Growing Up Mixed & Why I Fit in in Hawai’i

In 2014, I traveled with my mom and sister to O’ahu to visit family. Trips back to Mom’s modest island home are rare, so we never waste time. All of our time is spent with family and in the water. <img alt="" src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:770/0*Oewb-oi4ILAztCV6" style="height:525px; width:700px" /> My beautifully mixed Hawaiian-Japanese-Korean-Chinese-Filipino-White-Mexican family. While swimming with my little cousins, a life guard looked at me and said in that casual local accent, “You look like you from here, but you too pale!” A subtle rush of happiness rushed over me before it quickly dissipated as my mind turned back to keeping my little cousins afloat. Only now, do I realize why that moment gave me satisfaction. For one of the few times in my life, I felt like I fit in somewhere. <a href="https://medium.com/bigger-picture/growing-up-mixed-why-i-fit-in-in-hawaii-5fa9b867aa9e">Click Here</a>