Grassroots int'l (fail) in Canada

The JET Programme taught me a lot of things about Japan and myself. "Grassroots internationalization" was part of my day-to-day job within the Japanese countryside. I exchanged my Canadian culture with my Japanese community. And in turn, the Japanese would share their unique cultural norms with me. Then, BOOM! We all realized we are all just human beings. So, I got used to the stares from my tiny six-year-old students, who would initially scream in Japanese: "Gaijin da!" This loosely translates into "The foreigner is here!" But after the first shock, the kids would get over themselves and invite me to look over their prized pet hamster and play tag in the school yard.

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The other night, a new acquaintance looked me over and decided to play the "Let's-Figure-Out-Her-Nationality." He was a bit tipsy, so I entertained the guessing game even though the premise gets old. He guessed that I was "Filipina." And in turn, I mentioned that my parents were from the islands but I was born and raised in the suburbs of Ottawa. He continued shooting off culturally-ignorant questions like "Do you eat food like us? Or do you eat rice every day?" In my head, I was wondering what buddy meant by "us"? I didn't mention I lived in Japan for three years, because it would've further opened the flood gates. I wasn't in the mood to answer a barrage of questions like "Can you use chopsticks?" Blargh. I was mostly turned off by the way he approached the subject of culture with me. It also didn't help that I didn't have a finger of Bailey's in my coffee at the time.

I proudly identify myself as Canadian but with Filipino roots. I understand my parents' dialect, but sadly I don't speak it. Growing up, my parents spoke it with each other and my ear could pick it up yet I'd reply in English. I was part of a Filipino folk dance troupe in town, but I never really fit in with the other kids. And my parents have lived longer in Canada than in their homeland! 

Last night, I should've educated the kid in "grassroots internationalization." But I wasn't feeling motivated enough to subvert his strange notions about the cultural mosaic within Canada.

I'll bring out the lesson plan next time. I guess I'm just flabbergasted people can be so dumb. End rant!