Growing up in Thailand, I always remember going to the local market with my mom. As soon as I would walk into the market place you would be filled with the smell of freshly steamed corn, all different kinds of fried meat, and fresh fruits and vegetables. There were so many different local markets but no matter which one you went to or what time of day you went, they were always filled with people. The market closest to my house was quite big and had many aisles but each aisle was very narrow so if it was a “busy” day at the market it was hard to get around. I remember being very impatient when I was younger and I one day I was extremely hungry, so I got some money from my mom and rushed over to buy some steamed corn. Before I got to the stand I got stuck behind an old lady walking with a walker who was incredibly slow, or at least I thought so at the time, because at that moment in time all I wanted was the corn. Being a bicultural kid, my mom being Thai and my dad being American, was really frustrating for me at that moment because in Thai culture you have to respect your elders and be patient. So I couldn’t just try to squeeze my way past her.

Ever since I was little my family and I would travel back to the States every two to three years. As I got older I started to realize how different I was to everyone else around me, other than my family. I was fluent in English but I looked different and acted differently than other Americans. Then when I would go back to Thailand, the place where I grew up and live I would start to realize that I was different there too. I spoke Thai fluently but I looked different and acted different from other people around me too. The biggest thing that hit me going back and forth between countries was going to the movie theatres. In Thailand, commercials are shown and then before the movie starts everyone in the room stands up in honor of the King while his song is played. No one would even dare to think about putting their feet on another person’s chair because that would be really be offensive and rude. This past summer, when I went to work in the states my boss and her friends took me to the theatre and there was no King’s song and many people put their feet on the chair in front of them. It was really strange to me at first and very uncomfortable but then I just had to accept the fact that I wasn’t in Thailand anymore and everyone’s their own person.

Growing up in a mixed culture environment is difficult because there would be misunderstandings between my siblings and I, and between my parents as well. There were many misunderstandings with the rules at home because they aren’t like the other typical American or Thai Families. There are a lot of little rules here and there but there are so many unspoken rules that weren’t talked about, we just knew them, what you could and couldn’t do.

My mom is stricter, really proper, reserved, and my dad is really laid back most of the time. So the family dynamics can be a little unbalanced sometimes. Some nights at dinnertime my sister and I would sit with our feet on our chairs so our knees were showing “Don’t you know your manners? Put your feet down!” I clearly remember when my mom said this because she started yelling at me in Thai, she was really offended and got really upset but it didn’t even bother my dad as much. So no matter where I go or who I’m with, what my mom and the culture I grew up in has taught me will always stick with me and be a part of who I am.