I AM COLOUR BLIND! ARE YOU?

I remember moving to Norway at the tender age of 5 years, during the late 70s. Being of mixed origin (half-Norwegian and half-Arab with a tropical mix of Bugis, Chinese and Indian) was not normal.

When I started schooling, some kids called me ‘Neger Rumpe!’ (Negro butt). As I grew older, learned the language, and started playing football, I became one of them. During my long-hair days, many thought I looked (and run) like the famous Norwregian footballer Rune Bratseth.

Well, my best friend’s mother thought I looked like the African American 9-time Olympic gold medalist sprinter/jumper Carl Lewis. I thought that was quite cool, because he was one of my favourite athletes of all time. Also, I used to run really fast, but not that fast!

Then I moved to Malaysia in my twenties, and here nearly every local citizen called me 'Mat Salleh' or white man! How ironic!

However, I remember one local Chinese girl asking me at Stamford College (attending a 3 months English course), “Are you Chinese?” Seriously?

After watching Rocky 4 with some brothers at University (IIUM), my Afghan friends thought I looked like the Russian boxer Ivan Drago. At that time I was doing a bit of weights, but my body was nothing like that. Looks? Seriously, no!

Most Bosnians at IIUM thought I was Bosnian. Some Albanians thought I was Albanian. In addition, I have been mistaken for being Jordanian, Turkish, Palestinian, Syrian, Iraqi, etc.

So, I can firmly say I feel and I am colour blind. Or perhaps, you all are colour blind?

Who am I? Al-Hamdullila, I am a Muslim of mixed heritage. Yes, I am British, too!