Hey! I’m Ari. I am Chinese, Hawaiian, Japanese and Caucasian. There are honestly too many ethnicities running through my blood to name them all! I was born in California.

I am so proud to be Hapa, something different and unique. It does have the awkward moments, the “What are you?” questions, but sharing my culture can be very fun.

Honestly, I can’t say I’m white or Asian. Because I am half of both. My parents are also Hapa, which makes for an eclectic blend of cultures, especially food-wise.

Living near Japanese markets and stores, my parents influenced me with the Japanese culture. Still to this day, we buy our groceries with packages that don’t have English on them. When I was little, my favorite food was a giant bowl of udon noodles. I was the “half Asian girl”, who brought seaweed to school with her sandwich lol.

My best friend was half Chinese, and people always exclaimed that we looked like Asian sisters. :) Being Hapa is something to be proud of, it makes you special, and the more stories to tell the better!

Hi, my name’s Olivia. I’m 17 and I’m half Filipino and half African-American. I was raised by my mom who is African-American, so I really wasn’t brought up with the Filipino culture. However, my mother tried her best to make sure we knew something from our Filipino roots, by explaining the culture based on what little information she knew.

When I was little all I cared about was making new friends — you could say I was bit of a social butterfly. But when I entered kindergarten and as I got older I noticed that people would treat me differently.

The Caucasian and African-American kids would tell me that I was too light to be black and that my hair wasn’t “like a black person’s hair.” They would torment me by calling me a mutt and a half-breed. I never really fit in with anyone. It was almost like it was better to be half black and half white than half Asian — they looked at me like I was some sort of alien life-form.

To protect me, my mother pulled both my older brother and I from school and home-schooled us until he graduated high-school and until I decided I wanted to go back to school in the 6th grade. When I went back it was just as bad as before if not worse, more then likely worse, and it really took a toll on my self-confidence.

I was called all sorts of racially derogatory names, girls chopped off parts of my hair, they would take my stuff, broke my glasses twice, and this lasted for about a year and a half when my mother pulled back out. Then I went back to being home-schooled until 8th grade when my mom sent me to this really small charter school where people didn’t care about me being different and just enjoyed me as a friend.

I was happy but still was alone because it was a mainly Caucasian school and there wasn’t anyone like me. Then I met one of my best friends Isa who is also half Filipino, and through her I met my other best friend Maria who is half Japanese. My other best friends are Aru (South Asian), Victoria (Caucasian) and Hans (Chinese).

Something else that helped me was my discovery of a Hapa Youtuber named Maya (AKA. ShamelessMaya) and a Youtuber named Lilly (AKA. iiSuperwomanii), who’ve shown me that it doesn’t matter were you come from, who you are, or what you look like and that I should be proud of who I am.

Moreover, I find that despite not being raised in the Filipino culture I get along and feel more comfortable around Asian or people of Asian decent. I’m still at the charter school and really enjoying myself, and now I’m starting to get closer to my dad through learning more about the Filipino culture.

Right now I’m at a standstill as I try to figure out how I’m going to learn Tagalog, but I will do it with some help from my friend Isa. Looking back at all the things I’ve been through, growing up being mixed is one of the reasons I’m proud to be Hapa, because I endured hell for years and I’m still standing.

I learned to love the skin I’m in and in the process gained some amazing friends. If I had to do it all over again I would in a heartbeat because being Hapa is who I am and I LOVE IT!

I grew up in Rancho Cucamonga, California and am now going to school at Biola University.

Growing up, I would attempt to dodge the question of ethnicity because I felt that it was too weird compared to others who I had grown up with.

It wasn’t until recently that I’ve been taking pride in the fact that I’m Hapa. Back in my hometown I was the only Hapa I knew in a school of 4,000 students. But in college, meeting other Hapas who were similar to me was so eye-opening and gave me a new sense of pride in who I am.

I am a first-generation American on my father’s side (who is both Mexican and Spanish) and a second-generation American on my mother’s side (who is Japanese). My Japanese grandmother (Obachan) insists that we call ourselves “Okinawan” rather than Japanese because of her roots in Okinawa.

As far as challenges I had to face growing up being multiracial, it would probably be the difficulty of fitting in to a specific group. I felt that the Asian groups in school did not consider me “Asian enough” to accept and to the Hispanic groups, I was not “Hispanic enough” either. I got a lot of, “What the heck are you?” as a kid growing up as well because I had Asian eyes and thick curly Mexican hair. It was embarrassing at first however as I grew up I realized that this was what makes me stand out.

My mother was raised not knowing much of her Japanese culture.  Since my grandma moved to the US and married an American man (who was also Japanese), her family in Okinawa disowned her.

My grandfather was raised in Hawaii, though he died when I was very young so I’ve grown up with very little knowledge of half my heritage. I plan on asking my grandmother as many questions as possible to learn more about my roots.

As far as my Hispanic side, I know very little as well.  My father recently got in touch with his father in Mexico so I am now learning more and more about where I came from.

The second photo is a photo of my parents, they’re adorable aren’t they?

Hi! I’m an American of Irish, German, Scottish, and Korean descent.

My dad’s an American of Irish, German, and Scottish descent. My mom’s Korean. My race? I’m Eurasian. Many people think I’m 100% European, but no, I tell them that I’m Eurasian.I was born in Korea, but I’m a proud American with four ethnic backgrounds. I embrace all of them. That’s what being American is all about. Being mixed.

I’m currently going to an International IB school in Korea, and I’m enjoying it a lot. I’m meeting fellow American kids, but I’m also meeting Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Nepalese, Taiwanese, Filipino, Canadian, and British kids.

I enjoy talking with them and love sharing my American culture with them. As I said before, many kids at school think that I’m 100% European, but when I tell them that I’m Eurasian, they are blown away. I’ve noticed that looks can be deceiving, especially with Eurasians.

I had my identity crisis two years ago. It all started when a Korean girl called me “halfie.” I immediately knew she was talking about my race, and I started feeling confused. Am I European, or am I Asian? After doing some research and deciding that I’m mixed race — Eurasian – my crisis ended. Identity confirmed. By the way, being a Eurasian guy somehow attracts me to Eurasian girls :)

I’ve always been interested in railroads and aviation, but my current dream is to become a pilot, travel the world, and meet other Hapas :)

For as long as I can remember, my parents have always told my brother and me how lucky we are to be Hapa. With a mother from Hawaii and a father from Sweden, my brother and I fall under both contexts of the traditional Hawaiian definition and the recently adopted racial term; we are exactly half Okinawan and half Swedish.

Born and raised in California, my brother and I grew up in a school system that desperately attempted to promote multiculturalism. I beamed with pride as my pappa visited my second grade class during multicultural week to read my favorite Lilla Spöket Laban, and I enjoyed my tiny bento that my Okinawan grandma would pack for lunch. However, like most childhood traditions, I was sheltered from the unrealistic expectations of assimilation, and it was not until I grew older that I began to realize the burdens being Hapa had inflicted upon my cultural identity.

As people notice my ambiguous appearance, they are immediately curious of my ethnicity and usually ask one of two questions. The first is the derogatory, “What are you?” I understand this question is of interest to my cultural background, so I politely answer, “Swedish and Okinawan.” However, the other question, “Where are you from?” raises a complicated flurry of possible responses. The subjective interpretations of that question is only the beginning of the problem. I have to decide if they mean where I was born, where I currently live, where I grew up, or what ethnicity I am.

Growing up and constantly battling between answering with Sweden, Hawaii, or America has led to the inevitable epiphany many Hapas default to: nowhere. I am from nowhere. I belong nowhere. Because of our mixed races, Hapas will never exclusively belong to any of the cultures running through their veins. I will never be Swedish and I will never be Okinawan, but people want an answer nonetheless. Sparing people an explanation of my identity crisis, I reluctantly resort to, “I am from America.” No one wants to hear about a Hapa’s internal divide, so it is easy to dismiss an honest response. A Hapa spirit does not differentiate between the cultures in their veins; the two cultures exist together as one.

Everyone has the right to a cultural identity that fluctuates; an identity is a living concept, changing and evolving throughout a lifetime. As a multicultural race with memories and traditions associated with different cultures, Hapas cannot simply identify with one race or the other, but the refusal to assimilate to a single cultural identity has its consequences. Because society has demanded people of multiculturalism to associate with one culture, it is not easy for a Hapa to simply identify as someone who actively considers themselves a “synergy” of two cultures. A person that acknowledges their diverse background can be seen as someone who struggles with identity, as if choosing not to align himself or herself with a single culture indicates an unstable identity.

Responding with, “I am from nowhere,” as in they do not belong to one culture alone, insinuates a critical judgment by society. The uncertainty is perceived as negative, so a fear or self-doubt develops around the idea of not belonging. Instead of embracing both cultures, Hapas begin to view their diversity as defective.

I walk around Stockholm too Asian to be considered Swedish, and I walk around Honolulu too Swedish to be Okinawan. The differences set other Hapas and me apart in society as a minority. The truth can be seen on our physically ambiguous faces; we do not belong. I do not belong in Sweden. I do not belong in Hawaii. I do not belong in America. I am varying degrees of Swedish, Okinawan, and American. I cannot attribute myself wholly to any of those cultures, and society condemns me for it. Many Hapas can relate to the feeling of not belonging, and it can send us into despair, but that is why recognizing that feeling as tied to societal convention is vital to our identity. Despite what society implies about Hapa culture, just because I do not belong anywhere does not mean I am nothing.

I want to challenge the traditional conventions of cultural identity and no longer be ashamed that I do not belong anywhere. Hapas should embrace the diversity that forms their identity and should not be obligated to choose a cultural affiliation. I hope one day Hapas can radiate confidence as they declare, “I am from nowhere,” ignoring society’s condescending view of such an unsatisfying answer. As the definition of “half” suggests, Hapa is a duality of cultures. It is impossible for one culture to exist without the other; one culture cannot dominate or cancel the other out. It is a “synergy,” and that synergy defines us.

Greetings to all Hapas,

My name is Marisa and I want to share my story with you guys.

My dad is Japanese and mom is a Malaysian Indian. I’ve lived in Japan for most of my life, and I’ve had a Japanese upbringing. Being half Malaysian Indian is extremely rare in Japan, and I have not met another of my kind apart from my sister (seen but only on TV).

When I was small I wasn’t really fond of the fact that I am “hafu” as they say, and I experienced some problems in almost all levels of school. My life got better when I started high school, as I got to go to Australia for 10 months to study there. This is probably the time I improved in my English, which gave me a boost of confidence. Many people I’ve met in Japan expected my to be bilingual in the first meeting, although I still am not fluent in English.

When I tell people that I’m half Japanese and half Malaysian Indian, they have a few patterns of questions to as me, such as (in Japan), “Can you speak English? Can you speak Malaysian/Indian? What Languages do you speak?” Or even “Where is Malaysia?”

In Malaysia, I introduce myself as half Japanese and half Malaysian when asked, because I feel it is easier to create bonding with more people here that way. I also feel that people in Malaysia are a lot more racially conscious, and most people ask me “What is your mother’s race?” after I introduce myself.

Among Japanese, Malaysian, and Indian culture I embrace and cherish Japanese culture the most. At the same time, I am very much proud of having the other two as a part of my heritage, as it makes me unique in most places I go, and uniqueness is cool!!!!!!! Unfortunately I didn’t have much exposure to Malaysian culture in my childhood, but I’m glad I came to Malaysia for my uni, because in Malaysia there are more people like me who share similar interests.

Hello! I was born in Northern India but I immigrated to the United States when I was 6 months old and have lived in the US and Canada my whole life. I am ethnically Indian, but my father is half Nepali (through my grandmother) and my mom has partial Persian heritage.

During my early childhood, I mostly considered myself American and was not proud of being different even though I wasn’t made fun of at this stage.

After 9/11, in my middle school years, I was made fun of much more for having a foreign appearance, although the insults were diverse since people couldn’t figure out of I was Middle Eastern, Indian, or East Asian. I was born with very East Asian features but became tanned as I got older, so even I have confused myself ethnically!

It wasn’t until high school that I learned I was part Persian, and even being part Nepali wasn’t discussed until when visiting India my uncle told me that my grandmother was actually born on the Nepali border and came as an infant to India. This sparked my interest since I always felt homogenous but realised that I am more diverse than I had previously believed.

Today I am very proud of being Hapa. I took it upon myself to learn Persian in university, and now I speak it better than my parents’ language (Urdu). All in all, I speak French, English, Persian, and some Urdu, and I identify with being a global citizen rather than having nationalistic feelings towards one place. I listen to European music, drink a lot of Persian tea, eat Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine and have travelled to 21 countries so far. I hope my life broadens my mind to incorporate even more of the world’s cultures into my lifestyle!

Hi. My name is Genevieve, and I am part Filipino, Chinese, Spanish, and Italian.

I hadn’t really heard of the term “hapa” until I was in my twenties. I just knew that I had mixed ancestry and never really felt different or excluded because of it. My father is part Filipino, Spanish, and Italian. My mother is part Filipino and Chinese.

I mostly identify with being Filipino and am very proud of my culture. I was born in the Philippines, but grew up in the US (Chicago). I now live in Toronto, Canada.

Canada, and even Chicago, are very multiracial and culturally diverse cities. So I was always exposed to other cultures. But yes, most of the time people ask me what my ethnic background is. I don’t take offense to this and even find it amusing at times (It’s funny how they look so perplexed and surprised when I do tell them).

I am proud to be of mixed heritage and would like to get to know you guys as well. Thanks and glad to meet you!

If you are interested in getting to know me better, I am on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MyNameIsGenevieve and here, on wordpress at http://genevievelimgallo.wordpress.com/. See you soon!

Hi! My name is Jasmine and I am a proud Hapa of Polish and Scottish decent from my dad’s side and Chinese from my mum’s side. When people ask what my nationality is, I often play the guessing game.

I was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, and currently live there. When I was one years old I temporarily lived in China for two years, and in that time my sister was born. We lived with my Chinese grandparents in the city of Mianyang, where we received much attention because my dad was one of the only white people living in the area, and could also speak Mandarin very well. I never learned Polish, but I am still so proud to be able to speak two fluent languages; English and Mandarin.

We go back to China every four years or so, and up till this day, we still gain much attention and it is funny because when I go out with my family in China, people think my dad, sister and I can’t understand Chinese. I love everything about Chinese culture: the food, traditions, language and much more. I guess it’s because I am interested in cultures because I was raised in a multicultural family. Every day, my family eats Chinese cooked by my grandma and we all love it! Every year, we celebrate Chinese New Year, Moon Festival, Lantern Festival and the Duanwu Festival.

Although I have never been to Poland, my Polish grandparents and my dad tell me lots about it, and my grandma cooks the best desserts ever! My family only celebrates Christmas in the Polish way, but all year round my dad bakes lots of traditional Polish cakes.

I am a proud Hapa because I love being exposed to different cultures and my uniqueness. Though I have faced some challenges because I am of mixed race, I have always and will continue to embrace both sides of my heritage. 

Hi, I’m Mark. I’m half Australian, half Singaporean-Chinese. I was born and raised in Singapore and moved over to Adelaide a couple of years back for studies.

I’ve lived with my mum most of my life as my folks are divorced. I’m really thankful that she comes from a large, closely-knit, traditional Chinese family. That really fostered my appreciation and love for the Chinese culture and its values.

And despite being traditional, they’ve accepted me for who I am, and for that I’m really thankful. I think the point where I realized “Oh, I’m Hapa” was when I was 15 and got my identity card.

Under the race section it was stated that I was Chinese. I didn’t want to hurt the family by saying otherwise, but at the same time I knew I’m not one. Prior to this, the point was never raised, probably to not make me feel weird at home. So this 15-year-old chubby kid had to sack up right there in front of my mum and say no, you guys messed up.

It was terrifying, ’cause that was me pointing out that I’m different for the first time. When I told the lady at the counter that it should read “Eurasian,” not “Chinese,” I remember her giving me a perplexed look and asking if I was sure. I think that was it for me. I think that incident was the start of me actually identifying myself as Hapa.

Aside from that one event, I don’t think I suffered much of an identity crisis. I mean in secondary school I was called “ang mo” which is dialect for “white guy.” I mean it bothered me at first, since all I was trying to do was fit in, but after a while it dawned on me that it wasn’t a mean-spirited remark, but rather a term of endearment. And then after I accepted it, and I learned to accept the weird looks you get when you get on the bus and everyone’s obviously wondering what manner of creature you are.

It’s entertaining, but for someone like me who likes the idea of being the most invisible person in the room, it wasn’t very appealing. That’s probably why I’m glad I’m in Adelaide cause everyone just does their own thing and you’re just another face in the crowd. Which is great I guess.

Over the years I’ve met relatively few Hapas. But when I do meet one, it’s great ’cause I think there is something instantly present just by knowing there’s this other person who doesn’t fit in. And we can relate. I’m not exactly sure how to verbalize it, but it feels sort of comfortable, even though you just met. Also, there are so many words (Eurasian, halfies, Hapas, mixed-bloods) I think it gets too confusing for people sometimes. Like in Singapore it’s “Eurasian,” but in Adelaide, it’s normally “halfies” or “mixies.”

Anyway, I’m glad I found this site, it’s always good to know what other people’s experiences are like. So thank you for making this site. And I’m always keen to meet other Hapas, wherever you may be, so feel free to drop me a holla on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/aquadore.

Hello My name is Ariel and I am mixed with Japanese, Mexican, Spanish, French Canadian, and German.

I know it’s a lot, that’s why I don’t really tell people what I’m mixed with because I feel like its such a hassle. My dad is the one that is mix with some Mexican, Spanish, and a little of French Canadian.

My mom well.. I just know that she was born in Colombia but her family is Japanese and a bit of German. I considered myself more Japanese and Mexican though since that’s what I look like even though sometimes I get confused for being Filipino.

Growing up was a bit hard because where I went to school, the kids were always “full” races. I went to an all Chinese school when I was little and when I moved to Texas it was a lot more Hispanics.

To be honest thought I hated being mixed. I didn’t feel included in any ethnic groups because it was either I wasn’t a “real” Asian or a “real” Latina.

Having my parents both American and just knowing English didn’t really give me the opportunity to learn Spanish or Japanese. So to me, I didn’t have a culture or heritage. I tried learning Japanese because more of my friends were Asian than Hispanic.

I just wanted to fit in. However, most of them just said that I was their Mexican friend. I felt a bit hurt that they didn’t see me as also as being Asian too. Although over time I grew not to care.

Honestly I’m proud of being mixed, I have that uniqueness most don’t have. I still get a lot of racism but if I wasn’t mixed I probably wouldn’t be as open minded as I am now.

I don’t know if what I experience is the same for everyone that’s mixed, but don’t let it bother you when people are closed minded, ignorant, or confused. I even had to deal with ignorance within my own family. Just stay true to who you are. Thank you for reading :)

Hapa and Proud.

I’m Thomas Barnes, born in Hong Kong. My father is British and my mum Chinese. When I was growing up, the name for us in HK was “Eurasian.” In Cantonese Wun Huet Yee means “mixed blood.” There are also much ruder phrases!

Growing up in colonial-era Hong Kong, the mostly British kids at my junior school looked down on local Chinese and I made every pitiful attempt to blend in with them and ignore my Chinese heritage.

At school in England the same thing pretty much persisted, so I experienced a lot of self conflict as a kid. Moving to London when I was 18 started to change all that. I was in a diverse culture and it I suddenly wasn’t being made aware of being Asian or not. A blessed relief. When I returned to Hong Kong in my mid-twenties I found that Eurasians were now considered cool especially amongst local Hong Kongers. So the world was changing and I gained a ton of confidence and started to enjoy being who I was.

Now at the ripe age of 50 (though people think I’m younger), with two boys of my own, I could not be more comfortable with my dual identity.

I am a filmmaker and I live in New York City where every other young kid it seems, is a much celebrated hafu (hapa). My next project, a feature film, is an indie rock fable set in NY with hafu lead actors. I’m interested in portraying mixed-race people as themselves rather than posing as other races. You rarely see a Hapa actor playing a character based on someone with their specific biracial identity, so I want to change that. More about that on my Tumblr blog if you are interested.

Looking back it’s been an interesting journey. In some ways the childhood part was tough, but it helped form me and inform me and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Hi, my name’s Elena and I am of Filipino and Italian-Sicilian ancestry.

I had identity issues growing up because of my mixed background and because of bullying and pressure from other children. I grew up in a majority Filipino town in O’ahu, so if you weren’t Filipino or Polynesian, you were an outcast. That’s how I’ve felt like most of my life.

Growing up, I would get bullied a little at school because although I was part Filipino, the other kids saw me as the “haole girl” (white girl) and it was apparently something to not be proud of.

I went through a stage where I would rely on being half Filipino to not feel left out and to feel accepted by the other Filipino girls. In junior high and the beginning of my high school years, I started lying about my ethnic background by telling everybody I was half Japanese and half Filipino and denying my Caucasian blood.

I actually pulled it off because I could speak Japanese so well and I guess I kind of looked it. Towards my junior and senior year of high school, I started telling everybody I was half Filipino and half Mexican; again, I was getting very good at Spanish and started hanging out with the only two Latino kids in high school and fooled everybody then too.

I had a lot of identity issues when I was younger, but after I graduated from high school I finally learned to accept who I am and embrace it. I’ve learned to not care about what others think about me or my racial background, though I still feel like nobody will fully accept me — white people will never see me as one of them and neither will Filipinos or Asians. It’s just something I’m going to have to live with, and frankly, I’m okay with it.

My name is Becky and I currently live in Melbourne, Australia. My Dad is Chinese, born in Malaysia. My mother is a third-generation New Zealander of Irish decent. My parents each have two children from previous relationships, plus me (they later separated). I was born in Christchurch, New Zealand.

I’m very close to my nana. Sometimes language is a barrier, but we get each other. She would always make me dresses and her cooking beats any Chinese restaurant I have ever been to. We celebrated Chinese New Year together and often blasted Chinese music at home.

Although I have at times felt rejected by Chinese people not believing/recognizing my heritage or almost being offended that I am half. I do look more western but western people see the Asian. My half brothers on my Dad’s side are also half white but look full Chinese.

I’m a kiwi at heart, but I love that I have lots of relatives all over Asia. I prefer Asian food to western and love watching Chinese movies. I’m also a singer — my mum’s side of the family is extremely musical.

My name is Levi and I am Scottish, Chinese, Japanese, Native American, Malaysian, Costa Rican and American. I am a mix of many cultures from both my mommy and daddy’s sides of the family. We are generational Hapas and we love it! Even my grandma is Hapa!

Neither mommy nor daddy is Costa Rican so you’re probably wondering how come I am. Well, I’m a tico because I was born in Costa Rica but I’m also American since both mommy and daddy are American!

It is great to be Hapa because you get to experience so many cultures and customs first hand. Like for New Year’s we always have black eyed peas and greens (homage to our Southern American culture) AND a traditional Japanese New Year meal, we also celebrate the lunar (Chinese) new year, Moon festival, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Passover, etc.

If we celebrated every holiday, it would just be one nonstop party! There is always something yummy to eat from pot roast to sushi and curry to dim sum! I hope to travel to all the places we are from as a family one day!

Hi! My name is Sassha. I was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to the states when I was 18.

My dad is of African American, Puerto Rican, white and Native American descent and my mom is Filipino. Growing up in the Philippines, I always struggled with my identity since I was made fun of because of my skin color. I was too dark as they would always say, so I didn’t blend in and I wasn’t considered Filipino. I was always called “the black girl.”

I have a younger sister who looks more Caucasian so whenever I would say that we’re sisters people wouldn’t believe me and would instead say that we’re cousins, which I took offense to. Being half white was more preferred over being half black.

Now that I’m in the states, I’ve noticed that Filipinos aren’t able to tell that I am Filipino, but non-Filipinos do and they make it a point to identify me. I always get asked what my ethnicity is or if I’m Filipino, which I don’t really mind as long as it doesn’t affect the way people treat me. I’ve been identified as Mexican, Filipino, and Indian.

I’ve learned to embrace and love who I am and what I am. All races are beautiful so I don’t mind being identified as one race or the other. I am very happy with my skin color and nobody can convince me to think otherwise. I am a proud Hapa!

Hello, my name is Wulan and I’m German on my father’s side and Indonesian on my mother’s.

I didn’t grow up in one country. I’ve lived and have been all over the world and have developed an open mind for cultural differences. Going to international schools, I’d expect others would be just as open, but it seems that some people still have issues grasping the concept of being mixed.

I used to visit Indonesia a lot. I feel like I was seen as “the white relative,” and felt like a foreigner in my own country. I didn’t look like anyone else – hell, my mom was mistaken as my nanny. I didn’t feel Indonesian until I started speaking the language. And despite all this, I still felt like I wasn’t able to identify as German either.

There was a point where I went to a public German school rather than an international one, and at that time I didn’t feel German at all. I struggled with the language, and the only other Asians there had grown up in Germany. I was less German than those without German blood. And despite all this, I still felt like I wasn’t able to identify as Asian.

Then I moved away and joined another international school, where I found many other Hapas like me. I’ve never felt a cultural connection to other Asians or white people. I only truly feel like, “Hey, you’re like me” around other Hapas. Half Indians, half Koreans, half Japanese – even if we are technically not of the same blood, we are all Hapa. I feel lucky to have found my place and feel truly comfortable just calling myself and identifying as Hapa, rather than having to give a lengthy explanation of my background. :)

My name is Jay or Jian Yamazaki and I’m a mix of indigenous Japanese (Ainu) and South Indian (Dravidian). My dad is from Kerala, my mom is from a business family in Kyoto but she lives in south India since childhood.

My grandfather was strict with traditional Indian family rules, but my parents raised me as an international type and I’ve been interested in Japanese culture since childhood. My family follows Hinduism, though I was a follower of Shinto, which wasn’t encouraged much.

Growing up, I was a festival geek. I liked Hinamatsuri, shrine festivals, Hyottoko, Nihonjin Habba (in India), Thrissur Pooram, and so many others.

Since I was exposed to so many cultures, I easily made friends from different communities. One thing I’ve learned from living in Kerala is that “looks do not define anything, but your lifestyle and heart do.” My friends are a mix of Muslims, Christians, and Hindus, and all of them love me for who I am. My family is quite famous in our town.

I can speak many different languages, though not all fluently. As a young student, I spoke Malayalam with a Japanese accent. I used to be very quiet and people assumed I was American or Chinese.

I’m a singer-songwriter and sing in different languages. I once had a bad experience auditioning in Japan, where it is very homogenous, but I haven’t given up. I hope to be a professional in the coming years.

Personally, I do not embrace one single heritage. Like religion is the root of all evil, I believe embracing one heritage is a way of creating difference. I think being Hapa is special, but I just embrace good values and try to find things in common with Hapas and non-Hapas.

Hi! My name is Thomas and I am a proud Hapa. I am Polish from my mum’s side and Chinese from my dad’s side. I am now a senior in high school. I am born and raised in Austria (not Australia).

Being a Hapa in Austria is not so difficult, or at least I am lucky, because throughout my life there was at least another Hapa nearby. However, I have never encountered someone who shares exactly the same heritage as I do (I have no siblings).

In Austria it is easy for me to be unnoticed, because people mistake me for an Asian tourist. The difficult part of my life is visiting with my family.

I often visit Poland (3-4 times a year) and as there aren’t many tourist there, being there is a bit more complicated. I enjoy our annual Christmas holidays etc, but people in Poland love to stare at people, which is quite annoying. To be fair, I realized that they don’t only stare at me, but also at other people. My Polish family and friends don’t give me the feeling that I am any different, however I am not able to convince myself that I fit in there.

Due to the distance I don’t visit China as often as Poland, however most of my Chinese relatives are in Europe so it is not so difficult to get in touch with them. We celebrate Chinese New Year together. It is still the same feeling as being in Poland.

Being a Hapa is quite difficult, but it gave me the best of both worlds.

I would like to thank the creator of this site for being able to share my experiences and to connect to all you.