Genealogy / Polish looks? [1464]

I am very dark. I have mostly Polish roots, but my mother is half Russian. I am often mistaken for a Latino or as Middle Eastern. The other day, I went into an Iranian store and the person at the counter started speaking Farsi to me. It happens to me all of the time. Anyone who is relatively dark, thinks that I am one of them.

I have dark hair, olive skin (I get a very dark tan in the summer, darker than most people and very quickly) dark eyes and very pronounced cheekbones. Its problematic when kissing friends "hello" as they get in the way. People are always asking me what my origins are. They are perplexed by the answer. Its to the point where its a little bit irritating. No one believes me.

I found a photo of a man from an obscure Siberian tribe and he shares an extraordinary resemblance to my father, yet my father is Polish! Therefore, I probably have this on both sides; its not necessarily a "scratch a Russian get a tatar" situation.

I wonder if other people whose origins are from south-eastern Poland (kresy) share these qualities?