The waiter offered my a small discount. The kindness and grace of random strangers I meet while traveling. The conversation when something like this:
Waiter: "It's the least I can do. We Chinese must take care of each other. Where are you from?"
Me: "That is very kind. I live in Paris but am from California."
Waiter: looking confused, "But you are Chinese. I mean, your face . . . and we have been speaking Chinese."
Me: "Actually I'm American."
Waiter: "No worries. You speak Chinese,your family came from China some time ago. You're Chinese."
Me: "Well Ethnically I am Chinese I guess."
Waiter: "How it is in Paris? Is it hard to find a nice Chinese girl there?"
Me: "Umm, I really just fancy a nice girl."
Waiter: "Oh you're like one of them, the foreigners (meaning any non-Chinese)."
I guess I lost my Chinese membership card on account of the last question.
Cultural differences.
Waiter: "It's the least I can do. We Chinese must take care of each other. Where are you from?"
Me: "That is very kind. I live in Paris but am from California."
Waiter: looking confused, "But you are Chinese. I mean, your face . . . and we have been speaking Chinese."
Me: "Actually I'm American."
Waiter: "No worries. You speak Chinese,your family came from China some time ago. You're Chinese."
Me: "Well Ethnically I am Chinese I guess."
Waiter: "How it is in Paris? Is it hard to find a nice Chinese girl there?"
Me: "Umm, I really just fancy a nice girl."
Waiter: "Oh you're like one of them, the foreigners (meaning any non-Chinese)."
I guess I lost my Chinese membership card on account of the last question.
Cultural differences.
