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Embracing our differences
There has been more than few instances when our family has come under the scrutiny of complete strangers, asking us questions that made me wonder whether other interracial families come across. The one that stood out to me was a time when I brought Emma out shopping with me, and we were just sitting on a bench, taking a short break from all the browsing, and we encountered a man in his mid-50s, sitting across from us. He was quite friendly, and we chatted for about 10 minutes or so, him making occasional comments about how lovely Emma’s curls were, when at the end of the conversation, he asked whether…
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What makes an [interracial / intercultural] relationship work?
Ever since I have started to post actively on my Instagram account , I have been getting questions regarding how I (and sometimes both Sam and I) overcome challenges as an interracial couple. As some of you may now, our backgrounds could not be more different. I am originally from Taiwan, but grew up in Canada, whereas he was born and raised in Tanzania, East Africa. Before we met, I had this inexplicable optimistic outlook on love and marriage, partly due to the fact that my parents have a very solid and loving marriage. And so for me, I was expecting something very much akin to what they have –…
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Best Travel Hacks for Parents with kids
Here is a well-known fact: traveling with kids is never NOT challenging, and that is the whole truth. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be fun—plus, there are always travel hacks out there, especially for parents with young kids. For myself, one of the most daunting tasks is undoubtedly—packing. Packing for two when you don’t have tiny humans who required multiple outfit change—piece of cake. When packing for a baby came into the picture, gone were the days of just throwing a few essentials into our luggage. Two small kids? Now, we are talking a whole different level here. This is where choosing the right type of luggage becomes…
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The “blackness” comments
A while back, I received a DM on Instagram that almost had me choke on my morning coffee. I know that it’s not uncommon to get weird messages on social media, and some trolls are really just here with the simple goal to offend everyone. This message, however, was just downright ignorant and borderline comical. “Your husband is so black.” First off, I know a scamming account when I see one. Obviously, he wasn’t hoping to strike up a conversation about race. And I’m still not sure what kind of reaction he expected to trigger in me. But let’s just say that I laughed it off and went on with…
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Baby-wearing experience made better!
I was so ecstatic when Ashley from Wildbird reached out to me, asking if I would be interested in trying out their slings! I had been following them on Instagram and I truly loved the unique designs and colours they offered, and I didn’t hesitate to say yes. Although Liam was technically no longer a baby at two year-old, he still fit in the sling comfortably, and the whole time I was carrying him, the sling felt secure and Liam was almost lulled to sleep (very rare, as both of my kids are not fans of naps). Wildbird create such beautiful slings with the best materials for a truly comfortable…
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How lucky “we” are
Have you ever gotten weird compliments or remarks as an interracial couple? I have more than a few stories but I’ll share one here. One time, we were speaking to a group of people, and because I spoke the same language as them, Sam would just sit back and I would do occasional interpretation for him. At one point, one person turned to me and said pointedly, “He must be a very special African for you to want to be with him.” And I was so taken aback, that for a moment, I didn’t know what to say. It was fortunate that she continued talking so there wasn’t any awkward…
