The story of my life...

If you haven't already figured it out, I'm Asian. Being a minority has some [well a lot] of it's negative quirks for instance, racial jokes, stereotypes, etc.

As a youngster, I don't remember thinking anything about being made fun of because I was Asian. It didn't register to me. Like, I do remember being made fun of because my eyes were "shaped funny," but to me it was like me making fun of someone because they had a big nose, or crooked teeth. Asian, what's that? I saw the world through rose colored glasses.

Then, moving into high school, the jokes became more intense. I'd walk through the hallways and I'd hear someone try to imitate the chinese language as I'd walk by, then I'd hear laughing. I'd keep walking, but look around and think, "What the hell was that about?" I'd realize that I was the only Asian around and that bastardized chinese the guy just blurted out was to get a laugh at my expense. I didn't care, I'd say, "First of all, I'm from the Philippines. If you're gonnna be racist, get your jokes right, mother fucker."

I remember walking through the mall one year Christmas shopping, I had both hands filled with shopping bags. I was so excited to have gotten so much shopping accomplished when all of a sudden I see a tall white guy, he's lookin' right at me. He walks towards me, leans over to my ear and whispers, "Asian Pussy."

I yelled out, "What the hell did you just say?" He looked rattled and walked quickly into the crowd. I came to the conclusion he figured I did not know how to speak English. Bags in tow, I tracked the mother fucker down. He ran into the Filene's, past all the racks of clothes, I chased him. He made his way outdoors, this time running a lot faster, zig zagging through the parked cars. I was physically upset. I wanted to kick some ass. I had never been so fired up before.

Throughout my life I've had to deal with it. From working with a sales force of men, to even hearing it from my boyfriend's family, and I, I learned to laugh it off. Today for instance, my coworkers and I were treated to some Italian food by our COO. We're all sitting in the conference room shooting the shit and the subject of swimming comes up.

"Do you know how to swim, Emma."

"No."

"What? Where you from? The Philippines? I would think that you, being from the Philippines, would know how to swim, it being an Island an all."

"Oh, like, are you referring to how my family got here? Ohhh, you see we didn't swim across the ocean to get to the U.S. or paddle our way here. We took a 747 to Hawaii."

We laughed, and I walked away thinking, "Why do I encourage it?" I dunno why I do.