America: the great melting pot of different cultures, races, and ideas. My dad is from America, whereas my mom emigrated from Palestine before I was born. I am half Arab and half American, and it’s the best part of me.

It’s truly both a blessing and a curse to be from two different cultures. You get a perspective that is utterly unique to anyone else. You learn how to communicate with people who can be polar opposites. You have a beautiful mixture of cultures that makes you proud of where you come from.

However, you can also be left out. Sometimes, you want to express an idea but you cannot because it’s only possible to do so in the other language. My all-American friends can make a pop culture reference, act differently from how I was raised, or even use common lingo that throws me off and makes me feel like I’m on the outside looking in.

There are a lot of fights that can happen, too, because you try to get one parent to understand something from the other side of you. It is so easy to just have one culture and not have to deal with compromising between the two. The easiest culture to grasp is American: my school, my friends, everything that surrounds me is American and it’s so easy to blend into that.

When I was younger, I wanted to hide parts of me that were more Palestinian. I was self-conscious about the music my mom played, the food she cooked, even my bigger nose and my hairier arms. Now, I love that. I love being different and I love every part of my Palestinian culture. I actively seek out other Arabs to have more of my Arab side in America.

Being from two different cultures is difficult, and trying to create a balance between them is the hardest part. If I had a choice, though, I would choose to be bicultural. I love the unique perspective I have because I grew up this way, and I have such an appreciation for having a diverse mix surrounding me.