The advantage of being caucasian

It’s funny what you get accustomed to, in just 6 weeks of being in the Philippines.  Being the only non-Filipino at church, being one of maybe 4 women out of 100 people in the Hong Kong airport lounge, being stared at by children (and adults) and just generally being a novelty because my hair is not dark and my eyes are blue instead of brown.  In some ways, looking different is an advantage.  I often get preferential treatment here, rightly or wrongly, and I am somewhat concerned to find that I am getting accustomed to it.  Before leaving Cebu, I went to a touristy shop in a mall to buy the prerequisite gifts to take home to Canada.  Touristy shops are, apparently, accustomed to Caucasian foreigners and I was a little surprised to not receive the excellent level of service to which I am now becoming accustomed! 

This is a poster in the public area of the 12th floor of our building, where our office is.  It's advertising office space for a new building in the area and it makes me laugh every time I see it.  Note that the proud fellow in the picture is caucasian...