My name is Maria and I’m 18. My mum is a Filipina with Chinese and Spanish ancestors and my dad is French with Polish ancestors if I’m not mistaken.
I was born in the Philippines and spent my childhood days there, now I live in France with my parents. Growing up it was always weird when people tried to figure out what “I was.” I was whiter than most of the kids around me but my features are mostly Asian. Here in France, I’m sometimes seen as Chinese (when I straighten my hair) and most of the times hispanic. I don’t mind it though, I just find it amusing.
I’m always thankful about my multiracial culture. Not just for the variety of food :) or the different traditions, but because I have the chance to have a different understanding about the world. To be able to be aware about the difference between cultures, to remember to not assume who a person is based only on their looks and, of course, to speak many languages. I can speak five languages and that has motivated me to learn another one, so now I’m learning Japanese. ^^-
I do hope that my story inspires others out there who are struggling to find where they belong. Well, we don’t always need to belong and fit into society’s molds. We don’t need to choose between these two heritages – we can be both, we are free to be whatever we want to be. We should always embrace what makes us different from the others.
Hapa Voice 