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How do you answer the question “Where are you from?” from a Non-TCK?
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I’ve been doing some thinking about a problem many TCKs have and would like your input.
How do you answer the question “Where are you from?” asked by a non-TCK or monocultural person, when you’ve just arrived in a new country or have only lived there for a year? What is their responses and what do you talk about?
In your experience, do they find your background interesting and say: “Oh wow, you’ve traveled a lot. That’s interesting.” but have difficulty relating to your lifestyle? Do you find it difficult to relate to them?
I’d love to see some actual conversations, their responses, and what do you talk about.
Here’s an example: (MN = monocultural)
MN: Where are you from?
TCK: I’m from Japan, but I grew up overseas.
MN: Oh, that’s interesting. I’d love to go there one day.
Where does the conversation go from there?
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15 Responses to “How do you answer the question “Where are you from?” from a Non-TCK?”
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June 10th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
lol that makes me sound so rude, but years of hearing the same question can wear on you a bit.
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June 10th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
LOL Priyanka, that’s too funny.
“Mine’s usually pretty short.
“Hey, are you Indian?”
“No. Bye” ”
hahaha
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June 10th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Pri — i whenever i meet someone who knows where Mauritius is (which is hardly ever) and i explain that my mum is from there i get the
“But she can’t be Mauritian! She’s white!”
To which i say “Yeah, i know. But she is. The whites make up about 2% of the population.”
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June 13th, 2008 at 11:53 am
I’ve answered this question many ways. Sometimes I would answer one country to one person and another country to another, sometimes I would rant off a list of countries or cities I’ve lived in, sometimes I would rant off a list of the ethnic backgrounds of my parents. However when around mono-cultural people (especially in Europe) I try to hide my TCKeness. It’s just too complicated being a TCK around people who aren’t. You just either end up being perceived as weird or snobby or both… Unfortunately…
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June 13th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
what i’m beginning to hate is the looks i get from people especially on transit. they stare and stare as though they know me. but they don’t. and they might approach you speaking x language expecting you to understand. if you don’t respond, they get all offended or they get up in your face. what’s up with that!?
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