It was the morning after my arrival. My then "significant other" (now my husband) told me to go down to the lobby, explore the place while he went to work. I was in HongKong, and he stays at the Parkview, one of the most upscale addressess in the colony. I sat down in the lobby and two Filipino nannies eyed me with curiosity. I smiled. They smiled. "Big sister, did you just arrive?" "Yes." "Who is your employer? British or Chinese" "An American." "What floor?" "Seventh." Silence, more glances at my direction. "Where were you recruited, in Australia?" "No, U.S."
"Oh, how much will he pay you?" "I do not know. We have not discussed yet." "Oh...Americans do not pay well, big sister!" "Ah-huh, we like bargains." "Huh?" "Okay, so I am not a nanny. I am with my husband," I said this to "save their face," It would have been too embarrassing for them to know that I was with my boyrfriend. They both said, "OH, BIG SISTER, TAKE US TO AMERICA!"
Later on during that trip, I decided to pick up my SO's clothes at the laundromat.
"Hello, I am here to gpick up some shirts."
"You Indonesian?" the storekeeper asked.
"I am Filipino" I happily chirped.
"No you are not. You are Malaysian."
"I am Flipino" I replied.
"You not Filipino. You Indonesian!"
"Excuse me, but I am Filipino."
"But you are tall."
"And Filipino"
"You speak English well.:
"And Filipino"
"Are you sure you are not Indonesian?"
"I am sure I am Filipino. I am Filipino-American. Not Filipino-Indonesian or Malaysian or anything. Hmmmm... I am not an amah. Okay?"
He smiled, he got excited, "Yes, you are not amah. I told you, you are Indonesian."
Ay naku! Caray! and as my friend Judy would say, "Oy vey!!"
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