British | Taiwanese
My Mother is Taiwanese and my Father British. They met in a university library in London. My Father was studying Chinese culture and Mandarin at the time so they could communicate in both broken English and Mandarin.
I grew up in White-washed South West London. As a young child, I never noticed the difference in my appearance compared to everyone else around me and I was treated the same. However, at the age of 7, I attended elementary school in Taiwan and that is where the discrimination began. I was the weird foreigner that no one wanted to talk to and thus was excluded and bullied for my different appearance. All the pointing, staring and name-calling made me resent Taiwan for many years. At the age of 17, I realised I wanted to get back in touch with my Taiwanese side and took a Summer trip to Taiwan. Suddenly, I was being praised for my ‘beautiful European features’, offered modelling contracts and told by many people that I was the reason why they wanted to have a child with a foreigner. In a space of 10 years, mixed-race people had gone from being shunned from society to being put on a special pedestal and even fetishized.
Growing up in London, I am definitely more British and Taiwanese. However, being in the ethnic melting pot of London, it is also very easy to find Chinese food, cultural exhibitions and other workshops. I speak both English and Mandarin and am currently in the process of listening to and learning Chinese and Taiwanese karaoke songs. From a young age, I have been visiting my family in Taiwan. After graduating from secondary school, I decided to take a gap year in Taiwan where I would go on to study Mandarin reading and writing. Before this, I was completely illiterate in Mandarin. Therefore, this was a big goal of mine, as through this, I could deepen my relationship with my Taiwanese culture by being able to read its literature.
I am currently living my best life. It would be a shame to have to start all over again. I love my unique roots, my amazing friends and family, and the diversity of my cultures.
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