Personal Narrative: I Am Dominican And Cambodian
¨Dominican or Cambodian?” one of my peers asked.
I did not know how to respond. This question stumped me and a lot of things were swirling in my mind. I suddenly felt offended. How could I choose which race defined me more? How could I pick one and favor it over the other? Why must I justify who I am?
Both races make up who I am and I am proud to be both.
“What do you mean?” I replied.
“Which one are you more? Do you consider yourself to be mostly Asian or Hispanic? ”
I couldn’t give him an answer. I could not and would not choose which race made me more. I am Dominican and Cambodian, and I usually tell people this when they ask me. Both make up my identity and help define who I am.
My mom and her family were born in Cambodia and escaped
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Family members always help each other out. I am very lucky to have a strong bond with my Cambodian cousins.
My dad is Dominican. I don’t really know much about his family. Ever since I was little I’ve always felt disconnected from my Dominican side. When my great grandmother passed away, I was about five years old. At her funeral, I discovered that the fully packed room was filled with my relatives most of whom I did not know. I am seventeen years old now and still feel the same way as I did at my great grandmother’s funeral.
Whenever I’m with my Dominican family I have to greet them with a hug but when I’m with my Cambodian family, I have to bow my head with my hands pressed together. When my grandparents or dad speaks to me in Spanish I almost always understand what they are saying, but I just reply back in English.
I’ve always felt weird to share or explain to people that I am Asian and Hispanic because I felt I would be considered less Hispanic or less Asian since I am only half. I have come to realize that just because I don’t speak either Spanish or Khmer fluently it doesn’t make me less Hispanic or less Asian. I am Asian and Hispanic and no one can change that. I am of two cultures and it is okay to embrace them both. I have the best of both worlds because I am able to experience the cultures of two unique countries. I feel like I have the privilege of seeing life through two sets of different
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