I'm sitting at Starbucks in Hong Kong.
The table next to me, there is a couple speaking obnoxiously loud in Australian English. Nothing bad, just about business and networking.
I eavesdrop and try to pick up advices that help my career path decisions.
Sometimes as an Asian Australian, I can take advantage of my appearance.
But there are harder times.
I often find travelling as an Asian Australian in different countries surprises people. It is quite normal.
Most countries I visit, people expect me to sound like howt I look.
An Asian.
We all do it. I do it. You do it.
When I was Japan.
People thought I was Japanese.
When I spoke Japanese because I studied it.
People thought I was Japanese.
When I worked in Korea.
People thought I was Korean.
When I spoke Korean because I studied it.
People thought I was Korean.
In Europe and Russia, people expected me to be Japanese/Chinese/Korean and the stereotypes that come with them.
Passive, non-masculine, bad at English etc.
When in all those countries I say I'm Australian.
There is surprise.
For some countries, all they are exposed to is the media portrayal of Australians. Surfing, crocodile tackling, tall fit and blond.
The stereotypes.
I don't blame them.
Because we all stereotype.
I remember assuming another asian I met in Korea to be Korean because he spoke Korean and was Asian. Then I saw his face.
An expression I was very familiar with.
An expression that I made everytime someone assumed about me and I tried to smile it off with discomfort and be understanding.
I had assumed just like how others assumed about me. So, it is normal and we all do it.
Sometimes it sucks, but it is usually without ill intentions.
Ignorance sucks. Close mindedness sucks.
But a lot of the time it is the by product of media and education in ones home country.
What does offend me at times though is when people assert their ignorance over others.
Example of dialogue I've received many times.
Person: Where are you from? (Expecting Asian country)
Me: Australia
Person: Oh....(confusion look)
Me: Yeh haha
Person: Oh cool! (Hesitates)... But you don't look Australian haha
Me: haha. Well. (Deep breath) Let me explain to you about Australia.
This one is the standard version.
I've had people say to me...
"I lived in Perth for 2 years. You don't look Australian."
Facepalm
Yep. Cool.
Another awkward situation I get commonly is when people who are interested in Asian culture approach me.
They expect me to say Korean. Because they like Kpop. Or Japan because they like Japan. Or Chinese because they wanna speak Chinese then gets awkward when I don't answer with what they expect...and they regret having initiated the conversation.
Likewise those who want to talk to Australians or English speakers will never approach me.
That's the the reality and I don't blame them. For the most part anyways.
So back to the present situation.
I've learnt to use the situation to my advantage. Make friends who really are interested in me and not my race. Who don't just want to use me.
Be proud for being multicultural and multilingual.
Over the last 5 years these experiences have actually made me at times, wish my skin colour was different. Scary isn't it.
But I say to myself and to everyone.
Be yourself.
Wow. It's so clichéd but true :)