First of all, welcome Jason!!! I, for one, can relate to your problem very well. My mother is from Ghana, W. Africa and my father was German. I grew up in Germany and moved to the States on my 21st birthday.
In Germany I was an outsider, because I was always the only "Black" around. Even though for a long time I knew nothing of my black culture, as I was raised by a white foster mother. People thought it was very funny that I, as a black person, not only speak German, but then spoke with a Bavarian accent.
When I came to the States (at this point very concious of my heritage) white and some black people as well told me, that I was "not really black", because I am German and didn't grow up in the States (???). I can pass for hispanic, with my hair and complexion, so when I am (for example) in Florida it is also strange, because Latin people think I am ashamed of my "spanish" heritage and that I am trying to be something I am not....
This is what I can tell you: DO YOU. Whatever or whoever you feel you are - BE THAT. For one, there will always be someone trying to hate or discourage or criticize. And you will NEVER be able to please everybody, so it's most important you please you. In situations as the one at the supermarket - I think you handled that very well. That's all you can do - laugh about peoples ignorance and go about your business.
You will find that on this site there are many cool mixed people, many cool non-mixed people, but here on ETJ we're ONE people. Stick around, we talk about everything here and everybody's got an opinion
. And you will never feel like an outsider - because we're all insiders!!!
