A gruff white American stopped in front of me. “

China?”

“No, Malaysia.”

With raised eyebrows, he said, “All Asians look alike!” And walked away.

While traveling in Asia, the Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodians, and Taiwanese all claimed me as one of their own.

Is it true that all Asians look alike?

Kwan Kew Lai is an author, a Harvard medical faculty physician, an infectious disease specialist, a disaster response volunteer, an artist, and a runner.