How Traveling Made Me Realize the Greatest Gift My Parents Gave Me...

My mom says I get all my bad traits from my dad 

There are many things I am so grateful to my parents for. For instance, every day, when I eat American food, I thank the LORD that He gave me Korean parents. Like hello... have you guys tried korean bbq? kimchee? soondubu jjigae (tofu soup)?? That's a combination of flavors that is unheard of in what I call "white" cuisine of meat and potatoes (no offense). Also, CNN just did a piece on Korean food.  And thanks to my parents, when I'm at a restaurant I never have to ask: "is this really spicy? Am i going to be okay?"

But the greatest gift they have given me (which I learned through traveling), and the thing that I am most thankful to them for is... * drum rollllll *

My American citizenship and ability to speak English as my first language.

I know what you're thinking... "Ew, being American right now is embarrassing and the worst. And it's sexist and racist and..." yes gurl, I agree 100% with all of that. But that doesn't mean it's still NOT the best gift.

Hear me out.

Do you know how much easier it is to travel if you have a US passport AND you're born in the states? Seriously, when I walk around with that American passport, I think "man, this is how a white man must feel all the time." There's no judgement, stereotype, or thoughts of whether or not you belong. No one wonders at customs if you're dangerous, or questions your visit and if you're really visiting this country for "vacation" (wink wink).

I am so NOT a threat that last july, when I entered the netherlands, I accidentally went into a wrong line and got stamped out. (i mean, i also like to believe part of this is due to my amazingly sweet, innocent face... but also probably because i look 12.) I only realized it was the wrong line because my coworker behind me didn't have a US passport and they were checking his ticket and passport more closely. womp. I could've walked right out, not have gone through official customs, and entered the country... no one would've known.

And with a US passport, there is definitely no "will this country give me a visa so I can travel there?" Because as an American, either there is no visa requirement OR i'm just going to pay you dat cash money and wait for my visa. #entitlement.

Seriously though, that US passport is gold.

Basically how i feel when i travel.

And it's not just being born in the US and having the passport that I'm so thankful for, but the fact that because my parents chose to raise me in the states, English is my first language. English is probably the most widely taught second-language, but..... DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD ENGLISH IS?!

English is SO hard, but thanks to mom and dad, it just rolls off my tongue. And this means that when I travel, communicating in my first-language is most of the time enough to get by.  Other people.... pffft they're kind of screwed.  I mean, I've observed Korean tourists on the struggle bus in Europe trying to speak in English to someone else whose second language is ... English....

basically the interaction that was going on.

Yes, I do acknowledge that all of this is tied to the wealth of the US, colonialism/history, soft power, global dominance, etc. And I never said that any of this was fair or right... just that it was the greatest gift my immigrant parents have given me.

Thanks mom and dad. I'll make sure to soon be un-unemployed and make ya proud again.