Are you _____?

[kimpossible]

What ethnicities are you mistaken for? What has been the best way you've been asked about your ethnicity? The worst way?

[deez nuts]

I've been mistaken for being Korean among Chinese and Korean people.

Like last night, when I was out with my girlfriend(Korean) she gets mistaken for being Chinese and me mistaken for Korean. And this was at a Korean restaurant from the Korean waitress, hehe.

Does this count? :D



<!--EDIT|Chasiubao_Boy|Oct 12 2002, 02:59 PM-->

[Hito]

I am not happa but i am mixed and have been mistaken mistaken for...

Mexican
Cuban
Middle eastern
Samoan
Indian (both kinds)

Since my big sister is Blasian when we are together people assume that i am as well.
She gets mistaken for Phlipino, indian (both kinds) and Samoian when she is on her own as well.

This latino dude on the bus once was pissed off at me because i couldnt understand when he spoke spanish to me. He thought i was some white washed latino who had lost touch with his heritage.
He had a good rant going too...

[AnGeLsReLm8318]

urmm people think I'm mixed with everything or say I look so many different things. So far I've gotten:

Cuben
Mexican
Filipino
hmong
Native american
Indian

alot, maybe be cause I have straight hair. ::shrugs:: I dunno why :blink: I think I look black or mixed ;) . although I am told by everyone, even my bf, that I act asian :P .

Oh in case any of you are wondering my dad's (korean/black) and my mom is Hispanic *^-^*



<!--EDIT|AnGeLsReLm8318|Oct 12 2002, 09:59 PM-->

[thaite]

Mexican
Filipino
Native American
Russian -- which actually makes sense, since many east Russians are Eurasian.
And then if people don't get it right, they just go down the list: "Are your Chinese? Japanese? Vietnamese?" etc., ad nauseum.



<!--EDIT|buoywonder|Oct 12 2002, 04:32 PM-->

[maldito]

Originally posted by Hello_Hapa@Oct 12 2002, 07:04 PM
What ethnicities are you mistaken for? What has been the best way you've been asked about your ethnicity? The worst way?
Indian
Persian
Puerto Rican
Latino (in general)
Tongan (but they said "Tonganese")
Brazilian
Malaysian
Black

I can't think of the best way I was asked about my ethnicity. All in all, it's uncomfortable for me only b/c people come back with ignorant comments.

As for the worst, after saying how I feel about the "best", they're all bad to me. *L*

[angel nympho]

"What part of China are you from?"

[maldito]

Originally posted by buoywonder@Oct 12 2002, 11:32 PM
Russian -- which actually makes sense, since many east Russians are Eurasian.
But how many people are familiar with what people in the far eastern part of Europe and western Asia (aka Asia minor) and what features they have? They have a varied look, not necessarily oriental features. Did they guess Russian b/c you look white? I'm not sure what your background, so I'm just guessing.

Besides, a "Eurasian" look is not necessarily what some people in the eastern part of Russia might have.

[angel nympho]

Originally posted by maldito@Oct 13 2002, 10:47 PM
Originally posted by buoywonder@Oct 12 2002, 11:32 PM
Russian -- which actually makes sense, since many east Russians are Eurasian.
But how many people are familiar with what people in the far eastern part of Europe and western Asia (aka Asia minor) and what features they have? They have a varied look, not necessarily oriental features. Did they guess Russian b/c you look white? I'm not sure what your background, so I'm just guessing.
I think Russians have a fairly distinct look. At least, I can usually tell. Sometimes they don't look it at all, but for the most part, their look is like, European to the extreme. I don't know, it's hard to describe. I had a lot of friends who looked very VERY Russian, so I got pretty good at recognizing characteristics.



<!--EDIT|angel nympho|Oct 13 2002, 11:10 PM-->

[maldito]

Originally posted by buoywonder@Oct 12 2002, 11:32 PM
which actually makes sense, since many east Russians are Eurasian.
Let me reiterate that the "Eurasian" look might not be how I'd define people in eastern Russia, like say Amur. Not sure about the other places though.

[karizma]

>> not mixed but ive been mistaken for:

- korean
- vietnamese
- flip
- flip n white

>> well..basically everything BUT chinese... =/

[digiaks]

I get it all. Though since I hang around mostly with Asians most people think I am part asian and something else.

[BeTheReds]

I've never been guessed correctly actually

Russian
Italian
Japanese

People who were trying to rationalize why my last name is Whong:
1/4 Chinese
1/8 Chinese

I've been thinking to change the name to Hwang, since it more clearly reflects my Korean heritage. But also inconveniently places me in a sea of other Hwangs in the phone book.

There's only one Whong in the book! :HH:

[bluecollarjap]

i'm extremely pale, so people think i just stepped out of siberia. a fellow grad student from china asked if i was asian once. on campus, a group of asian parents visiting for their childrens graduation asked if they could photograph me, they wanted an authentic native american photo. funny, i didn't laugh, just obliged. i get the russian thing a lot though.

[Hanuman]

Originally posted by buoywonder@Oct 12 2002, 11:32 PM
Mexican
Filipino
Native American
Russian -- which actually makes sense, since many east Russians are Eurasian.
And then if people don't get it right, they just go down the list: "Are your Chinese? Japanese? Vietnamese?" etc., ad nauseum.
Ditto, but I don't get the Russian so much, but I do get quite a lot of 'Hawaiian?"

[thaite]

Originally posted by maldito@Oct 13 2002, 03:47 PM
Originally posted by buoywonder@Oct 12 2002, 11:32 PM
Russian -- which actually makes sense, since many east Russians are Eurasian.
But how many people are familiar with what people in the far eastern part of Europe and western Asia (aka Asia minor) and what features they have? They have a varied look, not necessarily oriental features. Did they guess Russian b/c you look white? I'm not sure what your background, so I'm just guessing.

Besides, a "Eurasian" look is not necessarily what some people in the eastern part of Russia might have.
I'm willing to bet that more people than you think have an idea of what east Russians look like. Acknowledged, it's pretty varied, some look Euro, some look Eurasian, and still, some look entirely Asian.

[digiaks]

Though I have been called tons of different things, I just realized at work today that people consider me Asian. Someone I was talking to referred to me as an Asian. And when I thought I about it I realized that this has happened a couple times before.

[thaite]

Yeah, I realized that too, Digi. Nobody ever asked me if I was German or Dutch.

[Craig]

Originally posted by digiaks@Oct 24 2002, 10:57 PM
Though I have been called tons of different things, I just realized at work today that people consider me Asian. Someone I was talking to referred to me as an Asian. And when I thought I about it I realized that this has happened a couple times before.
Did you tell them that you have Asian ancestry ? My guess would be if they do think if you in that manner, that would be the only reason.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

I've been mistaken for everything east of Mongolia, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (oh wait, I am Chinese, never mind), Taiwanese, and/or half-white, and this one guy asked if I was Italian but I think he was chemically influenced at the time.

[537]

Korean
Filipino
Vietnamese (By a white co-worker saying "aren't all those languages the same?")
Japanese
WHITE (by a white person....)

omg. after that last one, I started eating more and more rice....

[blkazngirl]

When asked I reply, "humanbeing"

[Josh12]

I am 100% korean.

here's my deal:

Native American
Filipino
Chinese
Vietnamese
Hawaiian
and my personal favorite

"Your 100% Korean. You don't look it you look part white."
Whitey thinks I am part white all the time.

It's also really stupid when I mention to a white and ask them if there "input nationality to here" If its not correct they get all offended. Like I should know exactly what they are but it's ok that they don't know what I am. stupid Ethnocentric people.

[iris]

I don't like the "What...are....you?" said slowly or loudly with large hand gestures as if I'm "special" or not able to understand English.

[BeTheReds]

Maybe the people talking to you are "special" and that's WHY they use hand gestures and talk loudly in slurred speech. LOL

[serverpimp]

Italiano, Flip, or Latino. Rarely do I ever get Korean or part Korean, which I am lol.

[contra_diction]

Originally posted by buoywonder@Oct 24 2002, 11:10 AM
But how many people are familiar with what people in the far eastern part of Europe and western Asia (aka Asia minor) and what features they have? They have a varied look, not necessarily oriental features. Did they guess Russian b/c you look white? I'm not sure what your background, so I'm just guessing.

Besides, a "Eurasian" look is not necessarily what some people in the eastern part of Russia might have.
I'm willing to bet that more people than you think have an idea of what east Russians look like. Acknowledged, it's pretty varied, some look Euro, some look Eurasian, and still, some look entirely Asian.[/quote]
the Russians in Khyrgistan (spelling?) really do look very asian, i would've never guessed i was in Russia save for the architecture.
i've been mistaken for
hispanic, filipino, and hawaiian many many times.
also people don't even realize i'm happa.
then, of course, i get the usual "chinese, japanese, and so on down the list.

[Craig]

Originally posted by contra_diction@Jan 15 2003, 05:23 AM
the Russians in Khyrgistan (spelling?) really do look very asian, i would've never guessed i was in Russia save for the architecture.


I think it's mainly Kyrgyz in Kyrgyzstan, not Russians.

In fact I recently posted an article in Current Events about Kyrgyzstan that got to the second page of my list with only 2 views :

http://forums.yellowworld.org/index.php?ac...t=ST&f=5&t=5029 (http://forums.yellowworld.org/index.php?act=ST&f=5&t=5029)

[SunWuKong]

my bossed asked me what my "background" is. that's surprising considering that he's an old white guy who grew up in the south.

[Craig]

Originally posted by SunWuKung@Jan 15 2003, 02:22 PM
my bossed asked me what my "background" is. that's surprising considering that he's an old white guy who grew up in the south.
You should have told him that you're North Korean ;)

[AliBabaIncorporated]

Originally posted by Craig@Jan 15 2003, 06:51 AM
I think it's mainly Kyrgyz in Kyrgyzstan, not Russians.
didn't some Korean-Russian internal exiles also get thrown over there by Stalin?

[BeTheReds]

Wow, man, you know your history.

Koreans who moved into manchuria and the northern part of sakalin and the area in between were thought by stalin to be allied with the Japanese. He moved them away from the Korea Japan region.

[contra_diction]

o i c, i thought it was considered a part of Russia.

[speshllkay]

Hawaiian
Mexican
Black/Korean

What's your ethnicity? Asked by a man who adopted a Korean girl so he was familiar with "WHat's your nationality" being a stupid question.

The worst way I was asked "Where your peoples from?" That's a such broad question...."Which peoples you talking about?" I like to play with the people who ask what my nationality is. Going round and round in circles with that one.

[AliBabaIncorporated]

Originally posted by speshllkay@Jan 27 2003, 09:46 AM
The worst way I was asked "Where your peoples from?"
if they ask you that, just point up and smile. then ask if they'd like to make a donation to help you repair your spaceship. remind them that you come in peace.

[BeTheReds]

B: Where are you from?

A: Maryland

B: Oh, well I mean originally.

A: Uh, well the hospital is in an area that is now DC.. so..

B: No I mean your parents, where are they from.

A: My mom is from Maryland, but my Dad lives in VA.

B: Well where was your mom born then?

A: Baltimore

B: So are you Chinese at all?

A: No, not at all, not to my knowledge anyway.

B: Dammit, what is your nationality?

A: I am a citizen of the USA

B: But are you Oriental?

A: I do come from the east coast, so yea I guess so.

B: No, I mean are you Chinese or Japanese?

A: No, I am not.

B: Okay, look, all I want to know is why you have the last name "Whong".

A: It's because it is my father's last name.

B: Well where is he from?

A: I told you, he lives in Virginia.

B: No, I mean... ARRRRRRRGH!

[kimpossible]

I've reached the point where I'm actually a bit thankful when someone just straight up asks me "What are you?" I'm tired of hearing "Are you Chinese or something? [this was before I had the Chinese last name] What is your nationality? Do you have any ____ in your background?" or any PC nonsense that makes it virtually impossible for me to figure out what someone is trying to get at.

Most people that guess wrong guess I'm halfsie Native American/French.

[SunWuKong]

Originally posted by Hello_Hapa@Jan 28 2003, 12:20 AM
I've reached the point where I'm actually a bit thankful when someone just straight up asks me "What are you?" I'm tired of hearing "Are you Chinese or something? [this was before I had the Chinese last name] What is your nationality? Do you have any ____ in your background?" or any PC nonsense that makes it virtually impossible for me to figure out what someone is trying to get at.

Most people that guess wrong guess I'm halfsie Native American/French.
tu n'es pas francais?

[KiTTY2babe]

I get Hispanic, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Half-something. I am Filipino, dammit. It just irks me when the follow-up question would go, "But you don't look Filipino". Like what is a Filipino supposed to look like anyway? Short and dark? Blah.

[SunWuKong]

Originally posted by KiTTY2babe@Jan 28 2003, 03:14 PM
I get Hispanic, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Half-something. I am Filipino, dammit. It just irks me when the follow-up question would go, "But you don't look Filipino". Like what is a Filipino supposed to look like anyway? Short and dark? Blah.
does that mean you're tall and pale?

[KiTTY2babe]

Sadly.

[SunWuKong]

nothing wrong with tall and pale!

[hiroki]

im japanese and white and i get japanese, okinawan and vietnamese

[Elizabeth A.]

I've been mistaken for German, which is really strange because I'm the least German-looking person there is.

[YuheiCarreau]

Originally posted by hiroki@Jan 28 2003, 07:50 PM
im japanese and white and i get japanese, okinawan and vietnamese
Who mistakens you for Okinawan? Most Americans aren't even aware that Okinawa exists, much less that there's a difference between there and Japan.

[KiTTY2babe]

:)

[hiroki]

well i am from japan so i guess it would make sense that japanese would mistake me for okinawan

[Green_Circle]

Originally posted by contra_diction@Jan 15 2003, 11:23 AM
But how many people are familiar with what people in the far eastern part of Europe and western Asia (aka Asia minor) and what features they have? They have a varied look, not necessarily oriental features. Did they guess Russian b/c you look white? I'm not sure what your background, so I'm just guessing.

Besides, a "Eurasian" look is not necessarily what some people in the eastern part of Russia might have.
I'm willing to bet that more people than you think have an idea of what east Russians look like. Acknowledged, it's pretty varied, some look Euro, some look Eurasian, and still, some look entirely Asian.
the Russians in Khyrgistan (spelling?) really do look very asian, i would've never guessed i was in Russia save for the architecture.
i've been mistaken for
hispanic, filipino, and hawaiian many many times.
also people don't even realize i'm happa.
then, of course, i get the usual "chinese, japanese, and so on down the list.[/quote]
Wonder if the Asians from Russia get annoyed when people remark "funny, you don't look Russian". You know how they do that here.

[BeTheReds]

Well in a communist system, which the Soviet Union was for a long while, people tend to have less racist thouhgts you would think. In the case of USSR, I think they felt that the militant racists were loonies, and certainly they promoted anti racism to fuel public support for WW2, but I think for the most part that Asians in Russia were not mistreated very much during the Soviet years. But I don't know for sure so don't take my word for it.