Are you German?

Today, during a break in the class I was instructing, a guy asked me if he could ask me a personal question. I got a little nervous, luckily the question was simply, "Are you German?" I told him that I was not, but thanks for asking. He said he was just wondering because I really reminded him of someone who he used to work with. I suppose that person was German.

I have been asked before if I was German. At that time, the person thought that my maiden name, Hocken, sounded German. It isn't, thanks for asking.

Today the question made me wonder if I look German. My new last name isn't even close to German, it is polish. My Stereotype of what Germans look like, is that they are tall and blond. The two Germans that I know are tall and blond. Maybe I AM tall and blond. Sure, I don't think I am, but I could come up with a whole philosophical argument about perception and just because I perceive myself as a 5'2" brunette, that doesn't mean that the rest of the world doesn't see me as a 5'10" blond. In fact, I am now sure that is how the rest of the world sees me. America's next top model, here I come.

Perhaps there is a slim chance that I am not perceived by others as a 5'10" blond. In that case, there is still one way I might be mistaken for German. Just this weekend my Grandma was talking to my two blond cousin in laws about how neat and tidy they are. I think she used the word immaculate. She suggested to the German cousin in law that it was because she was German. According to my Grandma, all Germans are immaculate and that is why Jenny is immaculate. The other immaculate blond cousin is not German. The thought is that she learned to be immaculate from her mother in law of German decent.

This leads me to believe, that people are mistaking me for German because not only am I a 5'10" blond, but I am also very neat and tidy and clean. I must dress very sharply and I must be amazing at cleaning house. Now, I never thought of myself this way, but it is obvious to me now that the confusion is only being caused by my faulty perception of myself.

Why have none of you told me that I am tall, blond, and immaculate? Is it because you figured I already knew? How do you perceive yourself? How do you think others perceive you?