Do you remember on your mission when you couldn't tell foreigners from native Taiwanese apart? And how when you did figure it out - thanks to your companion who would tell you - you would gasp in shock as though you didn't look in the mirror every morning and see a non-native Taiwanese looking back at you. Of course everyone laughs when you tell that story. Who could believe that a pale-skinned, freckled, reddish-headed girl from Illinois couldn't tell the difference between herself and her dark-haired, dark-eyed, non-freckled peers around her?
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| Yours Truly in Taiwan 2009, picture taken by Jim Chunhung Chen |
Well, it seems, the confusion never ended since returning from your mission.
True story: You thought a friend in your ward had some Asian background and in front of his Asian peers and colleagues, you decided to ask him about it. Of course, they think that you are as crazy as your companion did. They all laughed and then jumped up and pointed out the distinct differences between their eyes and his.
True story: Friend of your sister came up to her and asked her about her Korean upbringing. It seems he thought that her parents were raised in South Korea and that they in turn raised their children in a Korean speaking home. Of course, as you know, Isa does not look Asian. She is as pale-skinned and freckled as yourself with the exception of blue rather than hazel eyes and blondish rather than darkish reddish hair.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that is confused.
Love,
Me
Currently listening: Say No by 韩庚
I really like that picture of you, standing there awkwardly with all those Asians staring at you.
ReplyDeleteI really wish I had been raised speaking Korean. That would've been really cool.