When I was a kid, I used to live in a predominantly white neighborhood—mostly Portuguese, Italians, and Polish. Having only lived in Canada for a few years, I was still getting used to the different cultures that made up my school. And as a kid, I gotta admit I became self-conscious of the exotic foods that I brought for my classmate to see. You know, I'd take out my rice and chicken adobo or, literally, what I'd normally eat at home for lunch but in a packed container. And then you got my classmates bringing their Lunchables. Like, it's cheese and crackers with processed ham, and then sometimes they put in a chocolate bar. Like, what? Though it seemed like a meal to them, it didn't for me. But vice versa, they thought I was weird, too. My biggest concerns, though, revolved around the snacks I brought. You see, there's this Filipino snack called "Sweet Corn," and it has an uncanny resemblance to Corn Pops. I brought some to school one day in a sandwich bag, and a classmate come up to me and excitedly asked, "Hey! Can I have some? I love those."
我小時候住在一個幾乎都是白人的社區－－大多是葡萄牙人、義大利人和波蘭人。我只在加拿大住了幾年，所以那時還在習慣學校裡頭的各種文化。而且因為我還小，我要承認我很在意自己帶去班上的特色小吃。我會拿出我的白飯和菲律賓醬燒雞，或者平常會在家裡午餐吃的東西，只是包起來裝在便當盒裡。而我同學則是會帶速食午餐。裡面有起司、餅乾和加工火腿，有時候也會放一條巧克力。總之，問號？雖然他們覺得這可以當一餐，但我不行。不過相反地，他們也覺得我超怪。但我最擔心的還是我帶去的零食。有一種菲律賓零食叫做「甜玉米」，而且它長得超像玉米球。有一天，我裝了一些在便當袋裡帶去學校，然後有一個同學興奮地跑來問我：「嘿!我可以吃一點嗎？我很愛吃這個。」
And in my head, I'm like, "Wow! My non-Filipino classmate is not only aware of this Filipino snack but enjoys consuming it like I do. Nice!"
然後我心想：「哇賽!我不是菲律賓人的同學不只知道這款菲律賓的零食，還跟我一樣很愛吃。太讚了!」
She reaches in, takes a handful, and stuffs them in her mouth, chews for two seconds, and immediately changes her expression to disgust and regret.
她伸手拿了一把，塞進嘴巴裡，嚼了兩秒鐘後馬上變臉，一副覺得噁心和後悔的表情。
Ew, ew, ew! What is this?
噁、噁、噁心死了!這是啥？
Ah, Sweet Corn.
呃，甜玉米。
I thought it was Corn Pops. Ew, it's disgusting!
我以為是玉米球。矮額，好噁心喔!
You're disgusting.
你才噁心。
And later occasions, more classmates would repeat the same mistake even after being warned.
之後有好幾次，有更多同學也重蹈覆轍，即使我有警告過他們。
Oh, dude, I love those!
噢，老兄，我超愛這個!
Are you sure? I don't think it's what you think it is.
你確定？我不覺得這個跟你想像的一樣喔。
No, no. Corn Pops, right?
不、不。玉米球嘛，對吧？
No, no, no, no. Sweet Corn.
不、不、不、不對喔。是甜玉米。
Yeah, yeah. Sweet Corn Pops. Whatever. Can I have some? Uh, ew.
對啦、對啦。甜玉米球啊。隨便啦。我可以吃一點嗎？呃，矮額。
You didn't listen.
就跟你說你不聽。
Honestly, they probably only found it gross because it's not what they presumed it to be. The same thing happened when I brought those "Shrimp Chips," too.
老實說，他們可能是因為跟想像上有落差，所以才覺得噁心。我帶「蝦餅」去學校時，也發生了一樣的事。
Oh, man. Can I have a French fry?
噢，兄弟。我可以吃一根薯條嗎？
It's—they're not fries.
這－－這不是薯條。
Don't lie. Those are totally fries.
少騙人。這根本就是薯條啊。
I'm not. I'm really not.
我沒有。我說真的。
Ew. Ew, ew!
噁。噁、噁!
The f**k did I just say, you little b***h?
我不是說了嗎，小賤人？
註一：Corn Pops 是家樂氏出的一款球狀玉米脆片。
- 「相反地、反之亦然」- vice versa
Though it seemed like a meal to them, it didn't for me. But vice versa, they thought I was weird, too.
雖然他們覺得這可以當一餐，但我不行。不過相反地，他們也覺得我超怪。
