Mere words

I am generally a fun and easy-going girl, but there are a few things that I hear that make me uneasy. Allow me to elaborate.

"Oh, I thought you were White."
I get this alot from people with whom I've only communicated with online or the phone prior to the in-person meeting... usually from school or professional associations. I don't quite know how to take this. I know I come off as smart and fascinating -- so are they assuming that only "White" folks possess such characteristics? Do their perception of me change when they finally do meet me and see that I am not White?

Which brings me to the second most popular question directed to me.

"How do you say this in Spanish?"
I get this pretty often too -- especially around old Caucasian ladies.
I suppose my dark skin and jet black hair automatically makes me a Spanish-speaking person. Never mind that they haven't even met me, or heard me speak. None of those matter -- I look the part (whatever that is) so I must be able to help them translate.

"I thought you were taller."
This is blurted out by even good friends who are shocked that I am not 5'7". What things are associated with height, and how is it possible that even after being friends for a couple years, they suddenly realize that my actions and personality match those in a different height bracket. This is just another random comment I get often.

And most recently -- "He's only into Asian girls".
When I told my friend that I don't like guys who are narrowminded, he said something that he thought would probably ease things. "Some Asian guys don't think they can get White girls." Really now? If anything, this comment infuriated me even more. What?! Are White girls the ideal, but since these guys can't seem to "get" them, they instead settle for the second rate girls -- the Asians? Really?!?! Is this suppose to make me feel better? After years of prejudices, and Asian guys complaining that White men get their girls -- and Asian girls are objectified for being foreign, petite, and exotic -- they now openly say they'll settle for these same girls because the White girls won't even look at them? This is wrong in so many ways.