Reflective Essay: Cultural Identity

I am not a label. No matter how hard anyone tries to fit me under a label, or define me as something I am not, it will not work. I am a mixture, a melting pot of many different cultures and beliefs. My own unique cultural identity is compiled from many aspects of my life, like my ethnicities, my parents’ backgrounds and food; they all come together to make me who I am and who I define myself as.
All the time I get asked, “What are you?” To quickly get it over with I always “round” my ethnicities. I simply say “ I’m half Chinese and half white,” but I am so much more. I am 44% Chinese, 4% Pacific Islander, 2% Central Asian, 12.5% Norwegian, 12.5% German, 12.5% Swedish, 6.25% Irish, and 6.25% Swiss German; I am proud to be all of those. However, because of my mixed background, I do not look the part of either side of my family. My siblings and I stand out because my parents have the only mixed family out of their brothers and sisters, but I still can and choose to identify with both sides.
Part of my culture identity is a mixture of my father’s Chinese background and my mother’s more traditional, Norwegian background. Instead of only choosing one to associate myself with, I choose to embrace my cultural diversity and
I have a boundless love for food and my family shares this love. Hopping from restaurant to restaurant, trying whatever catches our eyes, also catches quite a few stares. Sitting down in a Chinese restaurant draws the questionable looks of others. Most of the time, while the food is arriving, the waitress asks in broken English, while motioning to my siblings, my mom, and I , “Are chopsticks ok, would a fork be better?” or “Is that going to be too spicy?” Quickly shaking our heads, we turn back towards our meal and engulf the food in front of us while using chopsticks with ease. Our love of food never stops and no matter where I go, I always try different dishes because it is a part of who I