“Are you local?”
Recently, people pop this question to me more often than my name. My answer is “Yes, I was born and raised here. Both my parents are Chinese. I speak Mandarin and I love Chinese food. And of course, I have the local characteristics to prove it. I am Kiasu all the time. Storming into the crowded mrt trains is my forte. Hey, no taxi driver can short change me, not even for 10 cents. See? I am more local than you are.”
But why this question?
“You do not look like a local. You look like an Indonesian Chinese or a Thai.”
Just to clarify one thing. Such a remark does not displease me at all. A rose by any other name smells as sweet, isn’t it? I could be from India, from Iran, from Iceland but I am still me. Absolutely not a problem and no offense taken. In fact, I am quite pleased for it makes me feel kind of special, standout from everyone else. But I hate to disappoint for I have no unique story to tell.
Maybe I am weird looking. Maybe I speak with a cranky accent. Maybe it is the standard question nowadays. 30% of the population in Singapore is foreigner. Therefore encountering someone non local is the norm of the day. It is natural, it is regular. It is the 21st century.
Recently, people pop this question to me more often than my name. My answer is “Yes, I was born and raised here. Both my parents are Chinese. I speak Mandarin and I love Chinese food. And of course, I have the local characteristics to prove it. I am Kiasu all the time. Storming into the crowded mrt trains is my forte. Hey, no taxi driver can short change me, not even for 10 cents. See? I am more local than you are.”
But why this question?
“You do not look like a local. You look like an Indonesian Chinese or a Thai.”
Just to clarify one thing. Such a remark does not displease me at all. A rose by any other name smells as sweet, isn’t it? I could be from India, from Iran, from Iceland but I am still me. Absolutely not a problem and no offense taken. In fact, I am quite pleased for it makes me feel kind of special, standout from everyone else. But I hate to disappoint for I have no unique story to tell.
Maybe I am weird looking. Maybe I speak with a cranky accent. Maybe it is the standard question nowadays. 30% of the population in Singapore is foreigner. Therefore encountering someone non local is the norm of the day. It is natural, it is regular. It is the 21st century.
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