I am too tall and too white to be in Vietnam

I thought I could fit in - but it it is proving to be difficult.

First story comes when we are entering Cu Chi min tunnels. The price for entering is lower for locals and the driver helped my family buy local tickets thinking that we could pass as locals. We begin walking up to the entrance with the tickets - my dad hands them over, speaking in Viet. Now let me paint the picture - my aunt, dad, and mom, CAN speak Viet. My two cousins LOOK Viet, in fact, one is so tan he looks like he grew up there all his life, and the other is wearing a typical farmer's cone hat. And then there is me - pasty white and sweating.

I know enough Viet to get by - I can listen and understand but can rarely respond. So the guard looks around at everyone and says "it looks like you are not all locals."

Dad, in viet: "what are you talking about, of course we are."

My tan cousin - who knows absolutely no Viet is freaking out and thinking - don't ask me any questions.

Guard: " what about this one." points to me, "where are you from?"

Me: oh my god, my heart is beating like a rabbit's, and you can feel everyone around me holding their breath saying oh no. Thank god I understand what he is asking and I know I can respond: "I'm from here" - I say, glaring at him. Everyone sighs a breath of relief.

Eventually - we get let in, and our family tells us only to speak in Cantonese because there are many Chinese -Vietnamese in Vietnam. So, conversation among the younger generation, i.e. me, is limited throughout the tour. AND since he thinks we are 'locals' - we get the whole thing in Vietnamese.

In the end, he let us in -