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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.  

Truly growing up in a multi-cultural lifestyle, I am so grateful for all that I have been exposed to.  When my older brother and I were born, my parents agreed that they would do all that they could to make sure we had a perfect balance between our Asian culture and our American culture.  Living in both China and America certainly helped in learning the languages.  When people ask me which half I associate with more, I am left dumbstruck because I really do not have an answer.  I’m too proud of both halves to have to “choose” one; I believe no one should have to.

I love reading through all of the posts on this website and still get excited every time I meet a new halfie friend.  I don’t mean it in an exclusive way, I just feel a special connection with people who perhaps have experienced similar upbringings.

Hapa pride!

3 thoughts on “Taiwanese, Manchurian, Russian, German

  1. I appreciated your post very much. I connected with your post because I am also half Chinese. You are lucky to have traveled all over the world (a feat I hope to one day accomplish).

    You have beautiful Hapa eyes.

  2. i think this website is great its good to have my own “race” of mixed race people and to hear from people who can identify with myself.
    you seem to be a unique hapa who has explored all of your own cultures

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