Cowboy

I received an email from one of the my student's parents yesterday that I had to share.

The email began quite typically, as you would expect:

Dear Jen,

[paraphrasing] Would you please work on this particular area of Math with my child this week, blah blah blah.

Then:

"Also, just to make you laugh, [my husband] asked [the student] yesterday what does Jen look like, and she answers: she's pretty, blond hair, thin like mama (made me happy although I'm not thin), and talks like a cowboy! That's how we figured you must be American."

All the best,

[student's mother]

So, yet again my American accent does me in. Being told I "talk like a cowboy" was a new one for me. Never before in my life have I felt so discriminated against and/or at least singled out for being American. Especially in such an international place as Dubai, I certainly don't think my appearance gives me away as American, Western yes, but American no. As soon as I open my mouth though I am immediately labeled. For better or worse, now I know what it feels like to be a minority.