The perks of "looking" like Chinese. HCNY!

The second day of Chinese New Year. And here I am sitting in my room, eating chocolate instead of rice. That’s what happens when laziness strikes. And yeah, happy February! It’s gonna be a good February ahead I hope.

So 2 days ago, I went to pay my broadband with my buddies. After that, we went to Ipoh parade for a quick visit, and by quick visit I mean we went there without even entering any shops because we don’t have money! Dayum allowance! Ok so we did enter Popular and bought some books. Cheap book. So, when I went to pay my book at the counter, the cashier automatically speak with me in Chinese. Mandarin to be exact otherwise I wouldn't answer her.

You see, throughout the year I've been living in west Malaysia, most of the people always mistake me for a Chinese. I am not offended though because I can speak Chinese. Sometimes, they also mistaken me for either a Filipino, Thai, Vietnamese…the list goes on. Naa, I am not offended at all. Someday I will just answer yes to whatever question they ask me regarding my origin. And when they finally realize that I am a Sabahan, I’m just gonna laugh it off and let them deal with that fact. In your face.

Now, the perks of looking like a Chinese is that, you can get a discount when you buy from a Chinese store. I’m not sure why, but it’s true. It rarely happens at Sabah (I mean giving discount thingy) because most of the Chinese shop owners know that I am not Chinese. One prominent feature that most of Sabahans have is we have a slightly slanted eyes. I am sure Sabahans can relate. I always thought I have Chinese blood and when trace back, no, completely not. Am little disappointed at that fact.

Now, the good thing living in west Malaysia is that, the Chinese shop owner doesn't know I am not Chinese. They usually just speak in Chinese and I just go with the flow. My disadvantage is, my Chinese is getting rusty so when they begin to talk in “deep” Chinese, I have to stop them and tell them I am not Chinese. Their reaction is usually the same reaction I got every time, Super shock! Maybe that’s because I speak fluent Mandarin. But most of people in Ipoh speak Cantonese. I don’t speak Cantonese, but I understand it. Some of it. Watching Hong Kong dramas when I was little really help.

And so, once again, I am pure Sabahan who speaks Chinese. And I have slanted eyes but I don’t have fair skin though. Damn.

Happy Chinese New Year 2014! It’s the year of the horse! 

Taya who looks like Chinese but is not Chinese.

HCNY 2014!xoxo