I was only eight months old when I first travelled on an airplane. The flight was 12 hours long (Taipei, Taiwan to Los Angeles, California), so perhaps it was destiny from the beginning that I would become a flight attendant. I was indeed, MADE IN TAIWAN and quite fortunate to be adopted by a Chinese American couple, a.k.a. mom and dad. I cannot recall a specific moment when they first explained to me that I was adopted. To be perfectly honest, they could have kept it a secret and I may never have found out (see photo below). Even though my parents tried to immerse my sister and me in Chinese culture, I found myself trying to focus on being as "American" as possible. For some reason I just didn't like being Asian. Maybe because it was one more quality that made me "different", and all I really wanted was to blend in. I cannot think of a specific turning point, but it wasn't until after I became an adult that I started to truly embrace my Asian roots.
On Tuesday night, ABC aired the season finale of its new hit comedy Fresh Off The Boat. For those of you not in the know, the show chronicles a Taiwanese couple raising their three American born sons in Orlando, Florida during the 1990s. When the show was initially announced last year, I was excited yet a bit wary due to the title alone. There are some people who believe the phrase "fresh off the boat" is politically incorrect and might even be considered derogatory. I also wondered if America was ready for a predominantly Asian cast on television. Sadly, the last time a show of this nature graced the small screen was Margaret Cho's All-American Girl, practically two decades ago. Upon viewing the entire 13-episode season, I can honestly say I love the show! Admittedly, I was concerned that the show might rely solely on racial stereotypes for its jokes, but instead it focuses on a smart cast of characters that you grow to care about, without avoiding challenging subject matters. It is definitely a great step forward for diversity in Hollywood and I hope that Fresh gets renewed for a second season.
Oftentimes, people ask us if we have any preferences when it comes to adopting kids. Casey and I really just hope that our children will be happy and healthy. We look forward to teaching them about our own unique qualities and cultures, all the while urging them to learn about what makes them special. I clearly spent too many of my younger years feeling ashamed of who I was. Instead, I should have valued my differences and focused more on my positive attributes. The home study paperwork asks us to answer very difficult questions about our lives so far and what we envision our parenting style to be. Our hope is to equip our children with a strong sense of identity, empowering them with the strength to embrace their individuality and encouraging them to be the change that is needed in the world.
Chinatown (Los Angeles) - 1993
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our journey so far. We are very grateful for all of your messages, likes and comments, and look forward to sharing more updates soon. Don't forget to share our story with your friends and family. We greatly appreciate all of your support.
David & (Casey)