In this episode, ROOTS had the opportunity to speak to three students, currently residing in the United States, who come from different cultural backgrounds.  As peers from the same secondary school, this piece aims to provide snapshots to explore the different ways these students express their identity.  The first student comes from a Spanish-Basque background, where her sense of identity is strongly intertwined with her unique connection to three languages.  What role does

For many third-culture individuals, identity is less certain and more so a process of exploration. In our conversation with this Indonesian-born student of Chinese descent, ROOTS delved into what it means to be multicultural, especially considering growing up between cultures, and eventually coming to terms with this mixed identity. Describing herself as “nationally Indonesian and ethnically Chinese,” she traces her family history back to a great-grandfather born in China.  “

In this interview, ROOTS had the opportunity to speak to a Singaporean citizen with a unique connection to cultural heritage, demonstrated through her long-lasting passion for classical Indian dance. Her experiences demonstrate the ability of culturally-diverse social environments to aid individuals in becoming accepting of others’ and their own cultural heritage.  Explaining her background, the student notes that she grew up in Singapore but was born in Malaysia.  In terms o

This month, ROOTS sat down with a student navigating the in-between realms of cultural identity. Nationally Indonesian, ethnically Chinese, and currently enrolled at the United World College in Singapore, this reflection offers a nuanced viewpoint on what it means to live multiculturally.  Born and raised in Indonesia, the student describes her background as Chinese-Indonesian with some Dutch ancestry that rarely comes into conversation when she introduces her cultural backgr