"What are you?" and its various forms

[admin]

Some people come right out and ask. Other people kind of worm around the issue "What kind of name is that?", etc.

Here's a local author's reflections - care to comment on her article?

www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/wilson/detail?blogid=119&entry_id=56971

[hypeforlife91]

That poem was inspirational.

Aside from the fact that people spell my last name wrong 90% of the time, I have gotten asked about my atypical last name. Like the "What kind of name is that?" version. Some people that think my last name is weird just say the second hyphenated portion which is the Chinese part because they want to. First name is kind of too common for anyone to say anything about it.

Random people...like the cashiers at stores and stuff often ask me "what are you?" or "where are you from?" Here, I say.."I'm from Chicago" and they usually look like they are still thinking about it. Like the want to ask the other "sacred question." I know what they want to know, but unless they mention it, I don't say anything. It is a pretty personal question for random strangers to ask.

There are some people who look at me and ask me if I speak Spanish. @_@. Not very surprising though, since I know tons of other people here have gotten asked that question.

I've noticed that when people meet me for the first time, they almost always talk about my ethnicity or try to get me to tell them what I am. I'm sure "more typical looking" asians don't really get asked that quite as often. I get people telling me that I don't look Chinese or they actually guess what I am when I just met them to try to get me to clarify for them. That to me, is a sneaky way to ask me "what are you?"

But then again, being in college means we can be from anywhere in the world so some people actually want to know where you are from (location) and not your ethnicity. Thank goodness.

[purpletrapezoid]

That poem was inspirational.

Mar 3, 2010 20:39:16 GMT -5 hypeforlife91 said:

There are some people who look at me and ask me if I speak Spanish. @_@. Not very surprising though, since I know tons of other people here have gotten asked that question.

Add me to that list.

Mar 3, 2010 20:39:16 GMT -5 hypeforlife91 said:

Aside from the fact that people spell my last name wrong 90% of the time, I have gotten asked about my atypical last name. Like the "What kind of name is that?" version.

People often ask me what my first name means. I just tell them it's Japanese. When I order something at Starbucks and the cashier asks me for my name, I just say some random name or tell them my real name and watch them spell it wrong (or say "how do you spell that?").

[pandaroo]

I was working the other day in Sydney's Greenwood Plaza. I had to go across to the cafe on the other side of the bakery, where I am, and exchange some notes. The guy behind the counter asked me as he was doing so, "Where are you from?", and refusing to turn this into a race-related question, I decided to take advantage. I said, "over there" and pointed to the bakery. He then said, "I know - but what nationality are you?". So I took advantage of his stupidity once again, replying, "Australian. In fact, I'd like to show you my passport one day!!" for added sarcasm, and a bit of fun.

But of course he still wasn't getting the answer I knew all along he wanted. So he finally just came out with the question he should have asked me to start off with, "What's your background?" and so, the usual explanation ensued.