It's been a fat min since I've written on this blog but that certainly doesn't mean the are you Ethiopian? moments have stopped - just means my laziness levels have increased exponentially.
So as you know (or should know by now) I'm in Japan. A brown female in Japan is virtually unheard of outside the confined quarters of base. I literally never see any brown women walking around. It's like they never leave base. And while that's possible, it's a literal tragedy if that's the case. I mean, I haven't even seen any random ones walking around touristing around Tokyo. Guess we ain't bout that Asian life. I've seen a couple African men in Tokyo though. I'm like a unicorn to them when they see me - eyes wide open in disbelief and whatnot.
I digress.
So I'm walking back to my hotel room from the gym on base, right. Sweaty, d'guisting, and barely matching with my clothes. It's about 1pm; there are only a few people outside because most people have found their perspective place of lunch by this point. I know for a fact I would seen an extra deep brown African around if he were indeed where he claimed to be.
So I'm walking...briskly mind you because I'm running late getting back to work. Out of nowhere some random African guy comes up to me while I'm walking and tries to start a convo with me. I have my headphones in which I thought was the universal sign for DON'T TALK TO ME, but that's either not the case where he's from or he felt so compelled to speak to me he paid that little detail no mind.
"Hi."
*sighs internally, removes one headphone from my ear* "Hi."
"Are you Ethiopian?"
*laughs* No, but I get that all the time - all the time.
"Oh. Because I saw you from across the street and thought, 'She must be Ethiopian.' Your nose, your eyes, your hair. The way your face is. Yes."
"Nope."
"Where are you from?"
"Maryland, USA."
"Oh, OK. You might be Ethiopian. You look it."
Then he proceeds to usurp 15 precious minutes of my time telling me about his struggles with the liberty policy at another base in Japan and troubles he had getting another brown girl the help she needed for completing her OCS (officer candidate school) package. The advice about OCS was greatly appreciated - I already knew these hoes weren't loyal, but it was nice to have it confirmed.
In any event, I the fact that this man literally sped-walked to catch up to me just to ask if I was Ethiopian because he "saw me from across the street" had me tickled for the rest of the afternoon. I'm so small; there's no way he could have seen my face from that far away and reached those conclusions. IDK where he came from, but apparently my faux Ethiopian game is still strong even across the Pond.
So as you know (or should know by now) I'm in Japan. A brown female in Japan is virtually unheard of outside the confined quarters of base. I literally never see any brown women walking around. It's like they never leave base. And while that's possible, it's a literal tragedy if that's the case. I mean, I haven't even seen any random ones walking around touristing around Tokyo. Guess we ain't bout that Asian life. I've seen a couple African men in Tokyo though. I'm like a unicorn to them when they see me - eyes wide open in disbelief and whatnot.
I digress.
So I'm walking back to my hotel room from the gym on base, right. Sweaty, d'guisting, and barely matching with my clothes. It's about 1pm; there are only a few people outside because most people have found their perspective place of lunch by this point. I know for a fact I would seen an extra deep brown African around if he were indeed where he claimed to be.
So I'm walking...briskly mind you because I'm running late getting back to work. Out of nowhere some random African guy comes up to me while I'm walking and tries to start a convo with me. I have my headphones in which I thought was the universal sign for DON'T TALK TO ME, but that's either not the case where he's from or he felt so compelled to speak to me he paid that little detail no mind.
"Hi."
*sighs internally, removes one headphone from my ear* "Hi."
*SN* I had to respond politely because I couldn't see what he rank was. God forbid he be an officer and I didn't speak. Plus I'm trying to be super nice to all the Afro Americans I happen across since there are so few of us #u.n.i.t.y
"Are you Ethiopian?"
Guess we just gon jump right into it then.
*laughs* No, but I get that all the time - all the time.
"Oh. Because I saw you from across the street and thought, 'She must be Ethiopian.' Your nose, your eyes, your hair. The way your face is. Yes."
"Nope."
"Where are you from?"
"Maryland, USA."
"Oh, OK. You might be Ethiopian. You look it."
Then he proceeds to usurp 15 precious minutes of my time telling me about his struggles with the liberty policy at another base in Japan and troubles he had getting another brown girl the help she needed for completing her OCS (officer candidate school) package. The advice about OCS was greatly appreciated - I already knew these hoes weren't loyal, but it was nice to have it confirmed.
In any event, I the fact that this man literally sped-walked to catch up to me just to ask if I was Ethiopian because he "saw me from across the street" had me tickled for the rest of the afternoon. I'm so small; there's no way he could have seen my face from that far away and reached those conclusions. IDK where he came from, but apparently my faux Ethiopian game is still strong even across the Pond.
