Soy guiri, no soy tonta

One thing that you become familiar with very quickly being a foreigner in any other country is the attitude of the people towards foreigners and in my case, Americans in general. I've had a wide range of reactions from people who realize I'm not a local, most of them being extremely positive. However, there is one reaction that always makes me want to shout to the nearest listener; "Soy guiri, no soy tonta!" ("I'm a foreigner, I'm not stupid!")

"What are you, not from here or something??"

The first type of person is the one who TRIES to make you feel like an absolute idiot. In my experience this person is almost always someone whose job is to perform a service for you (banks, supermarkets, bus drivers, post office workers, etc.) and they just simply hate being bothered by a guiri who will slow them down or throw off their groove. 

For example, that time when you forget to weigh your fruit at the supermarket before checking out... No words are necessary, the look says it all.             

I mean, I'm sure we've all been there: that moment when you witness an awkward situation with a foreigner and unconsciously associate their confusion with a below average intelligence level. I don't think it's purposeful, but I do think that it's at times a natural phenomenon to look down on or condescend to someone in your country who is having difficulty with either the language or a simple everyday task.

Fortunately, the learning curve is quick. Because this is my second year here I more or less have things figured out. I can get by in society without too many social blunders and I can usually not be noticed right away as a "guiri". That is, until I open my mouth and begin talking.

This leads to the second type of person I encounter: the one who condescends subtly and unintentionally. While they mean no harm, its safe to say that I don't like being treated like an idiot. When I am explaining something or asking a question in my accented Spanish and the person decides to attempt to respond in English I simply cannot stand it. While they might be trying to "help" by speaking to me in English, the reality is that my Spanish is always far, far better than their level of English.

The other day at a store I had to give my (American) zip code to complete a purchase. Because I haven't used it in months, it took me a minute to remember. I laughed and explained (in Spanish) to the girl that I was having trouble remembering, but she took it upon herself to attempt to explain further; "Post Code. Where you from." Did she think I didn't understand the question? What part of "I can't remember my post code" implies that I don't understand the question? 

   "I can't tell if you're stupid, or just a guiri."

Or when I buy a coffee, ask the price (in Spanish) and they respond with "Un euro. One," all the while holding up one finger. Yes, thank you for the hand motions, as if I speak neither English NOR Spanish...
Also, if I ask the price in Spanish, wouldn't the assumption be that I understand the answer in Spanish?

Granted, despite these annoyances that I have, the overall attitude of the people is very welcoming towards foreigners, and for this I am thankful. Also, sometimes us guiris deserve the reputation we get. We often do stupid things, ask stupid questions, and generally makes fools of ourselves. Many times the silly things we do [see video below] cause people to stop and stare and ask "why?". There really is no good explanation except, "Soy Guiri, a veces soy tonta." 

Enjoy!