If You're First- Or Second-Gen American, Tell Us What It Was Like When You Visited Your 'Country Of Ethnic Origin'

Maybe you found it difficult to connect with people your age while there or got weird looks. On the other hand, maybe you had a blast and felt really connected to your culture.

Have you seen the recent "boat" trend on TikTok? Where a filter makes the person look like they're on a little boat, and they caption the video something like, "Going back to 'my country' even though I was born in America because Karen told me to"?

TikTok / CapCut

Anyway, I think that really highlights this misconception that if any first- or second-gen person goes to their country of ethnic origin — for lack of better phrasing — they'd just seamlessly fit in. But obviously, most of us know the reality: We'd 100% experience culture shock, and people would definitely see us as Americans, not locals.

For example, I'm Korean, and my Korean American friends and I have openly talked about being gyopos. I think the term might have originally meant Koreans who emigrated to another country, but now, it encompasses everyone from half to third-gen Koreans who grew up or live outside of Korea.

To note, I'm mixed, so my experience is both similar and a bit different since I don't present as obviously Korean.

Let's be real, even if you speak Korean (or whichever language), you likely tend to speak some Americanized version of it or probably have enough of an accent that exposes you as not having grown up in Korea (or your 'country of ethnic origin').

SBS

One Korean American friend of mine talked about how hard it is to be Korean American in Korea since Koreans expected her to easily assimilate or know what to do.

She felt that since I don't look Korean — and to be fair, I'm not a WASP-East Asian mix, so it's pretty common that people don't even think I'm Asian at all — I don't have the same expectations or standards placed on me by Koreans. And that's fair.

Another friend, who spoke flawless Korean and English as someone who grew up between Korea and the US, would get scolded for speaking English to her own parents in public by elderly strangers.

China Personified

(There was even a whole subplot in Awkwafina is Nora from Queens about her moving from Queens to Beijing for work and having an identity crisis because she connected more with American expats than Chinese locals.)

ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks

(Don't you love how Americans are always 'expats' and not 'immigrants'?)

Either way, there are definitely cultural things — whether minor behaviors or larger traditions — that are new or different to you, from the way you express yourself to gender norms. Maybe you found it difficult to connect with people your age while there or got weird looks.

On the other hand, maybe you had a blast and felt really connected to your culture between enjoying your favorite foods and reconnecting with family.

It's important to talk about what it's really like to visit your country of ethnic origin — whether it's amazing and you're ready to move there or challenging and left you homesick. So I want to know: What was it like for you to visit your country of ethnic origin (and let me know if there's a better way of saying that)? Tell me about your experience in the comments below, or, if you want to share you story anonymously, via this Google Form. You could be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post.