15+ Ways to answer the Question: “Where are you from?”
Hi all, I’ve used most a lot of these myself 
I titled it 15+ becuse I want to hear your creative ideas of answers you’ve actually used and answers that would be fun to use!
15+ Answers to the Question: “Where are you from?”
- “Somewhere out there”
- Do you want the long version or the short version?
- Pick a country—any country!
- Are you asking where I was born, where I grew up, where my parents are from, or what kind of passport I have?
- When I find out I’ll let you know.
- Please don’t ask.
- Um, it’s kind of hard to explain…
- Do you have enough time for this?
- Technically, I’m from…but my parents are from…but I grew up…and I do/don’t speak…but I like living…but technically I’m from…
- Are you sure you want to know?
- That’s a tough question.
- You know, I wish I knew.
- Um, it depends.
- I don’t know.
- Well, all over the world really. Where are you from?
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I had to go through this today when meeting new people — I just mention the previous country, and where I grew up the longest. The neat thing is I found some people who grew up in the exact same countries, so hey, sometimes just listing all your countries works! You might just find someone who went there!
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February 3rd, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Hahah, I liked reading thru those. I’ve definitely used a lot of them when answering the dreaded “Where are you from?” question. I just always sigh (inwardly) when the question is asked because I know it’s not that straightforward for me as it is for most people. Especially in big gatherings, when people go around and ask this so-called simple question, expecting simple answers, and then it’s my turn… and I’m thinking, “Oh great, do I just pick one of my countries and pretend I’m solely from there to make it easier? Or do I just say I’m from India and leave it at that, even though I moved out when I was 5 and have never lived there since? Or do I say I’m from Indonesia since I spent 11 formative years growing up there? But I don’t LOOK Indonesian - that will just confuse everyone! Or do I just play it off like I’m from Boston or New York because I sure as hell sound as American as it gets? They will never understand how someone born in India, brought up in Indonesia, with parents living in Singapore now, could be just ‘American’ just like them! Okay, never mind, I’m just gonna say I’m from India, thanks to my obviously brown skin, and leave it at that. Yup.”
Hahah so yes, I have these inner conversations with myself all the time when this question arises. I’m sure all of us do!
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February 3rd, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Haha, that’s awesome! I think I’ll use one of those next time someone asks me
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February 4th, 2008 at 2:44 am
If I’m not going to have to talk to this person too much I just give them my passport country so that everyone can get on with their life.
If they say, “But your English….”
Then, I say: “I grew up abroad.”
Then the usual response is: “Oooooh that’s why your English is so good.”
This is the right timing to change the topic!
Then you can have a pretty normal conversation with this person.
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February 4th, 2008 at 4:37 am
I have a few friends well trained on my history (these people know how monotonous it gets answering the “where are you from?” question all the time) and when they are with me, i turn to them and get them to explain. Lazy i know, but sometimes it’s nice to have a breather!
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February 4th, 2008 at 7:52 am
HAHA! i’ve most certainly used quite a few of those =P
but right now, depending on my mood, i usually either answer ‘i hold a canadian passport’ or ‘i used to live in singapore’ since that’s the last place i was at before i moved back to canada
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February 4th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I like this inward dialog. I go through a similar one, but the “problem” is that I’m a white female, so I could easily say I’m from some American city (and sometimes I do) but I can never back it up, so I just say Tokyo, as if it’s a city in Indiana (as I’m sure my classmates assume) and move on… A little pathetic on my part? :/
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February 4th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
yup, for sure used the ‘you mean where I’m coming from, where I spent the better part of the last 10 years, my nationality, or where I currently call home?’ especially in airports, this can be funny…
I always say home is where I lay my head…
in Houston airport ‘06
“where you from?”
“between two vending machines in the San Fran airport”
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February 5th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Hi Sindhu! Haha. Like the time we told people we had been living in Lebanon, and they said, “Lebanon, Michigan?” …. and we were dumbfounded, because it never occured to us that there was Lebanon in Michigan, and because we were thinking globally, not nationally. So anyway, we were surprised with that one.
But as for saying where I’m from, I know the feeling of trying to decide on a country before it gets to my turn. You’d think I’d have one pat answer, but surprisingly enough, it really depends on the group I’m with.
I always think, “Should I say I’m Dutch, because that’s really the only ethnicity I can accurately claim? Or should I say I’m British because I only speak English, I was born in England, and I have a British passport, even though I am not ethnically British at all? Or should I try to explain where Mauritius and the Sheychelles are, or will it take too long and will I get too many stares? Or should I say that I was an MK and grew up many places? but then they’ll want to know where, and I have to go through the whole list, or else there won’t be time and I will be country-less…” and so goes the struggle, each time I’m asked the question.
Recently though I’ve been thinking I should say I’m Dutch, because I definitely have the European practical way of thinking/living, but on the other hand, I have the submissiveness of my dad’s culture, so… hm, I’m back to square one!
Anyway, a long response to your comment!
Thanks for sharing!
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February 5th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
I know! I had that in China, where whenver I was with one fellow foreign teacher, and they asked where I was from, he would always say “Don’t ask! It’s too complicated!” and then he’d sometimes rattle off the whole complicated story. He heard it so much he had it memorised! But it did give me a chance to just stand and smile
and not have to say it myself 
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