Anata wa Nippon-jin desu ka?

Whenever I stay over at Mr. J's place, I'd pop to the minimart downstairs to get my supply of Belgium beer, Twisties, Japanese green tea ice-cream and instant soba noodles.

I love the tiny minimart as it stocks a good variety of Japanese and imported foodstuff and most importantly cheap imported beer like Ottinger, Bavaria, Marten Pils. Cheap beer for me is a can of beer cheaper than the unjustifiable RM7.00 price tag of the 'brewed in Thailand' Heneiken.

I'm now a regular at the minimart; the staff would acknowledge me with a friendly nod as I step into the shop.

Yesterday, the Ah-Neh store supervisor asked me if I were Japanese? Korean?

'No lah, saya orang sini lah.' (No, I'm local)

'Oh, aku ingat apa hal pompuan jepun ni selalu beli beer?' ( Oh, I was just wondering why this Japanese lady here always buy beer) he replied sheepishly.

I guess it must've been my mandatory purchase of instant soba noodles and green tea ice cream that got him thinking I'm Japanese. Plus my hard-to-tan fair complexion and small eyes.

I get mistaken for a Japanese nationality all the time and at any place. It doesn't matter which country I'm at -UK, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong.

Once, I got a Japanese menu handed to me promptly at a Japanese restaurant in KL, much to my bafflement.

Hmm, maybe I should go take up Japanese again.

* Ah Neh - 'brother' in Tamil.
Anata wa Nippon-jin desu ka? - Are you Japanese?