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Old 08-15-2011, 06:52 PM
 
Location: USA
30,418 posts, read 21,645,519 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Canaan-84 View Post
Not all mestizos are dark skinned either; I believe they come in all colors depending on how much Spanish and native blood they have. Anyway, I'm Mexican-American and I have been told by non-Hispanics that I look middle eastern (usually Syrian).
I had an Indian Girlfriend when I was younger who was very pale, probably more like an Asian girl who didn't get a lot of sun.

I used to get this part Asian comment when I was a kid but went away when I got older
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Old 08-16-2011, 08:59 PM
 
Location: Not on the same page as most
2,505 posts, read 6,133,520 times
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I am adopted, and found my birth parents when I was in my early 20s and answered the question (almost) about my ethnicity.

I am from Pennsylvania Dutch/Swiss/German blood, on my father's side. and have a full Irish grandmother, with light brown hair, and green eyes/blond haired, blue eyed grandfather on my mother's side.

My birth mother has red hair and green eyes. My birth mother says there is Blackfoot Indian heritage on my father's side... they were all Mennonites in PA, going back to the 1700s, so I'm not sure how Blackfoot could be intertwined, as I thought they were from the Plains. My birth dad had brown hair/eyes.

When I was born, my birth father came to the hospital and refused to sign for me, saying he thought my mother had slept with a "tall yellow". I'm not sure what that is!

Anyway, I have had numerous people tell me I look american indian, from hairdressers, to strangers on the street. Although I was blond haired as a kid, my hair started to turn brown when I was around six. My adopted mother "kept me out of the sun" when I was a baby, as I was getting so dark. Then she died my hair blond, so I would "fit in".

As an adult, I have olive skin, dark hair, and dark brown eyes. When people are discriminated against because of the color of their skin...although I consider myself white, I can relate to it, due to never being "light enough" in my family. Sorry, this thread just brought all that old bullsh*t up.
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Old 08-17-2011, 08:57 PM
 
Location: Not on the same page as most
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So, when someone mistakes you for another race, do you ever go along with it?
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Old 08-28-2011, 07:49 PM
 
570 posts, read 1,333,556 times
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I'm American, of Eastern European, English & Irish descent, and I am most often mistaken for Brazilian & Italian. Nope, I don't go along with it because I start laughing! It's amazing either how similar many different peoples actually are; and how people make assumptions about you based on their assumptions about other people.

Last edited by daydreamin71; 08-28-2011 at 07:51 PM.. Reason: Adding to original post
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Old 08-29-2011, 08:53 AM
 
139 posts, read 646,656 times
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My last name is Finnish and people ask me if I am Polynesian, Hawaiian, Eskimo or Italian. Italians want to claim me. I am half Mayflower descendant. I am as white as white can be with blond hair and gray eyes. I look Finnish, but for some reason people get hung up on my name having so many vowels in it. When I visit Germany the Germans claim me especially after they hear me speak German. When I go to Finland everyone assumes I am a local and they rattle on in Finnish so fast I must ask them to slow down. I can only understand the accent of the region where my family comes from. I can not understand the other accents. I can not understand when people talk so fast. Finns get going really fast!

When I went to China my tour guide said, "You must be Irish because you are far too white to be American. Americans have darker skin, dark hair, are taller than you and heavier than you. You are too thin, too short, too white, too blond and you have light eyes....It is not possible for you to be American. You don't look anything like an American." I was shocked. I told him, "An American can look like anyone or anything. We are a melting pot. There is no such thing as a 'typical American look'. That does not exist." He didn't buy it. He said, "Nah, You are Irish for sure." I gave up after he wore me down and would not give up the idea that I could not possibly be an American.

I never go along with it when I am mistaken for another country or ethnicity. I get upset and tell them, "I am NOT Swedish! I am not Swiss! I do speak English and quit talking about me in front of my face! You English are soooo rude!" I tell people to stop insisting I am Polynesian, Eskimo, Hawaiian, Swedish, Swiss, German or whatever because is is offensive to my father, grandparents and great-grandparents.


My ex-husband was born and raised in Chennai, India. The Mexicans always got mad at him when he said, "Hey, man...I'm not Mexican. I can't speak Spanish. Just listen to my accent, dude." The Mexicans said, "There is no such place as India. You are Mexican! Stop lying! Stop denying your heritage!" My ex thought it was funny on some days and other days...NOT! He went back and forth. He eventually became very frustrated that Mexicans don't seem to know geography and kept talking to him in Spanish. They refused to speak English to him thinking they could force him to admit he was Mexican. Apparently, Mexicans don't watch the Simpsons because he sounded just like Apu. There was no mistaking his heavy accent. I thought the whole thing was strange, odd, weird and different. How can you mistake a South East Indian for a Mexican????? How is that possible? He looked nothing like a Mexican. He looked like a light skinned Indian, which is what he was.

Last edited by Anja T; 08-29-2011 at 09:05 AM..
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Old 08-29-2011, 09:00 AM
 
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
17,531 posts, read 24,594,662 times
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My son is half Korean and we live on the Mexican Border. Every time he is late we wonder if he is on the bus to Nogales
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Old 08-29-2011, 09:09 AM
 
139 posts, read 646,656 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boompa View Post
My son is half Korean and we live on the Mexican Border. Every time he is late we wonder if he is on the bus to Nogales
That is funny, but sad at the same time.
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Old 03-06-2012, 07:29 PM
 
Location: WA
251 posts, read 569,702 times
Reputation: 299
Yep.
Been mistaken as Jewish/Middle Eastern and also Greek.
I'm of a Mostly European heritage with some African relatives.
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Old 03-07-2012, 01:04 AM
 
14,727 posts, read 33,244,118 times
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Southern Italian on both sides, therefore 100%. Not viewed as a local when in Southern Italy. One cousin said I looked Anglo-Saxon. I have dark hair, but white skin.

People in Northern Italy assume I'm a local and people in France also assume that. Also, most at home interacting with the people in Northern Italy, probably for that reason, and because they're more progressive.
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Old 03-07-2012, 04:39 AM
 
7,492 posts, read 11,775,255 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tambre View Post
So, when someone mistakes you for another race, do you ever go along with it?
When I was in like, middle school and flaunting Mexican heritage was the cool thing, I think I went along with it since I didn't yet know what I was and my classmates insisted I must be Mexican. I feel bad about that when I remember it now.
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