Last week, I survived my second epic run from my house to Canary Wharf, London’s Financial District. As I reached my finish line and tried to stop my small cardiac muscle from bursting, I was approached by a lady (yes, she was pretty) and asked if I could complete a survey for her project. At this point, my heart was still in overdrive, my brain in mush, and my sweaty self not looking all too sexy. So of course, I said yes.
Approaching strangers in public can be a little daunting (I know all too well) and aware of this fact, I tried to put her at ease by striking up a friendly convo: “What’s the survey for?”. “Where are you from”. “Did you travel far?”. “I bet you must hate the fact that they made you do this on a Saturday”. No I didn’t ask her out, but I’ll remember the conversation for one surprising observation she made:
“I like your accent”
“Oh? Thanks!” =D
“It sounds really nice. It sounds South African.”
Wait?! What?! South African?! I’ve met and known a few South African in my time in High School and I know what a South African accent sounds like. I never thought I sounded South African. Nonetheless I was very pleasantly surprised =D
I’ve been told a few times that my speech is quite clear and easily understood (British – Southern Accent (Formal RP) – or is it now?) especially by my international friends. I put this down to the fact that I went to School up in Warwickshire and away from the street slang often heard where I live in East London.
We talked some more and I got to know more about her (not in that way). But as I completed the survey, shook hands, said my well wishes and bid my goodbye, I was left thinking about the other things that people most commonly get wrong about me, most common being the three things below:
No. 1. People often guess I’m from the Philippines.
I don’t blame people for getting this wrong. In fact, I think it’s a good guess. Unlike other neighboring Asian countries (Japanese and Koreans are very easy to spot) Filipinos and Thais can look very similar.
No. 2. Most people think I’m 17/18 years old.
I am in fact 23. But I take this as a huge compliment and a helpful sign that I must doing something right to look after my health. Even distant family friends often mistake my younger brother (a whole 3 years younger than I am), to be the elder sibling.
3. People often mistake my skin colour to be a tan.
A perfect tan in fact! LOL! Retail Sale Assistance in beauty shops such as “Soap & Co” and The Body Shop” often ask where I got my tan from and I explain it’s my natural skin colour, slightly embarrassed and shy.
I’m not offended by it at all. In fact, I really like it. It’s all very interesting to me what people think of my first impressions and appearance. It makes a nice ice breaker, a nice way (I think!) to start a convo and we’d often laugh and joke about it and how far or close they are from the answer.
I guess now I can add my accent to that list now =)
P.S. No, I didn’t get the lady’s name or number.
Kritt Normsaskul 