Houston
Thursday, June 08, 2006
HOUSTON, TX - Up until now, I sum up Houston in three words (Big, Flat, Humid) and one story. 
In front of Home Depot today, I was helping pass out information for Joe’s painting business, and two young men approached me curiously. One wanted to learn a little about me, and from what I could tell, but the other seemed to be a little embarrassed and hesitated behind his friend in approaching me. (Insert accents)
“Are you from, like, China or Japan or somethin’?” said the Curious One, trying to decipher what foreign land I had come from. The continent of Asia didn’t seem to exist in this conversation, just those two countries so I decided to tell them that “I’m from California.”
This confused him further. He moved his head closer to mine, knitting his brow and studying my face closer. “Yeah, but you’re like, an Oriental, right?” he said. “I can tell.”
He can tell!
I successfully avoided laughing out loud, but I noticed his embarrassed friend darting his eyes between me and Curious. He seemed to be aware of the humor in the situation, and was probably fearing what could come of this conversation. I figured I was best off playing along, so I told Curious that my parents are from China after deciding that the word ‘Taiwan’ might have been confusing.
It was a good decision. His confident posture returned to him with the addition of a sideways smile, and he was very excited to have discovered a real live oriental person. “That’s what I thought!” Then he moved on to ask another question, which was clearly his original purpose in approaching me in the first place. “So you know one of them martial arts then? I love those movies… Bruce Lee my favorite!”
Embarrassed rolled his eyes into the next state. He obviously wanted no association with Curious at this point, and did not to be labeled ignorant-by-association by the pretty Chinese girl. He finally decided it was time to prove his cultural awareness by openly disapproving of his friend’s question, he turned to Curious, whacked him in the shoulder, and protested “Geez man. There’s more to China than just karate!”
Yes, it's true. In the same way that there is more to Spain than just spaghetti.
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I hope I don't come across that way on a different level...
Today someone came into the music store and said she had some music on hold. She told me her last name and it was pronounced "Lioh."
I looked through the special-orders till I came across one labeled "Wei Liu"
"So, Liu is pronounced "Lioh" right?" I asked, and continued with "Is that Mandarin?"
She told me, yes it was. It's much more common to have Cantonese names, than Mandarin ones, in that part of town.
After a brief discussion about the inadequacies of Pinyin, I told her I was studying some Chinese (as if it wasn't obvious at that point.)
When she asked where, I told her in English and Mandarin, to proove my point, "The American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine... Mei Guo Zhong Yi Shui Yuan."
"Oh really!" She replied, "I know one of the professors there."
I wonder sometimes... is it rude to spring a "hey I know where you're from" on someone... even if you are pretty well informed?
(pinyin is ridiculous.... Liu rhymes with Yo, and Yuan rhymes with When, and don't even get me started on Shi, Chi, Xi, and Qi...)
-Clay
Today someone came into the music store and said she had some music on hold. She told me her last name and it was pronounced "Lioh."
I looked through the special-orders till I came across one labeled "Wei Liu"
"So, Liu is pronounced "Lioh" right?" I asked, and continued with "Is that Mandarin?"
She told me, yes it was. It's much more common to have Cantonese names, than Mandarin ones, in that part of town.
After a brief discussion about the inadequacies of Pinyin, I told her I was studying some Chinese (as if it wasn't obvious at that point.)
When she asked where, I told her in English and Mandarin, to proove my point, "The American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine... Mei Guo Zhong Yi Shui Yuan."
"Oh really!" She replied, "I know one of the professors there."
I wonder sometimes... is it rude to spring a "hey I know where you're from" on someone... even if you are pretty well informed?
(pinyin is ridiculous.... Liu rhymes with Yo, and Yuan rhymes with When, and don't even get me started on Shi, Chi, Xi, and Qi...)
-Clay
# posted by 
: 10:34 PM
: 10:34 PM
Laura, you may be surprised to learn that this happens to me ALL THE TIME. And by "this," I mean people asking me if I am from China because of my shaved head. I think the country they are looking for is Tibet, but as you have so astutely pointed out, there are only two Asian countries that make it onto our national radar.
-Ryan
-Ryan
# posted by : 9:27 AM
: 9:27 AM
Although on second thought, I guess being Tibetan would technically make me Chinese. It would also probably make me at least decent at kung fu.
# posted by : 9:34 AM
: 9:34 AM
Good Lord - I totally LMAO at this story. Did this really happen? I mean, I'm sure these guys weren't trying to be rude - but it's hilarious how little tact they had in determining your genealogy. At first, I must admit a degree of detachment in understanding just how annoying it must be for someone to do "Are you from China" to you. But then I think of how proud I am to be Italian, and I realize how I'd feel if someone approached me with "[says last name]...is that European?" Why, yes, sort of southwestern European you mindless frog. :-p
As for your previous post...Laura, if it will prevent you from putting up misleading, random, and insincere dating profiles, I will be happy to hit your blog 20 times per week for the next month and a half. :-)
- Kel
As for your previous post...Laura, if it will prevent you from putting up misleading, random, and insincere dating profiles, I will be happy to hit your blog 20 times per week for the next month and a half. :-)
- Kel
# posted by : 10:33 PM
: 10:33 PM
In defense of the state of Texas: There’s more to China than just karate, and there's also more to Houston than racial ignorance. Most people there are not that naive, and even this guy didn't mean any harm...he's just a little inexperienced.
Anyways...why have you not written about the incredible food you must have had yet?! BBQ and Mexican food in Texas are both better than anything you can get in the bay area...I need some!
Anyways...why have you not written about the incredible food you must have had yet?! BBQ and Mexican food in Texas are both better than anything you can get in the bay area...I need some!
# posted by : 1:46 PM
: 1:46 PM
Hahaha!! Oh wow, I saw someone say "So is that Japan or China?" to a vietnamese guy on King of the Hill, but I thought that was only in cartoons!!
... Don't feel bad, I get stared at all the time because I'm NOT asian over here, and people often ask me very strange questions about how far away California is from San Francisco and the like.
We're all very ignorant about a lot of things, it's just embarrassing when you find out.
Once I asked if Mt Fuji was the only mountain in Japan... boy was that embarrasing. ^_~
... Don't feel bad, I get stared at all the time because I'm NOT asian over here, and people often ask me very strange questions about how far away California is from San Francisco and the like.
We're all very ignorant about a lot of things, it's just embarrassing when you find out.
Once I asked if Mt Fuji was the only mountain in Japan... boy was that embarrasing. ^_~
Consider how sometimes people from Korea, Vietnam, and China may come to call themself "Asian" in such a way that implies not people of Russia, India, Dubai, or Israel--countries all physically in Asia. Perhaps not too common, but still, consider this phenomenon. Now consider how it may come to be that some people consider people from Korea, Vietnam, and China as simply "Asian". If this latter behavior is wrong, then why not the former?
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# posted by : 1:50 PM
: 1:50 PM<< Home
