Mistaken ethnicity

Philippines
April 21, 2010 6:33pm CST
Did someone ever mistook you for having a different ethnicity? It only happened to me once, and it was susprising at my part. I never thought I look anything other than a Filipino (which I am), so it completely baffled me when a research adviser mistook me for being Chinese (not that there was anything wrong with that; it was surprising, that is all). Not only that, he told me not to wear any jewelry at the site of our research study. He was seriously afraid I would be kidnapped. I didn't know whether to laugh or roll my eyes at his comment. My sister was also mistaken for a Korean one time by her teacher. Do you have a similar experience?
1 person likes this
1 response
Phyrre
@phyrre (2317)
• United States
22 Apr 10
Nobody ever knows what to make of me, so I always think it's really funny when people try to guess my ethnicity. I'm an American, so my blood is about as mixed as it could possible be, but if you were to narrow it down it would be a cross between Native American and Scottish descent. However, I've been mistaken for just about everything. Only once did anyone ever get the Native American thing right. It's always Black, Mexican, Puerto Rican, etc. I was even asked once if I was Indian (as in from India), which kind of took me by surprise because I never would have guess that one. But frequently I get mistaken for being hispanic. Even the people that I work with all thought I was hispanic when I started, which created a little tension since I speak less than perfect Spanish and they were always talking to me in Spanish. xD
deedoneza
@deedoneza (83)
• Philippines
22 Apr 10
That was funny, people talking to you in Spanish. I guess the reason behind being mistaken for having another ethnicity is the fact that we all have numerous racial ties, not only one - like you being Native American and Scottish. I am a Japanese descent, and I think that is where I got the yellow skin tone, making me look Chinese and my sister Korean.
deedoneza
@deedoneza (83)
• Philippines
22 Apr 10
That was funny, people talking to you in Spanish. I guess the reason behind being mistaken for having another ethnicity is the fact that we all have numerous racial ties, not only one - like you being Native American and Scottish. I am a Japanese descent, and I think that is where I got the yellow skin tone, making me look Chinese and my sister Korean.