I lived in Japan for a decade a lot of first conversations began like this.
Japanese person: where are you from?
Me: I’m from the US.
Japanese person: you don’t look American…
Me: I’m Thai American… my parents are from Thailand.
Japanese person: you don’t look Thai…
Me: My grandparents were from China and my parents grew up in Thailand and moved to the US.
Japanese person: and now you’re in japan, speaking japanese with me.
Me: Yes.
….. sometimes if I know I won’t see them again I just lie and say I’m Chinese American.
I lived in Japan for a decade a lot of first conversations began like this.
Japanese person: where are you from?
Me: I’m from the US.
Japanese person: you don’t look American…
Me: I’m Thai American… my parents are from Thailand.
Japanese person: you don’t look Thai…
Me: My grandparents were from China and my parents grew up in Thailand and moved to the US.
Japanese person: and now you’re in japan, speaking japanese with me.
Me: Yes.
….. sometimes if I know I won’t see them again I just lie and say I’m Chinese American.