CALMATE! Ay, Chihuaua!

[Laveau 67]

In general, he's mistaken for an Indian.

The ONLY folks who've mistaken him for being Mexican are Mexicans. But you know, I'm not really sure just because a Mexican initially speaks Spanish to a person that he/she assumes the person is also Mx. He/She might simply assume person speaks Spanish. I know white people who have been automatically spoken to in Spanish by Mexicans.

[thongd4me 69]

In general, he's mistaken for an Indian.

The ONLY folks who've mistaken him for being Mexican are Mexicans. But you know, I'm not really sure just because a Mexican initially speaks Spanish to a person that he/she assumes the person is also Mx. He/She might simply assume person speaks Spanish. I know white people who have been automatically spoken to in Spanish by Mexicans.

My wife (a teacher in Bangkok for 26 years) had an exchange student from Bolivia (Julio)

living at her house for about a year, who was close to the age of her teen son.

One day she took Julio to the "Grand Palace" and told him not to speak so as to get a

Thai (not foreigner) admission ticket for a lower price

Julio didn't say a word & he was in like Flynn, passing for Thai.

[TBoneTX 45,305]

I know white people who have been automatically spoken to in Spanish by Mexicans.

I'm automatically spoken to in Spanish when I'm in Ecuador, si man, probably because it's their national language.

Funny: On one of my recent trips to my favorite Mexican border town, I went into a pharmacy to look for a particular shampoo for Mrs. T-B., who has very curly hair. I mustered most if not all of my Spanish vocabulary and asked the pharmacist, "Tienes shampoo para pelo con serpientes?" ("Do you have shampoo for hair with 'snakes'?") and I made twisting motions with my finger. ("Snakes" is semicolloquial for "curls," in Ecuador at least.) In perfect English, he said, "Here, we call them 'curls,'" and he pointed me to the correct product, si man.

[TBoneTX 45,305]

she took Julio to the "Grand Palace" and told him not to speak so as to get a Thai (not foreigner) admission ticket for a lower price

In Ecuador, also, there are two sets of prices -- Native & Gringo. I've gone into stores, identified what I wanted, gone out, told Mrs. T-B. (who then goes in & negotiates the "native" price), and gone in to buy the product at that price, si man. I wonder how many other countries are like that.

[Laveau 67]

I'm automatically spoken to in Spanish when I'm in Ecuador, si man, probably because it's their national language.

Funny: On one of my recent trips to my favorite Mexican border town, I went into a pharmacy to look for a particular shampoo for Mrs. T-B., who has very curly hair. I mustered most if not all of my Spanish vocabulary and asked the pharmacist, "Tienes shampoo para pelo con serpientes?" ("Do you have shampoo for hair with 'snakes'?") and I made twisting motions with my finger. ("Snakes" is semicolloquial for "curls," in Ecuador at least.) In perfect English, he said, "Here, we call them 'curls,'" and he pointed me to the correct product, si man.

heehee!

[nab 74]

I'm automatically spoken to in Spanish when I'm in Ecuador, si man, probably because it's their national language.

Funny: On one of my recent trips to my favorite Mexican border town, I went into a pharmacy to look for a particular shampoo for Mrs. T-B., who has very curly hair. I mustered most if not all of my Spanish vocabulary and asked the pharmacist, "Tienes shampoo para pelo con serpientes?" ("Do you have shampoo for hair with 'snakes'?") and I made twisting motions with my finger. ("Snakes" is semicolloquial for "curls," in Ecuador at least.) In perfect English, he said, "Here, we call them 'curls,'" and he pointed me to the correct product, si man.

oh that is HILARIOUS! :rofl:

In Ecuador, also, there are two sets of prices -- Native & Gringo. I've gone into stores, identified what I wanted, gone out, told Mrs. T-B. (who then goes in & negotiates the "native" price), and gone in to buy the product at that price, si man. I wonder how many other countries are like that.

i can vouch for dominincan republic... lighter you are the more the price goes up (doesnt matter the nationality, whether you're foreign or dominican). blonde blue-eyed, you're paying premium which will be at least 4x. homes, meal at little roadside stop, doesnt matter. also more likely to get hit up by a cop for money.

but i might add, it is so worth it there just have to know what to expect and play along... beautiful and raw and wonderful place

Edited November 22, 2010 by nab

[TBoneTX 45,305]

i can vouch for dominincan republic...

Sounds as though Africans would have a field day shopping in that country, si man, given the financial proclivities of the Dominicanos.

Sidebar: The neatest term for "a native of the country of _____" is for Guatemala: Guatemalteco / Guatemalteca, si man.

[Colin&Lori 6]

well haven't been mistaken yet..since the two and a half weeks i was over there all her friends knew where i was from...

am from Newcastle so i have a Geordie Accent

but loads of Americans on xbox live (yes am a gamer lol) always think am either Scottish or Irish lol

will make sure to post an update on here when i finally move over and people have had a chance for my accent to be exposed

quite shy so don't really talk to people in public until i get to know them

[thongd4me 69]

well haven't been mistaken yet..since the two and a half weeks i was over there all her friends knew where i was from...

am from Newcastle so i have a Geordie Accent

but loads of Americans on xbox live (yes am a gamer lol) always think am either Scottish or Irish lol

will make sure to post an update on here when i finally move over and people have had a chance for my accent to be exposed

quite shy so don't really talk to people in public until i get to know them

Most Americans (including myself) aren't sharp enough to pick up on regional accents from the UK,

but if you're from the UK they will most likely say English or British.

The British-derived accent that I mostly fail to identify correctly is probably South African.

I can't for the world distinguish between Aussies & Kiwis.

[Colin&Lori 6]

Most Americans (including myself) aren't sharp enough to pick up on regional accents from the UK,

but if you're from the UK they will most likely say English or British.

The British-derived accent that I mostly fail to identify correctly is probably South African.

I can't for the world distinguish between Aussies & Kiwis.

I know which is very understandable because am sure I would fail to identify the state an American was from by there accent (although am sure i could get a few correct lol)

it doesn't bother me though I don't mind getting mistaken for Scottish or Irish but I will correct them and say am from Newcastle

[thongd4me 69]

I know which is very understandable because am sure I would fail to identify the state an American was from by there accent (although am sure i could get a few correct lol)

Get any film clip of any Kennedy's speech and you'll have

the "Baaston" accent down pat in no time.

it doesn't bother me though I don't mind getting mistaken for Scottish or Irish but I will correct them and say am from Newcastle

Actually if you say Newcastle Americans might think that is somewhere in Florin (the Princess Bride)

The first reaction might be "what state is Newcastle in?"

The obvious reference to Florin of course, is derived from Billy Crystal's famous words:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-8kc3-VG4g

[TBoneTX 45,305]

The British-derived accent that I mostly fail to identify correctly is probably South African.

You and I should probably attempt such identification as a team, because I can identify South African in a flash, howzit man... and this after 21 years of not socializing with any of them (not for any reason other than not being around any of them, no man). I have trouble with other such dialects, except perhaps strong Cockney.

[thongd4me 69]

You and I should probably attempt such identification as a team, because I can identify South African in a flash, howzit man... and this after 21 years of not socializing with any of them (not for any reason other than not being around any of them, no man). I have trouble with other such dialects, except perhaps strong Cockney.

The last South African I met (in a Bangkok hotel) seemed to be a pleasant enough bloke; we exchanged email addresses.

When I returned to NY he sent me an email asking for a job because I told him where I worked.

I don't have any pull with HR; in the old days I was able to help an ex-girlfriend get a job but those days are long gone

with new regulations and procedures in place.

I directed him to the website to make an application and haven't heard from him since.

It's not likely he'd get a reply if he would chat me up again.