I’ve done this a couple of times, once with a ROTC cadet whose parents were white and desi, once with the ambiguously brown guy at the front desk at my gym. It’s embarrassing, you go from ‘why is this person being excessively friendly’ to ‘I can’t believe I missed that.’

hmm…I never hear Spanish or Hispanic folk talkin’ about how they get mistaken for desi on the reg?!? (And don’t tell me it’s just because they are more Latinos hear than Desis)

I used to know a hispanic girl who was often mistaken for desi, by other desis. I suspect it was by really fresh FOBs (mean no disrespect… i’m one) who were eager to meet other desis.

Also: Netaji, good to know that you’re alive.

And, more about desi-diaspora in Surinam : http://www.saxakali.com/indocarib/sojourner6.htm

• London. New Year’s Eve Party. This guy told me, “I’m sorry – it’s just so weird that you look like THAT and have an American accent.” What was even funnier is that he was an East Asian Brit, so I was able to say “Um, ditto!”

• Paris. French grandma out of central casting (slightly stooped, rolled stockings, perma-cardigan) mistook me for French. She told me not to wear a backpack because it made me look like an American tourist, but that she knew I wasn’t because of my shoes. (NB: Don’t wear sneakers if you are trying to “blend in” unless you are actively running or rockin’ a truly sportif outfit.)

• The Tube in London. Someone asked me for directions. Gave them in my very American accented English. Someone else asked me for other directions. Repeat. Repeat. This truly shocked me b/c everyone on that train knew that I was not British, let alone from London.

• Hostel. I knew it would happen, and when it did, I knew the “accused” would be American. This guy from Iowa told me, “Your English is pretty good, actually.” I said, “Yeah, it should be, I’m American.”

-D

I noticed that in Amsterdam too the first time I went there when I was 18 I saw Desi’s everywhere and I was thinking whats this man who are these Dutch Desi’s? So after a long day’s smoking I bumped into a Sardarji who owned a shop and he explained that they were from this strange place called Surinam. And then I ate three Danish pastries, french fries and Hot Dogs and stared at a tree.