Please Explain

I don't understand the Kiwi compulsion to make a point in telling me they hear my "American accent" at every opportunity they get. I wonder if they say that to white people (or even dark people) with American accents. I wonder if they know there are gazzillion Asian Americans, too. And I wonder how the many (and there are many) Canadians in New Zealand feel every time they are asked if they are American.

Nothing wrong with being American or Canadian, and likewise, nothing wrong with the various American accents, though I do find the Southern/Texan particularly charming, even though I don't understand much of it. But then I like Scottish and Irish accents, too. Whatever.

Makers of this most boring remark cut across all socio-economic-educational backgrounds of these tiny islands. I've been in this country for 14 years now, and I only lived in the US for 10, and mine is no longer a pure American accent, and my vocabulary and sometimes even the spelling have become Kiwi-aized. I found it mildly amusing the first couple of years we were in New Zealand, but I am so sick of it I now automatically loose all respect for the sayer and interest in continuing any polite conversation, and have physically walked away from people mid-sentence.

Today it was a clinical psychologist who chortled those words. She is trying to give me a psychometric test because I had a little scary experience a month ago. (Looking back, it was more hilarious than scary, but anyhoo.) We were just talking about how alienated I feel living in Nelson as an Asian, and trying to make art (e.g. mostly alone in my basement), and how, as Asian-looking people, we will never be accepted as real Kiwis until or even after our dying days. And she got curious as to where I've lived in my life and Bang!, the accent thing.

We were just talking about alienation, weren't we? Being reminded of how I sound continuously by people who barely know me - now that's another good reason.

Not that I'm complaining. These are the Kiwi ways, and when in Kiwiland... I sometimes wished I spoke Japanese-English Kiwis expect, like Ben, so even though they might not understand a word I say, they won't have to remind me I look one way but sound another.

Still, I'm told Kiwis have the highest rate of passport issue per capita.