As I was waiting for a taxi to go to the conference venue that I’m currently attending, there was a local tourist who was taking pictures with her camera phone. Then, she walked towards me and spoke to me in Mandarin. I don’t know what she was really saying but I immediately understood her that she wants to have her picture taken. She even told me how to take the picture with her camera phone. This is the power of using gestures as a tool for communication. She was pleased with her photo while I just missed a taxi that passed by.

In addition to that incident, we were having lunch in Island Breeze (one of the restaurants inside Horizon Resort Hotel and Spa) and the waitress spoke to me in Chinese. I absolutely did not understand whatever she was saying. Good thing was, the one seated beside me speaks Mandarin and she told me that the waitress thought that I’m Chinese and that the waitress was asking if I wanted some tea.

These are just the instances where somebody has mistaken me for someone that can speak and understand Mandarin. Apparently, a little percentage of Chinese blood runs through my veins.