German | Taiwanese
I identify both as German and Taiwanese, although I would say my behaviour is more German since this is where I grew up most of my childhood. I am Agnostic and straight. I am Taiwanese from my Mother’s side and German from my Father’s side. They met in Taipei, Taiwan.
I think international culture and norms which have become normal during the last couple of decades of globalization have formed an important basis for mutual understanding. The simplest example is the use of English, which my parents used when they met each other, or shared interests in global popular culture. Otherwise mutual respect for different customs and habits is important. Sometimes my parents did things in a more German and sometimes more Chinese way, and everyone had to go along with it, even if the other one was not used to it. But I think most importantly open-mindedness and sharing the same ideas is what brought them together.
Especially in London, but also in Germany and Taiwan, interracial relationships are very common and accepted which is definitely a good thing. Older generations were sometimes wondering about the relationship of my parents. When I was younger, and myself having girlfriends, their parents often thought of me as special. I am happy that people are actually becoming less aware of this, and that they just treat you like anyone else, where your ethnic background becomes mostly irrelevant. We should all be judged by who we are as a person and not by the colour of our skin.
I think multiculturalism is a more common concept in open western societies and I find that my thinking and partnerships are quite affected by that way of thinking. I have had partners from many different cultural backgrounds and I always tended to be together with people who shared the same western values and ideas. Such as a strong emphasis on equality of men and women, democracy, free speech and multiculturalism. If people share the same values, the ethnic background becomes irrelevant. Values and ideas should be, and are, a larger divider than your ethnicity.
Being mixed-race has given me a very good understanding of different cultures and languages. I found cultural barriers easier to cross and to understand why other people from different backgrounds might think differently to me. Since I was a child I have seen the strong difference in values in Taiwanese and German society, and also what connects them and what they share. Being aware of this duality has made it easier for me to adapt to different cultural norms, and generally enriched my life a lot by giving me this experience to be part of totally different cultures.
As a kid people sometimes thought I looked quite unique, or even without bad intention people kept asking me about my background although I felt like I was just a normal person like anyone else and never understood what all these questions meant until I grew older.
Since I grew up most of my life in Germany, I casually talk to friends and family and I’m always aware of the newest developments in Germany. Also, we as Europeans, which includes the UK, are quite used to German culture, so I think by now within Europe we are all aware of our different cultures, so I share my culture quite casually. Funnily, when I am in Asia people really seem to like Germany, and always ask me questions on how we manage to do everything in such perfect fashion. I speak Chinese quite well, with quite a Taiwanese accent, so I like chatting with people from China. They are always amazed that I speak with a Taiwanese accent although I look very foreign to them. I found that quite amusing. I do love both German and Taiwanese cuisine, so my colleagues find it funny if I bring both German chocolate or Taiwanese Pineapple cakes to the lab.
I have been to Taiwan regularly during summer when I was a child. I also spent a gap year in China after high school to gain some working experience in China and to improve my language skills.
I did not care much about my mixed-race background as a child and never understood what all the fuss and the questions directed to me were about. Once I got older, my background is quite rare and really gave me a broader horizon and perspective on things, which other people are aware of. As a child I thought other people knew that as well as I did, but I learned that this perspective I have is quite unique.
If I had the opportunity to be reborn I would just like to be the person I am right now, I am quite happy about the way I turned out. If there are multiple life cycles I would also like to return as a dragon or lion at some point, they are my Chinese and western zodiacs.