During our Mid-Autumn Festival cookout the other night, my sister-in-law told me that not long ago my 3 1/2 year-old nephew came home from pre-school and asked her, "媽媽, Uncle 是不是一個外國人?" (Mom, is Uncle a foreigner?)
I wondered how long it would be before he had a label that explained my big nose...
8 comments:
There is something about you that is distinctly NON-United Statesian. And I mean that (of course) as a compliment. Every time I'm in Pan-Asia, I see a guy or two who -- from the back -- reminds me of you. Can't quite put the similarity into words, though. . .
I do take that as a compliment, Heather. Although combined with my nephew's comments, it also kind of makes me feel that I don't belong anywhere! :/
There's one part of me that's USAmerican--yesterday we went to the import store here and I got more raviolis, Pop-Tarts, and Dr Pepper...
I’m a ‘foreigner’ living on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. I sometimes crave for spaghetti, greasy cheese burger, or chili, even though we cook mostly Chinese/Taiwanese food at home. I like to consider myself a ‘world citizen’ for being able to live and enjoy life outside of the homeland.
"World citizen"... that sounds pretty good... Bypasses the feeling of not belonging anywhere--we belong everywhere!
"No, dear, Uncle J isn't a foreigner--he's a world citizen. Or from Pluto. We're not sure. And it's not polite to stare."
Ha ha--when my nephew points his finger at me and says, "Look, foreigner!"--that's when I disown him... (Can you disown a nephew?)
But Jon, you left out the important info: what did y'all have to eat at your cookout?
Let's see... there was steak, there were shishkabobs (sp?), some shrimp and other seafood, ... I forget what else.
Post a Comment