How do we build our identity | Ailin Segovia | TEDxRiodelaPlataED
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0:07 - 0:12My name is Ailin and I have
multiple nationality syndrome. -
0:13 - 0:15What is that?
-
0:16 - 0:17I was born in Argentina.
-
0:18 - 0:22I have a Spanish surname,
my mom is Bolivian and my dad is... -
0:24 - 0:25Asian.
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0:26 - 0:29I say it that way
because it's easier for me -
0:29 - 0:33to say he is Asian, Chinese or Korean,
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0:33 - 0:39rather than explaining that I don't know
where is he from, where is him, -
0:39 - 0:42or who did I get my Asian eyes from.
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0:45 - 0:50He left me and my mom
when I was eight months old. -
0:52 - 0:55When I was a little girl
I found it difficult to understand. -
0:57 - 1:00I missed him, without even knowing him.
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1:01 - 1:05And I had a huge desire
to know what he was like, -
1:05 - 1:07ask him a thousand questions,
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1:07 - 1:13while I was dreaming that
one day he would come back -
1:13 - 1:16and my family would finally be complete.
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1:19 - 1:25As I grew older, it made me uncomfortable
to be singled out for being different. -
1:26 - 1:28I was "the Chinese".
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1:30 - 1:36As if it was something
you could be sure of just by my looks, -
1:36 - 1:41even when I myself didn't know
really well about my roots, -
1:41 - 1:44my ancestry, my identity.
-
1:47 - 1:53Everyone seemed to be sure
that I was Chinese, except me. -
1:56 - 2:02It felt like a void, a mystery.
-
2:03 - 2:08And, within that mystery,
now I understand, I saw options. -
2:09 - 2:10I saw an opportunity.
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2:11 - 2:16If everyone thought I was Chinese,
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2:16 - 2:18why not learning about being Chinese?
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2:20 - 2:24When I was eight years old, I asked
to be enrolled in a Chinese school -
2:24 - 2:26that I attended on weekends.
-
2:27 - 2:30At the same time, my classmates
were forced by their parents to go -
2:30 - 2:32to perfect their Chinese.
-
2:33 - 2:36And many of them
already spoke Chinese at home. -
2:38 - 2:40I was there being the exception.
-
2:42 - 2:44I loved going there.
-
2:45 - 2:51I was able to share my existential doubts
with my classmates, -
2:51 - 2:58like the identity clash of not knowing
if you're more Argentinean or Chinese. -
3:00 - 3:05They said they felt Chinese in Argentina
-
3:05 - 3:08and Argentineans when they were in China.
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3:09 - 3:14In one place in the world or in the other
they were seen differently. -
3:16 - 3:18I also took on Korean lessons.
-
3:18 - 3:24And over time I started to care less
where my dad was from. -
3:25 - 3:27And I became more interested
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3:27 - 3:33in learning about the culture
of the countries I was so linked to, -
3:33 - 3:37where I found
different senses of identity. -
3:38 - 3:45I would discover myself in the
exploration of the different tones -
3:45 - 3:51that this mystery could take,
this void to be filled. -
3:54 - 3:58Yet other concerns popped up.
-
3:59 - 4:02I wondered,
"And what does all this mean?" -
4:03 - 4:07"Do I study Chinese
in order to be Chinese?" -
4:08 - 4:10"Do I seek to be Korean
by studying Korean?" -
4:12 - 4:18"Am I trying to fit into the expectation
others have of me when they see me?" -
4:20 - 4:24No, it's not just that.
-
4:26 - 4:29I discovered that my identity
it's not fixed, -
4:29 - 4:32something concrete
and with clear boundaries. -
4:34 - 4:37And that I am actually
in a constant transition. -
4:39 - 4:44The decisions I made
which led me to so many experiences -
4:44 - 4:49helped me understand
how to connect worlds, -
4:49 - 4:52discover a thousand options
and possibilities. -
4:52 - 4:54Opportunities.
-
4:55 - 5:00And discover that it is the differences
between us that enrich us. -
5:03 - 5:07My multiple nationality syndrome
made me to understand life -
5:07 - 5:09as a constant transition.
-
5:11 - 5:17And I suspect each of you
are also a constant transition. -
5:18 - 5:23Each with your many
multicolored personalities -
5:23 - 5:27discovering a thousand options
and possibilities, -
5:27 - 5:31building ideas and dreams;
-
5:31 - 5:34discovering the multiple tones
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5:34 - 5:37that this mystery can take.
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5:38 - 5:39Thank you.
- Title:
- How do we build our identity | Ailin Segovia | TEDxRiodelaPlataED
- Description:
-
As a daughter of a Bolivian mother, an Asian father, and born in Argentina, Ailin tells us the path she took on to build her own identity and what she learned in the process. At the age of 19 and fresh out of high school, she considers herself a plurinational person. As she went through TED-Ed Clubs, she was able to reflect on how she built her identity and what she learned while doing so. Ailin loves to get involved in a lot of projects and activities, did dance, contortionism, and she is always trying new things. She is currently studying International Relations.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
- Video Language:
- Spanish
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 05:49
Sebastian Betti approved English subtitles for Cómo construimos nuestra identidad | Ailín Segovia | TEDxRíodelaPlataED | ||
Sebastian Betti edited English subtitles for Cómo construimos nuestra identidad | Ailín Segovia | TEDxRíodelaPlataED | ||
Sebastian Betti edited English subtitles for Cómo construimos nuestra identidad | Ailín Segovia | TEDxRíodelaPlataED | ||
Sebastian Betti edited English subtitles for Cómo construimos nuestra identidad | Ailín Segovia | TEDxRíodelaPlataED | ||
Sebastian Betti accepted English subtitles for Cómo construimos nuestra identidad | Ailín Segovia | TEDxRíodelaPlataED | ||
Sebastian Betti edited English subtitles for Cómo construimos nuestra identidad | Ailín Segovia | TEDxRíodelaPlataED | ||
Sebastian Betti edited English subtitles for Cómo construimos nuestra identidad | Ailín Segovia | TEDxRíodelaPlataED | ||
Sebastian Betti edited English subtitles for Cómo construimos nuestra identidad | Ailín Segovia | TEDxRíodelaPlataED |