Blog Post 1 - Culture of One - Keegan Loo

My full name is Keegan Chow Loo but, my family calls me KC. I was born and raised on the Island of Kauai by my parents Jere and Donna Loo. I have one younger brother, Rilen. My father is full Chinese and is also from Kauai. My mother is full Japanese and is from Oahu. They were both born and raised in Hawaii and met when attending the University of Hawaii, at Manoa for college. I’m not sure exactly how many generations my family has been in Hawaii but I do know that my parents know no foreign languages as long as you don’t count pidgin English.

Growing up in Hawaii has been a real blessing. Hawaii is a very diverse place. There are people from many different cultures, which, brings many different traditions. Hawaii is a place where strangers greet each other with hugs and where all of your elders (family or not) are referred to as “uncle” and “aunty.” I grew up very close with my family. On Wednesdays at 6pm, you could find my grandparents, aunty, uncle, and cousins over at our house for dinner. On Thursdays, you could find us at my Grandmas and on Saturdays it was my Aunt’s turn. I hadn’t really realized it till later how important these dinners were. In Hawaii, family comes first. We make sure to take care of the people who take care of us.

When high school came around I had been accepted into a private school on Oahu called Punahou. It was expensive and I would have to move away from home but, it was a great school. I was 14 when my parents gave me the power to decide for myself weather I wanted to attend or not. I am very fortunate that they were able to provide me with such an amazing opportunity. While I did move in with some relatives, it wasn’t the same. I had to learn to take care of myself without a mother’s help. Two years later, my brother joined me. It was awesome to have somebody up there with me but, at the same time, I was now responsible for him. I think being away from home helped me to mature faster and helped me to become much more responsible.

Looking back at my experience in high school, I am so grateful. These experiences have become a part of my identity, making me who I am today.