Monday, July 26, 2010

Asian Stories

Have I ever told you my Asian stories? If not, get excited! Actually don't. Because mostly this is how an Asian story goes.

A random Asian: hi. are you Korean/Chinese/Taiwanese/Vietnamese/Everything except Japanese
Me: Uh...no. Sorry.
The random Asian: oh...(with a very disappointed tone of voice). Where are you from?
Me: well, I was born in L.A. but I consider Austin, TX my home.
The random Asian: oh...(even more disappointed) ok. What nationality are you?
Me: Japanese.
The random Asian: oh ok...sorry. ha ha ha ha ha ha.... (You know that Asian laugh that I'm talking about).

So about a week ago, I am walking to my work when a boy (an eager Freshmen to be exact) approaches me. Side Note: Now for those of you not at BYU, it is EXTREMELY easy for all of us to spot a freshmen boy because all men between 19-21 are gone on missions. So a boy is either a boy that looks like he needs to go back to high school or a man that seems like he's grown up a bit.

The random boy: Hi. Are you Chinese?
Me: no. sorry I'm Japanese.
Boy: Oh...ok. Were you born in Japan?
Me: No...I was born in L.A. but I consider Austin my home.
Boy: oh...do you speak any Japanese?
Me: yeah...I lived there for a little bit so....
(2 minutes of small talk happens while he follows me towards my work building)
Boy: well, sorry. I'm taking Chinese 101 and I thought you were Chinese so I wanted to talk to you. Well, I'm going this way so bye! (As he walks back the way we came).

I told Dean about this Asian story and totally forgot about it as the story was banked to my long list of Asian stories. But today, I was walking home from work when I hear:

Mysterious random freshmen boy: Hi. Are you Chinese?
Me: No...sorry.
Random eager freshmen boy: Oh are you from Taiwan?
Me: no
Random freshmen boy: Vietnam?
Me: no...sorry, I'm Japanese.
(here, I can't help but feel as though I'm having a deja vu moment...)
Eager freshmen boy: Oh ok. were you born in Japan?
Me: no, I was born here.
Eager freshmen boy: oh ok.
(and here, is where I realize that I just talked to this boy last week and had this exact same conversation!)
Mr. eager Chinese 101 boy: Oh well, I'm taking Chinese 101 right now and I was just wondering so...bye!
Me: good luck with that!

Mr. eager Chinese 101 boy, I hope you will find your Chinese person soon.

3 comments:

Alexandra said...

Yooms, please continue these stories... I'm thinking a special "Daily Asian" column on this blog (yes i'm that obsessed with them). Also, lol to your "needs to go back to high school," and no in between boys hahaha.

meg said...

i really love that chinese 101 boy/hate him bc he = everything that bugs about BYU

Colin Bennett said...

bahahahaha! That was pretty much the best blog post I have read in a long time. Thanks for sharing your Asian stories.