If you are an Asian American individual who was adopted at seven months old by the whitest family to ever grace the earth, you know the struggle.
If you do not fall into the category mentioned above, then I hope you enjoy and comprehend what I endure on an everyday basis.
1. I don't speak Chinese.
Please do not come up and ask me to say something in Asian; I literally know nothing. Or worse, don't come up and just start speaking to me in Chinese. I will smile and walk away. Bye, Felicia.
2. I do speak good English.
There's not a hint of Asian accent in my voice. I can't even imitate an Asian accent. You don't have to be afraid to ask me a question in fear of not being able to understand me. I feel that struggle the same as you.
3. No, I don't remember the good life back in the homeland.
Do you remember anything when you were seven months old? No, I didn't think so. Asian's may be the smartest people in the world, but even we can't remember life straight out of the womb.
4. My next point: I'm the dumbest Asian alive.
Yes, I make decent grades. No, I don't do recreational calculus. I may be the only Asian in the room, but don't look at me for quick calculations on how much to tip your waiter.
5. Asian culture in general is kind of a mystery.
I know I should be more educated, but I know next to nothing about Asian culture including traditions, food, etc. I'm absolutely clueless about everything when invited to any Asian gathering of two or more.
6. I have almost zero Asian friends.
It's well known that Asian's tend to hang out in packs. That's just how it is. But most of my close friends are all basic white girls (either internally or externally), to be honest.
7. Sibling resemblance doesn't exist.
This may be a shocker, but me and my teenage brother with skin brighter than the sun do not look alike. You don't have to tell me that we do. I feel just as uncomfortable in that moment as you do.
8. Rice is not the staple food of my diet.
My family eats fast food on a weekly basis. I do not even like rice.
9. No, I don't eat all my food with chopsticks.
Yes, I do know how to use chopsticks. Any human with basic writing capabilities can, I promise.
10. Ask me where I'm from, and I will tell you Texas or Louisiana.
Then you'll proceed to ask where I was born, and then I launch into my spiel of being adopted at seven months old by some white folks from Oklahoma.
11. Yes, my parents actually physically traveled to China to pick me up.
I was not flown over to the states by the secret service. I was not dropped from the sky by a pelican. I was not shipped in a box like a sack of potatoes.
Of course, these struggles are not always the case for every adopted Asian. Some families work very hard to ensure their adopted children are well acquainted with their ethnic culture.
Me? I'm just a basic white girl trapped inside an Asian girl's body. And I'm totally OK with that.