I don't know if it's happened to you but it has to me. Not so much now though.
When I was younger (bear in mind, I'm still only in my 20's) - school, high school and university, people always asked me where I'm from. New people, not those who'd known me for years. Those who had known me for years asking this usually meant that they were questioning my life form!
But you know, it happens right. When you're first introduced to people - the question comes up. My answer? "I'm English". Because I am. The confused look on their face leads me to elaborate because I don't look like a typical English(wo)man (though what a typical English(wo)man looks like is in the eye of the beholder!). So then I tell them that my parents are from Sri Lanka.
"So you're Sri Lankan?"
"Well, my parents are Sri Lankan. I'm English - born and brought up in London."
Am I wrong? I'm not saying I'm not Sri Lankan. I'm of Sri Lankan origin. It's my ethnicity and most things about me screams Sri Lankan but I am English. Maybe people should be more specific in their questioning?
It doesn't seem to happen so much nowadays. I've noticed that as I've got older - I tend to meet more Sri Lankans. Maybe it's because nearly all (yes, all 10 of) my friends are Sri Lankan. Do people of the same culture/ethnicity flock together as they get older?
From Absurdities to Atrocities, Again?
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4 comments:
ahaha tht even happens in sri lanka too.. u cant have a afro n be a lil dark... they think ur african or least your a umbalakada!!!(maldivian)..
hey DeLon u might want to check this out.
http://jathikachinthana.blogspot.com/2008/08/first-sinhalese-buddhist-patriotic.html
Scrumpulicious I myself had the same problem.I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia until the age of 12.Then we all along with my 3 siblings moved back to Sri Lanka.I spent rest of my life over there until i left in May 2006 for studies.Technically I was a citizen of Saudi Arabia untill O/l's where I had to take a decision and of course I chose SL.But I've never mentioned to anyone that I was an Arab in that period.I didn't want to confuse ppl.
P.S.My grand father is a arab and I'm kinda carrying his genes.If not no one would have bothered to ask where I am from.
*Sigh* sadly, I have no Sri Lankan friends (female, anyway) *Sniffles*
Hence why I had started to hunt down Sri Lankan blogs (thank god for kottu.org and the friend who recommended it).
I don't think it has anything to do with how difficult it is to meet Sri Lankans, but more so about how well you get along with them.
The last female Sri Lankan friend I had was in the 4th grade and I don't think talking about the Backstreet Boys is gonna do the trick this time. Hehe!
I have the same problem when I tell people that my native language is English.
I live in SL but that is the way it is.
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