1. I am:
I am sitting in the living room where I grew up, the last visit to my parents house before they move to their retirement dream home. They are immigrants from China by way of Taiwan.
2. My kids are:
The Rabbit Dragon and the Pony Princess. They are beautiful. They've got dimples from their mom's family, eyes from my side. My son looks like me when I was a boy, my daughter looks like her mom and auntie
3. I first realized I was APA when:
At the first racial slur that I realized was meant for me. Then, when I couldnt trace my family tree back to the Mayflower. Then, in Saturday chinese school when the ABCs (american born chinese) gave sh*t to those (like me) who thought they were americans first. Then, when I was bummed by the fact that I would automatically know the hair and eye color of my kids.
4. People think my name is:
Lawrence. People also think I should have a middle name.
5. The family tradition I most want to pass on is:
The food: My dad's homestyle cooking, the kind that doesn't come with recipies. My grandma's eggrolls, lost already in the mists of time. Phoneix Claws.
6. The family tradition I least want to pass on is:
Living in an APA bubble: My mom has been in LA for 30 years and still only knows the chinese places.
7. My child's first word in English was:
Dont remember, I'll have to ask my wife
8. My child's first non-English word was:
[fingertips together] baby sign language for 'more'
9. The non-English word/phrase most used in my home is:
Aie-YAH! Aie-YAH, put some pants on! Aie-YAH, that's enough arm farting!
10. One thing I love about being an APA parent is:
Having a cultural heritage to pass on
11. One thing I hate about being an APA parent is:
Having a cultural heritage that I'm doing a sh*t job of passing on.
12. The best thing about being part of an APA family is:
It's no more weird than anyone else's family situation
13. The worst thing about being part of an APA family is:
Lots of aunties with lots of advice.
14. To me, being Asian Pacific American means:
These days, it's about being proud of my immigrant heritage, of my parents who had the balls to change countries. And trying to learn from them as they age. But, it hasnt always been an positive relationship between me and my asian-ness.
2 comments:
I like the middle name comment - I have a friend who got so fed up with people thinking he should have a middle name that he just made up a middle initial, P. I don't know why he chose P - it was completely artbitrary. Now, he has an email address with the P. in it. The things we'll do to assimilate!
Being almost flourescently white, I cannot relate. However my kids will someday, probably, complete this list...
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