Why do people feel compelled to try to guess my nationality no matter where I go? It's not even remotely polite like, "Where are you from?" It's always, without fail, stare, "Japanese? Chinese? Korean?" The order is never the same. Sometimes I get Taiwanese or Filipino. I never get Vietnamese. I always wondered why and then it dawned on me today after I had another guess-my-nationality-guessing game with some security guys at the Vatican today. Yes, the Vatican.
It's because Vietnamese people, for real from Vietnam, don't have the means nor the freedom to travel abroad. Therefore, people in other countries rarely meet Vietnamese. The other Asians of Asia are all over the globe. But the Vietnamese are not.
Now that still doesn't explain why foreign dudes are always trying to guess.
Today is my last day in Rome and it was one straight out of my Latin textbook. Even the trees by the Colosseum looked like they were copied from the cover of the textbook I used in high school. It was breath taking to step out of the Metro exit, on to the street, adjust to the sunlight, and see the Colosseum right there. Cross the street and there it is. Pretty damn cool.
Vienna tomorrow.
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2 comments:
My sweet! I thought you were Greek. I am a fool! Ignore the baklava I sent you at your hotel.
Love.
"chee-na?"
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