What's It Like Growing up as a Half Korean?

TL;DR

Two individuals discuss their experiences growing up mixed race and living abroad in Kenya, the US, and Korea.

Transcript

nice to meet you nice to meet you too so where you from and how long have you been in Korea I'm from DC and I'm originally um from Kenya so I grew up in Kenya and the us but I've been here for about one day I moved here yesterday why did you decide to like move back to Korea so I had never lived here before but I have some friends here so I went to... Read More

Key Insights

• 😊 Kenyans are super nice and friendly, especially the young people. They engage in small talk and are some of the kindest people you can meet.
• 🌍 Growing up as a mixed person in Kenya and the US can be challenging, as you don't always fully identify with the people in either country due to cultural differences and appearance.
• 🇰🇪 Kenya holds a special place in the person's heart and will always be their home, even though they also identify as American.
• 🇺🇸 Living in the US, specifically in diverse cities like DC, allows for a broader understanding of the world as people from different backgrounds coexist.
• 💑 In terms of relationships, being mixed can lead to mixed experiences, as some may fetishize mixed individuals while others prefer to exclusively date within their own culture.
• 💼 While currently teaching English in Korea, the person plans to eventually return to the US to pursue their career as a consultant due to higher salaries and better long-term prospects.
• 🌱 Although the person doesn't have concrete roots in Korea, they are open to building relationships and connections that can give them a reason to return in the future.
• ♀️ As someone with natural hair, the person was initially apprehensive about finding suitable hair products in Korea, but they have found a curling cream that works well for their hair type.

Questions & Answers

Q: How has the speaker's mixed background influenced their sense of identity?

Growing up mixed in both Kenya and the US has presented challenges in fully identifying with a national identity, and instead, they primarily identify as American.

Q: What is the speaker's experience like living in the US and Korea?

The speaker describes finding a diverse community in DC but faced challenges adapting to the Southern culture. They express a sense of safety and enjoy walking at night in Korea.

Q: Does the speaker plan to connect with their Korean roots while living in Korea?

The speaker mentions not having concrete roots in Korea but expresses a desire to create relationships and connections to come back to in the future.

Q: How does the speaker navigate the dating scene as a mixed person living abroad?

The speaker shares their experience of some people fetishizing mixed individuals, while others only want to date within their own culture. They express a preference for dating individuals who are open to cultural sharing.

Q: Does the speaker know how to speak the Kenyan language?

Unfortunately, the speaker doesn't know any Swahili, mainly because their mother, who is Kenyan, primarily speaks English, and they attended an American school in Kenya.

Q: Has the speaker found hair products that work for their hair type in Korea?

Initially, the speaker was worried about finding hair products for their unique hair type in Korea. However, they recently found a curling cream that they love by a brand called Mison.

Q: How does the speaker feel about their hair and how it is received by others?

The speaker feels proud of their hair and has received positive comments from others. They also mention growing their hair by themselves and finding ways to maintain and style it in Korea.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker discusses their background, being born in Kenya, growing up in Georgia and Kenya, and their mixed identity.

• They mention the challenges of identifying with a nationality where they don't look like the majority and their experience in the US after living in Kenya.

• The speaker shares their love for DC due to its diversity, their plans to teach English in Korea for a few months, and their eventual return to the US for a consulting job.