In Pohnpei earlier this week, some of us had a conversation about the questions people ask when they first meet you. We were listing and comparing the different questions that people ask in different locales, such as the US, Hawaii, Saipan, and Indonesia.
In Indonesia everyone just wants to know if you're married and how many children you have. If you're not married, they want to know not if you are getting married, but when you are getting married.
This got some chuckles from those of us without kids.
In Hawaii people always ask, "What are you?"
I've been asked that question many, many times, not just in Hawaii. It is always mildly insulting. What am I? Don't you mean who am I or where am I from?
Deep down I know that the person asking that question never means anything insulting by it. They just probably think that you look different from them and they want to know why, but what are you going to do?
On Saipan I've noticed people tend to ask others they are meeting for the first time two questions, "where are you from?" and "how long have you been here?"
After you answer, the first thing the question asker does is compare the amount of time they've been on Saipan to the amount of time you've been on Saipan. If the time is short, you're a newbie, like Bev when she first got here just over a year ago. Then as you progress from describing your stay in Saipan in days, to weeks, months, years, or even decades, your self-prescribed local authority increases. Extra points for being Chamorro or Carolinian. Negative points for being Bruce Bateman. Chamorros always ask, "Who is your Mom?" and "Who is your Dad?"
They then weigh your answers taken together, apply a label, and for the foreseeable future you are "one of those California boys" or some other vague stereotype.
Since this is a blog about all things Angelo, I might as well explain my answer to those two questions.
I'm from Saipan. But I'm also from Massachusetts. I'm from Florida, too. And I went to school in Virginia. I've also lived in England and Japan. When I lived in England and Japan, everybody thought I was American. When I lived in America, everyone thought I was Puerto Rican or Brazilian, but I would tell them that I was half-Micronesian. Now that I live in Micronesia, most white people think I'm brown and most brown people think I'm white. And yeah, I've lived here all my life, but I've only been back for two years.
In Indonesia everyone just wants to know if you're married and how many children you have. If you're not married, they want to know not if you are getting married, but when you are getting married.
This got some chuckles from those of us without kids.
In Hawaii people always ask, "What are you?"
I've been asked that question many, many times, not just in Hawaii. It is always mildly insulting. What am I? Don't you mean who am I or where am I from?
Deep down I know that the person asking that question never means anything insulting by it. They just probably think that you look different from them and they want to know why, but what are you going to do?
On Saipan I've noticed people tend to ask others they are meeting for the first time two questions, "where are you from?" and "how long have you been here?"
After you answer, the first thing the question asker does is compare the amount of time they've been on Saipan to the amount of time you've been on Saipan. If the time is short, you're a newbie, like Bev when she first got here just over a year ago. Then as you progress from describing your stay in Saipan in days, to weeks, months, years, or even decades, your self-prescribed local authority increases. Extra points for being Chamorro or Carolinian. Negative points for being Bruce Bateman. Chamorros always ask, "Who is your Mom?" and "Who is your Dad?"
They then weigh your answers taken together, apply a label, and for the foreseeable future you are "one of those California boys" or some other vague stereotype.
Since this is a blog about all things Angelo, I might as well explain my answer to those two questions.
I'm from Saipan. But I'm also from Massachusetts. I'm from Florida, too. And I went to school in Virginia. I've also lived in England and Japan. When I lived in England and Japan, everybody thought I was American. When I lived in America, everyone thought I was Puerto Rican or Brazilian, but I would tell them that I was half-Micronesian. Now that I live in Micronesia, most white people think I'm brown and most brown people think I'm white. And yeah, I've lived here all my life, but I've only been back for two years.