I was at the pool the other day. It was a cloudy afternoon and internally, I was lamenting my missed opportunity to soak in some much needed Vitamin D. So, in between swimming laps, i was watching this plump teenage boy being coached freestyle by his equally well built dad. Or rather, I was watching out for his arrival. Somehow, he would splish-splash his way vehemently past me and other swimmers, drenching us (though we were essentially wet) with his enthusiastic sprays of chlorine water. He was, i thought amusedly, like a whale struggling to swim in a fish tank.

But what really spoiled my relaxed mood was an incident that happened a while later. I was lazing by the side, lost in my own thoughts when the man beside turned towards me, speaking in that chinese accent,

"Xiao jie, ning shi zhong guo ren ma?"

I turned paler than I already was. I muttered a "bu shi. ben di ren" and promptly bolted to the other side of the pool. And I proceeded to get out of the swimming complex in haste.

Does being fair indicate a stamp of my identity?? This wasn't the first time that I had been mistaken as a tong zhi, as well as being chatted up by china guys. Argh, the other time was at Popular (Can you imagine, Popular?!) when I was approached while flipping through some books. Same ending as with previous experiences, I couldn't get away quickly enough.

I was reminded of this unforgettable incident back in sec sch during a geo class. We were covering the one-child policy and my teacher was getting the opinions of PRCs on this domestic policy of their homeland. Then, she called my name. "What do you think of the policy then?" I was stunned. I informed her that I was born and bred local and it was her turn to look astonished. She even further clarified, "So you didn't migrate here when you were young or something?" *faints*

Is there a stigma of being thought of as a china lady? I would think so. Several of my friends would balk if anyone linked them to that land of communism. Granted, the china students that I had come across in school were mostly smart young ladies, given that they were here on scholarship. Perhaps it's the stories of a minority of these citizens who have sullied our impression of them. Like the 'pei du mama' saga previously, with blown-up stories of how these women set up their trade in sleazy massage parlours or the likes of Geylang. My roots are traced back to China, as are that of many other Singaporeans and I do wish that I am able to lift my head in pride and proclaim my oriental beginnings.

Alas, I tell people that I'm a Singaporean.

I really must get a tan. Really.