Two years ago, during the first semester of my first year in the Guidance Office at the high school, one of my Student Peers said to me (with a hint of a smile on his face): "Mrs. Anderson, you scare Chinese people." (Our District demographic is 68% Asian.)
Me: "What?? What do you mean, I scare Chinese people??"
Steven: "When parents walk in the office, you're too much. You are too enthusiastic. Your eyes get real big. You say, 'HI!! HOW ARE YOU?? CAN I HELP YOU??' They don't like that. You need to talk softer. You scare them."
Fortunately, Steven is Chinese. I decided to scare him every day after that. With the hint of a smile on my face, of course.
