Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally find it rude for someone to ask me where I'm from, which implies that I am somehow other than someone who belongs. Yes, I get that this sounds sensitive, but the only people who have asked me where I am from are tourists who assume I'm on vacation, too, or someone who is native to DC and wants to make sure everyone knows that they are a true native.

Born in Atlanta, lived 30 years in DC. DC is my hometown.

DC is not your hometown unless you were raised there. Very simple. And you will be called out on it because people can tell

Anonymous wrote:By the time I was 18, I lived in 7 different cities/states/countries.

What's my hometown?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was adopted from China. Haven't spent more than a week in China since I was an infant. I've had way too many conversations with racists that go like this: "So where are you from?" Me: "Chicago." Them: "No, where are you REALLY from?" "Well, I'm from a neighborhood on the far northside called Ravenswood." "No, I mean where is your family from?" "My dad is from Chicago. My mom's from Cleveland. Most of my family lives in the Chicago area or Ohio." *deep sigh* *frustration* The implication that I'm not REALLY American and the continual probing. OP reminds me of those people.

+1

+1

I’m half-South Asian/half-White-American-came-over-on-the-Mayflower, with a South Asian name, an American newscaster accent (i.e., none), was born in the US, and lived in various places in the US — middle school and high school in one of the embarrassing states in the US, and my parents still live there. But I’ve lived in the DC burbs for longer than anywhere else (yikes).

I can tell when people are asking out small talk or legitimate, non-nasty, curiosity, and when they are really asking “why are you brown with a funny name?”

I rarely get the “no, where are you REALLY from?” in the DC-area, but I got it a LOT in Texas and small towns in the mid-west0-. They were really friendly when asking though, so maybe that means it’s okay?

Anonymous wrote:My husband lies about odd things like this. I've tried to break him of this habit because it's embarrassing when he is caught in the lie.
In his case, he does it because his parents were alcoholics and he just grew up lying about everything that went on in his home, so now lying about something relatively trivial seems as natural as telling the truth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was adopted from China. Haven't spent more than a week in China since I was an infant. I've had way too many conversations with racists that go like this: "So where are you from?" Me: "Chicago." Them: "No, where are you REALLY from?" "Well, I'm from a neighborhood on the far northside called Ravenswood." "No, I mean where is your family from?" "My dad is from Chicago. My mom's from Cleveland. Most of my family lives in the Chicago area or Ohio." *deep sigh* *frustration* The implication that I'm not REALLY American and the continual probing. OP reminds me of those people.

+1

Anonymous wrote:Why would I care if someone doesn't want to answer this?

Maybe the person had a shitty childhood and doesn't want to think about it at all. Maybe the person is used to getting stupid questions about their country/city/town and would prefer just to avoid the conversation.

I can't imagine why I'd want to force someone to answer this if there's a reason they'd prefer not to. Who cares, OP?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I've started asking people "where did you grow up?" Everyone wants to seem like a lifelong urban dweller, and they will do anything to maintain that illusion. It's kind of sad.

Seriously why do you care? Those who are fixated on this seem like the nosiest, most status-obsessed, people. And I'm someone who answers that I'm from Florida because I am. But I don't care how other people answer, I'm just making conversation.

Because I'm curious about other people and knowing where someone grew up gives you an important clue to their identity? I mean... duh?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:? It’s not a lie, it’s a different way of answering the question.

It is a lie, ESPECIALLY if it's asked in that same city they're currently living. The obvious implication is "where did you grow up/ where are your roots". People trying to find out the town that truly raised and shaped you.

it's disingenuous at best, and I'm curious why anyone would engage in it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP could you tell me where I’m from? I’m American.

Ages 1-4: Buenos Aires
5-7: Nairobi
8-11: Tunis
12-13: Kuala Lumpur
14-16: Lima
17-18: Mexico City
18-22: New Haven
22-25: NYC
25-28: Palo Alto
28-30: San Francisco
31: London
32-35: NYC again
36-present: DC

Not OP. Certainly there's not just one place in your situation. So you say that you've lived all over the world from day one. And that's really cool. In my experience, people lie when they don't want to admit to or to talk about where they are from. Or maybe they just want to move on to another topic. Not because they can't figure out how to answer the question. Although maybe I'm wrong.

My kids have a background like yours. I do too to a certain extent. It invites a lot of stereotyping and is tiring to get into at times.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP could you tell me where I’m from? I’m American.

Ages 1-4: Buenos Aires
5-7: Nairobi
8-11: Tunis
12-13: Kuala Lumpur
14-16: Lima
17-18: Mexico City
18-22: New Haven
22-25: NYC
25-28: Palo Alto
28-30: San Francisco
31: London
32-35: NYC again
36-present: DC

So I am someone who asks people where they're from just as an ice breaker. It's not a litmus test, just something to talk about with someone I don't know well. (I'm not a big movie, tv or music person so I have to rely on this!) If I've been there, I might follow up saying something in common. If I haven't, I might ask about it. But people who grew up all over the world actually have the most interesting upbringing to those of us who basically grew up in one house.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP could you tell me where I’m from? I’m American.

Ages 1-4: Buenos Aires
5-7: Nairobi
8-11: Tunis
12-13: Kuala Lumpur
14-16: Lima
17-18: Mexico City
18-22: New Haven
22-25: NYC
25-28: Palo Alto
28-30: San Francisco
31: London
32-35: NYC again
36-present: DC

Not OP. Certainly there's not just one place in your situation. So you say that you've lived all over the world from day one. And that's really cool. In my experience, people lie when they don't want to admit to or to talk about where they are from. Or maybe they just want to move on to another topic. Not because they can't figure out how to answer the question. Although maybe I'm wrong.

Anonymous wrote:Aspen Hill. I don’t think I need to explain.