Do I Look Lao to You?

An Asian face with a Lao sinh, but with distinctly un-Lao manners. Confusion sets in.

I'm not sure what all goes through the heads of the Lao around me, but so far, people have guessed that I'm Lao, half-Lao, or Japanese. Recently when I traveled with the Kiwi and Germans down south, our boat driver observed that they had "American nose," and I have "Japanese nose."

Mostly, I just walk/bike around oblivious to any looks or non-looks, but my friend Dave, for one, wishes I would pipe up a bit more because apparently when he walks with me while I'm wearing a sinh, either I get double-takes or he gets dirty looks from the Lao -- since it's illegal for foreigners to have intimate relations with Lao nationals...not that we're doing anything other than walking down the street.