A to Z challenge is definitely doing good to my memory and giving me a heartfelt grin every time I am writing a post. Thank god I chose to write anecdotes from my life. LOL. In 2004 we were visiting Malaysia – me and my parents. I was a freshman at college that time. Malaysia is definitely a shopper’s paradise if you know where to shop from. Actually, Bangkok takes the cake in shopping in these Asian countries.
Anyways, we were visiting Genting Highlands on this particular day. The ride through the cable car was awesome. We were staying within the theme park. After a sumptuous dinner at one of the restaurants we were hanging around and talking a long walk to our hotel.
I was walking ahead followed by my parents at some distance. An elderly Chinese couple were walking up from the other side. They quickly came towards me and started talking in Chinese all of a sudden! I could hardly understand anything and only thing I kept repeating was – I don’t speak Chinese!
I guess they didn’t understand me either.
But I could understand they were asking for some help.
Only Chinese word I knew at that time (or even now, I guess) was ‘ni hao’!!
The more I tried to explain them neither was I understanding anything, nor can I speak, they kept on asking in Chinese.
And seriously when two people are speaking so fluently and you don’t understand anything it feels funny to be the spectator.
What I could understand from all the gestures was they were lost and they wanted to get back to their hotel!
If you have visited Genting you will know the four hotels are color coded and you have to follow the colored lines along the walls to reach to your destination.
I don’t know if things have changed now, though.
They were carrying the yellow card, with the hotel’s name in English. With some effort I could make them understand that if they followed the yellow line on the wall they’ll reach. Really hand gestures are a savior!
They said xie xie and left.
And guess what my parents did when they reached me – simply laughed at me!
This is a constant problem in my life. According to my parents and a lot of people I have quite a few Asian features on my face! I have small eyes, flatter nose etc etc. I used to be called Japanese when I was a kid because I looked like them! I don’t really believe in that, maybe I have little eyes but that doesn’t make you look like Chinese or Korean!
But this has happened with me quite a few times. Once in Mizoram, where I had gone for a trip, I was mistaken by their people as a Mizo. They were protesting against something, there was a rally and they came to our car and gave me a flag and said something in their language. Yes they picked me out from a car full of passengers!
Even in Kolkata, my hometown people used to speak to me first in Hindi, thinking I’ll not know Bengali, which is my mother tongue! Weird I say.
You guys tell me do I look that Asian???
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| this is me in childhood, I am the one in Blue |
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| This is me from the time this incident happened. That’s my mum by my side. |
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| This is me now, Feb 2016 and my little man |
Do I look very Asian??
Until next time, Cheers!!
Meanwhile check out a yum Salad Recipe
in my Food Blog
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This post is written for the A to Z Challenge 2016 for Day 7 Letter G. Visit A to Z, BlogChatter to read other beautiful bloggers!
9 comments
I've had that happen to me in Greece, I used to speak some simple phrases quite well and then people would jabber on at me in Greek, a few times in Turkey or here in the UK people would ask where I'm from. I'm from the UK and have no known Greek/Turkish background…
Mars xx
@TrollbeadBlog from
Curling Stones for Lego People
Yo lady, all I can say is you look so pretty! Poor you, you must have been so flabbergasted! That was funny being picked from a load of others and be thrust witha flag…LOL! Your munchkin is chooo chweeet!
@KalaRavi16 from
Relax-N-Rave
You do look Asian in the college years photo; not so much now. Just my humble opinion. Loved the story. My husband, who is of Italian heritage, was constantly mistaken for being of Middle Eastern heritage when we lived in the middle of the United States. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
He he this was cute incident .
No no you don't look Asian, you are more beautiful .
Tour eyes are playful no matter a bit little .
@dixita011 from
Cafenined words
He he this was cute incident .
No no you don't look Asian, you are more beautiful .
Tour eyes are playful no matter a bit little .
@dixita011 from
Cafenined words
Actually, Yes. But you are so pretty!!!!! 🙂
Love your anecdotes, Tina! Keep them coming.
They must have thought that you were a Chinese too 😛 Your second photo with mum suggests me the same 😀 Haha LOL
Btw Chinese couples ke dua mil gaye hoge tumhe..you helped them 😀
G- Greatness isn't self proclaimed
You seem to have had some funny times 😉 you look pretty no matter what and so what if you're mistaken for someone else ? Keep smiling . I Le reading your posts .
In that second picture, you can pass off as my sister… my cousins look like that 😛 I have been mistaken as chinese, indonesian, phillipino, nepalese!! 😛 I love it though … I love my Asian features 😀
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