Q: How do you identify yourself culturally?
A: I identify as Asian because that’s where I came from. Even though I live with Hispanic parents, I still do traditions from both cultures.

Q: What was your experience adjusting to your new family?
A: As a kid from another country, learning how to speak Mandarin and learning about the culture [was difficult]. I was only three and can remember very few experiences: from living in China to moving to America with my new family, one I never had before, to learning how to write and speak while adjusting to a whole new lifestyle.

Q: Have you reconnected to your original culture? What’s it been like?
A: I haven’t really connected back to my original culture because I do live with [Puerto Rican] parents, and my culture is drastically different from theirs. I do celebrate traditions like Chinese New Year and other stuff but not as much.

Q: When you reflect on your past and the journey you took to get to where you are today, how do you feel? What first comes to mind?
A: As I reflect back, I understand that I have been given the opportunity to do something I don’t even know I would have been able to do without being adopted- that feeling that I could have been in a different place in my life. There is so much I have experienced from being adopted and questions that I may never know [the answers to]. The only difference is that I’m able to share my story today and how it’s just begun. There are an infinite amount of stories, but [you get to choose] the way you want to write yours.”

Q: How has this whole process shown or displayed a part of who you are?
A: Obviously, I don’t celebrate traditions from where I came from since I don’t live with Asian family members. I’ve always just kind of grown up with their traditions and what they follow. For me it’s normal. Nothing really different. At first, when I was younger, I was confused because I had friends from different cultures that would do different things and I would wonder how it would feel if I was in a different household. Now, I don’t really think about it: trying to fit in.”

Q: What advice do you have for other adopted children that you would like to share?
A: Things happen for a reason. There isn’t anything that is necessarily bad about being adopted. Obviously, there are always questions. I would say that at the end of the day, if you love [your adopted family members], that’s what matters the most. For me, you don’t have to biologically be connected by blood; in my opinion, if it comes truly by your heart and you really love the people you’re with, then that’s all it matters.”