I’ve noticed something lately while checking my stats and I have been wondering what’s going on. Most of the time when people google for certain things it has to do with TV shows or anything else that’s been recently in the media. What’s interesting in my case is the amount of queries coming from two different continents which is 20% of all queries leading to this website. It has been like this for a few weeks already and these searches make me wonder…

Recent queries:

• Eurasian faces [4 different searches]
• Eurasian clothing
• Eurasian clothes design
• Eurasian surnames [at least 5 times]
• Eurasians attractive
• Eurasian races photos
• Eurasians pictures
• Why are mixed blood people attractive
• Full Asian but look like Eurasian England
• Common cooking method used in Eurasian meal
• Are there alot of eurasians in australlia [I left the typos *hehe*]
• Eurasian faces more attractive
• Eurasian white baby pictures
• Mixed blood baby caucasian asian
• Eurasian ancestory, dutch, english

I read that in 2007 the Malaysian government had plans to reduce the number of Eurasian faces in advertisements which caused a stir among models and presenters. It’s interesting to see how some people seem to feel threatened by the ‘Eurasian look’, if there is one anyway. In parts of Asia, Eurasians carrying traits from both sides, are considered a beauty ideal especially in Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand.

I was adviced to register with model agencies age 16, back then one agency told me I was ‘too dark’. Their clients wanted fair-skinned/haired models so I was sent away, these days, they’re craving the ‘Eurasian look’. I remember I was upset about the discriminating remarks. When I told my dad he said to be always proud of who I am and ignore the narrow-mindedness and ignorance of others; what did they know about my culture[s] after all?

I am proud of who I am and I like my mocha tan, although it always tends to look yellow over wintertime. I’m proud of my exotic background and embrace it but I don’t want people to label me as exotic because I have a lot more to offer. I love to prepare the odd ‘rice table‘ because it’s part of me and not because it seems to be the ‘latest culinary rage -along with Sushi- among the [belanda] expats’ to show off at dinner parties.

I’m proud of my grandfather’s friendship with a headhunting Dayak and the sword that he was given in honour because he saved this Dayak’s life. I feel more Indonesian than Dutch, but I haven’t found a home country nor culture yet. I love a Kopi Toebroek and I wish it was warm enough in London to wear my sarong. I crave Soto Ayam and Rempejeh. I’ve never visited the Pasar Malam in the Hague but that doesn’t make me less Indo.

Despite of what some [Asians] seem to associate ‘Eurasian’ with, I’m not the daughter of a soldier and a pr0st1tvte; my dad was Indonesian and met my mother in the Lowlands, that makes me 50/50. At times I wish people wouldn’t feel the need to put one in a pigeonhole. Then I wouldn’t feel the need to identify myself, I would be ‘just’ me, balancing between two worlds and two cultures, embracing the best of both and be proud of both…

Then there would be less ‘Eurasian’ google searches since the name tag wouldn’t really matter.

Just a thought…