I immigrated to the US at the age of 8. I’m Asian. I think I mastered the language at like probably 12 or 13.
I recall often in my life, people always assumed I didn’t speak English for some reason. Like before I had a chance to open my mouth, that question gets asked…
Not sure if it was because I was perhaps being quiet and unaware I was being quiet, so they made an assumption based on that, or if it had to do with how I look.
I kinda always felt a bit uncomfortable.
“Perpetual Foreigner” kind of.
I’m gonna give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it was just maybe I was quiet. But still. A white kid could stay quiet and I doubt the first thing a person assumes is oh he must not speak english.
Um… sorry if this is a weird ask, but those of you who live in immigration countries, have you ever been asked “Do you speak [Language of the country]?” Have you ever made an assumption about someone?
My mom immigrated to Canada from Ireland in the 70s and no longer has an accent. The amount of times other old white people talk negatively about immigrants to her is ridiculous. She never ceases to tell them she is an immigrant and how important all the people even now immigrating are for our country.
The only reasons our population grew was because of immigrants, without them who is going to take care of all the old people with children that are working so much they can’t raise their own families.