ARE YOU ETHIOPIAN/SOMALIAN?

If I could get a dollar for every time I have been asked this question, I would have made a fare sum by now! It's at the point now where I can anticipate when someone's gonna ask me. That's because 9 times out of 10, it's usually being asked by someone from one of the two countries.

The normal scenario is, I'm out and about somewhere, maybe an airport or out shopping and I see them start to look at me. It's kinda funny actually. You know how black people acknowledge one another here in the US even if they don't know each other with a head nod or something, it's pretty similar to that. We don't really do that in The Bahamas because almost everyone is black and so you'd be nodding all day:) But I see them looking, wanting some kindred acknowledgment like, yeah you're part of the clan, the group and I'm trying to make eye contact with you. Sometimes I'll play a game and purposefully avoid the eye contact and then other times, I nod and play along and pretend that I'm one of them, lol.

The eye contact however, if made, is then usually followed by someone approaching me and asking me, usually in a foreign tongue, but sometimes not, if I am either Ethiopian or Somalian. Even if they speak in their language, I will answer immediately and just say no I'm not, which is then usually followed by a puzzled look or even the actual question, "Well if you're not, how do you know what I just said?" My answer, "because I've been asked this question a hundred times".

In my personal assessment of why this is the norm for me, I guess I've figured out that it's a combination of my eyes and my forehead, both not the smallest, lol and my hair. Anyway, I take it as a compliment because I like how their women look.

I figured I'd post a pic of myself along with some women who are actually from these countries and you can decide for yourself if the comparison is so frequently warranted.

Somali Woman

Ethiopian Woman

Ethiopian Woman

Me


I think I look like a combination of both....