manchurian, Russian, German

Hello fellow Hapas :) I’m 17 years old and I live in Shanghai, China.

I’d usually be reluctant to write my full name on the internet, but I think it says a lot about who I am and where I am from.  I love watching peoples’ expressions turn to confusion after they ask for my entire name: Melissa Dai-Li Leah Krassenstein.

Dai-Li is the Chinese name I was given by my grandfather from my maternal side at birth.  Leah is my Hebrew name chosen by my Jewish father at birth (my brother and I were also raised Jewish).  Krassenstein is my Russian-German combo surname, representing my Euro-mix half.

In a nutshell, my parents met in Taipei once upon a time, got married, had two Hapa babies, and have been traveling the world ever since.  After I was born in Hong Kong, my family moved from Jakarta, Indonesia to Shanghai, China to Panama to Mexico to New Jersey and now back to Shanghai.   Continue reading →

Taiwanese, American, Welsh

I’m Dylan Meredith and I’m proud to be Hapa.

The concept of being Hapa never really occured to me when I was growing up. I was born in and lived in the United States until I was 9 years old.

I was obviously aware that my dad was white, but I grew up in a household that leaned toward my Asian side. I had high grade expectations, learned the piano at the age of 3, and have plenty of memories of a yelling mother regarding both of those and more. I even attended these math tutor classes every saturday morning (all of which were filled with Asian kids) so I grew up considering myself an Asian.

Little did I know, all the Asian kids saw me as a white kid, and all the white kids saw me as an Asian kid.

My eyes started opening when I moved to Shanghai when I was 9. I attended an international school so there were plenty of white kids, but the majority were Asian. It was then I started really identifying myself as half white. Continue reading →

Taiwanese, European Explosion

Wow…never thought I would find so many other Hapas around.

I grew up in Taiwan until 16 years and went to an international school.

My Taiwanese family made me feel right at home…at the same time I could transform into an ex-pat American.

Always proud to be Hapa. As they say…”best of both worlds.” Hope to meet more Hapas going forward =)

Taiwanese, Italian, Latvian

My mother is Taiwanese and my father is mostly Italian (Sicilian), and a little bit Latvian.

I don’t speak either language which sometimes disappoints me, but it also makes me associate myself with the mixed identity instead of the cultures themselves.

I have a twin brother and it’s interesting that we don’t look much alike at all, yet people can tell we’re both mixed.

Czech, German, Taiwanese

Hi to all people out there ;) My name is Matt, 19 years old living in Austria, Vienna. I am 1/4 Czech 1/4 German (father) and half Taiwanese (mother).

I am proud to be Hapa because it’s a big advantage for me to know about the western and the Asian culture. I also grew up bilingual. I guess that gives me a good overview in life.

There aren’t so many Hapas here in Austria, so it’s lovely to see that there are sooo many Hapas out there =D And the community is growing ;)

Sometimes it hard to answer if someone asks me where I am from.  Shall I say I am Austrian? Or Taiwanese ? xDD

The Europeans think I look more Asian, and the Asians think I look like an European.  So I am pretty confusing right now =O  What do you think about it?