I can't seem to find the perfect answer to this question,
Are you chinese? To me, chinese means you were born
and raised in china.

I HAVE A REVELATION!! (all out of a sudden)

In that case, american means you are born and raised
in the States. Wait a minute, that makes me a ....... Malaysian!!
Let me rewind a little.

I was born and raised in Penang(Pulau Pinang) aka
the Pearl of the Orient and aka Prince of Wales Island.
Well, I was raised in the heart of Georgetown and the
neighbor are all Chinese??? No, the neighbor are all
Malaysian Chinese. Most folks over there speak Cantonese
and/or Hockkien/Fukien. So, me as a kid, speaks Cantonese,
yat, ee, sam, sei, mm........ (1 to 5 in cantonese)

When I was in primary school, I started to speak Malay and
the Queen's English. Actually, I went to Wellesley Primary
School. At one time, my neighbors always tease me, saying
that I am a 'ang mor kau' (white man in hockkien) since I can't
speak Mandarin and I can't read Chinese. ok..... To add insult
to injury, I go to church. That makes things even more
complicated and they teased me most of the time; He is a banana.....

Later on, I took some Mandarin classes. You see in Penang,
there is always a religious class everyday and they offered Islam.
I opted to take the Mandarin class instead, else I would ended
in the library figuring what to do but reading. It was fun!! Making
me more Chinese..... I suppose. In the end, I took Mandarin class
for 4 yrs. Every day, 40 minutes. WOW!!

As time goes by, I went to a prestigious secondary/high school,
Penang Free School. When I was there, I speak mostly English and
Cantonese and thus, my Mandarin became rusty. And then, I was
more involved with the church activities and in general, makes me
more ..... banana.....

So....... let me summarize again......
Are you Chinese? Where are you from?
(Here in the States, people always ask me.)

Well, that depends on how far you want to go? Tell me as much as
possible. Well, I am actually from....the Garden of Eden.

All right. Are you Chinese?
I am a Malaysian Chinese, from the Republic of Penang.

*** The truth, I am 96% Malaysian Chinese and 4% Portugese.

After living in Arizona for 4 1/2 years and 1 yr in the
San Franciso Bay Area, I am ................... (U tell me!!)

CIAO!!