Child of the World

I am a child who grew up in an uprooted way. Racism against immigrant children, people of color, visible minorities or other ethnic groups has been around for as long as people have. It still exists today. Many countries have become multicultural places and moving to these new countries, as Syrian, Chinese, Indian, Persian or from any other nondominant culture has its own dynamic taste.

It is rumoured that we have become less ethnocentric, but my own experiences growing up in Belize as a Chinese minority, made me feel my individual minority identity. I wanted to be unlike my mother and father. Immigrant parents who are raising children in a new country experience these differences in their children daily.

How it affected my life

Being born in the Caribbean to Chinese immigrant parents, my lifestyle, demeanor and taste buds were adapted to the new culture. My Hispanic housekeeper taught me the etiquette of the Gringos or ‘White Men’. She taught me how to sit, how to eat and how to dress like a young lady. When I was visiting my neighbors, we would eat jerk chicken, beans and tortillas with our hands. And dance punta, soca or dancehall right after our meals. I learned the language, history and way of life of that country. I adapted my behavior to that country.

Why am I still looked at differently by the people of my adopted country? And why do my parents not see their Chinese child in me anymore?

The confusion of ‘Who I am’ made me feel like I do not belong.

Growing up in another country as an ethnic minority brought so many challenges into my life. Challenges included my tradition and culture, the predominant religion of the country. The subjects taught in the public schools, misunderstandings with my family, with the customs of relationship building and demeanors. The challenges of being teased, accused and bullied made me ashamed of who I ought to be.

Looking back, I was ashamed to be who I was or should have been. What did not help was the fact that I did not understand what was so SPECIAL about who I am until I became an adult.

Conveying our experiences on how to relate, interact and adapt while growing up as an immigrant child, teenagers and parents is the purpose of my life and of our work.

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