There Are 13 Languages in My Daughter’s Class

A few months ago, my daughter came home from her public school in California with a worksheet. At first glance, it looked like any other second-grade schoolwork—some drawings, some writing, maybe a little math. But then I looked closer.

It was a class activity showing how many different languages her classmates speak at home. In a class of just 25 students… there were 13 different languages.

Thirteen! I remember staring at it for a long time. I think I even said out loud, “This is crazy!” And I meant it in the best way possible. It’s something so simple, but it really hit me: this is what true diversity looks like. And it’s something I had never experienced growing up in Hong Kong or even during the years I lived in Germany.

🎡 Diversity in Everyday Life

Living here in California, it’s not just in the classroom—you feel the diversity everywhere. In the grocery stores, you’ll hear people speaking Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Hindi, and so many other languages. At the park, you’ll see families from all backgrounds playing together. At school pick-up, you’ll hear parents chatting in all kinds of accents. Sometimes, just walking down the street, I hear more Chinese than English.

When my parents visited from Hong Kong last year, they were so surprised. They thought the U.S. would be all white people and English-speaking. But when they came here and heard people speaking Mandarin and Cantonese, and saw shop signs in Chinese, they were shocked—in a good way. It felt almost like walking around a city in China.

This version of America was something they had never imagined. But it’s very real. Especially here in California, where large Asian and Indian communities thrive alongside so many others.

🔄 Comparing with Germany and Hong Kong

When I think about my childhood in Hong Kong, it was very different. Almost everyone looked like me. We were nearly all Chinese, mostly from Hong Kong or mainland China. We spoke Cantonese, and sometimes Mandarin, but that was it. I barely remember seeing anyone who didn’t have black hair and dark eyes. It was completely normal—but also very homogeneous.

Germany, where I lived before moving to the U.S., was different again. There are international students and immigrants, but nothing like what I see here in the U.S.

In the places I lived (small towns in Germany), I was often the only Asian person at school meetings or parent-teacher nights. People would often assume I was just visiting or couldn’t speak German. Even though I lived there for years, I still stood out.

But here? In California, I blend in. And that feeling—of not being the “exotic” one—is honestly very comforting. I can easily find Asian groceries, food, and people who understand my background. It feels like home in a way I didn’t expect. For the first time, I’m not the only one who looks like me. And it feels good.

🧒 What My Kids Experience

The most beautiful part of all this? My kids don’t even notice the differences.

They go to school with classmates who speak all kinds of languages at home, come from different cultural backgrounds, and maybe don’t even eat the same kind of food—but none of it matters to them. They just play together. It doesn’t matter who’s white, brown, black, or Asian. They don’t see categories—they just see people.

If you ask my daughter, “Is that kid Indian?” she probably won’t know what you mean. But if you ask, “Does she speak Chinese?”—then she’ll know. For kids, language is something they notice. Skin color or background? Not really. It’s such a reminder of how naturally inclusive children are. It’s only as we grow older that we start putting labels on everything.

🌱 Why Diversity Matters

Living in such a multicultural place has made me appreciate diversity in a deeper way. It’s not just about seeing people from different races. It’s about learning from them—understanding how other families live, how they speak, what holidays they celebrate, and what food they eat. It teaches kids (and adults too!) to be more open, curious, and accepting.

Diversity doesn’t erase who we are. It adds to it.

It allows my kids to grow up in a world where it’s normal to have friends who are different from them—and that’s a gift. It helps them see that there isn’t just one way to live, or one kind of person who “belongs.” We all belong.

🎬 A Lesson I Finally Understood

Many years ago, when I still studied in Hong Kong, I met an American exchange student. He once told me that Hong Kong was “boring.” I was shocked. I asked him why.

He said, “Everyone here looks the same. It’s not diverse enough.”

At that time, I didn’t understand what he meant. But now that I’ve lived in the U.S.—now that I see what diversity really looks like—I get it.

And I’m grateful my kids get to grow up in a world that’s anything but boring.

If you enjoyed reading this and want to hear more stories about everyday life, cultural differences, and raising kids across borders, I’d love for you to subscribe . I share honest reflections and personal moments that hopefully make you feel a little more connected—wherever you are in the world. 💌