What Living Between Cultures Has Taught Me

Living between cultures has shaped how I see the world and how I approach design, learning, and collaboration. It has meant constantly moving between different sets of expectations, values, and ways of thinking. At first, this felt like a challenge — as if I had to choose which part of myself belonged to which place. Over time, it became one of my greatest strengths. It gave me the ability to see from multiple perspectives at once, and that has changed how I approach everything I create.

Seeing Differences as Layers, Not Conflicts

Moving between cultures taught me that differences are not obstacles to be resolved but layers to be understood. In one context, directness might be seen as confidence; in another, it might be seen as insensitivity. Early on, this felt confusing. I was always adjusting, unsure which version of myself to bring forward.

Eventually I began to see that these shifts were not contradictions but possibilities. They showed me that there is rarely only one correct way to communicate, design, or solve problems. This helped me become more open and flexible, able to adapt to the needs of the people and situations around me without losing my core values. That adaptability has become one of the most valuable parts of how I work.

Building Empathy Through Contrast

Experiencing different cultural expectations side by side also built empathy. It made me more aware of how personal experiences shape what people value, how they make decisions, and what they notice or overlook.

This perspective has influenced how I approach design and collaboration. Instead of assuming that my way of seeing something is universal, I now try to understand the experiences behind other viewpoints. It has taught me to slow down, listen more closely, and see constraints from more than one angle. This often reveals needs or opportunities that might have been invisible from only one cultural perspective.

Becoming Comfortable in the In Between

Perhaps the most important thing living between cultures has taught me is how to be comfortable in the in between. It is not about blending everything together into one identity. It is about holding different ways of thinking at once and drawing from each as needed.

This mindset allows me to see ambiguity not as something to fix but as a space to explore. It makes collaboration easier because I can translate between different priorities and help connect ideas across boundaries. Living between cultures has not just shaped who I am — it has taught me how to keep expanding who I can become.