When I went to Los Angeles for college, I had the following conversation countless times:
A: So where are you from?
Me: Minnesota.
A: No, I mean where are you really from?
Me: Minnesota.
I didn't set out with the intention of winding people up with my answer, and at times in the past I found questions like this ignorant, bordering on offensive. These days though, I just have to laugh at their confusion and revel in the fact that I'm challenging their assumptions and expectations without really doing anything except giving them a straight answer. Sometimes I even make a game out of it, to see how long I can continue answering "Minnesota" or "Minneapolis" before they come around to asking what they really mean.
My sister also came back from her study abroad experience in the Galapagos Islands with these gems of responses, especially useful for nosy strangers who, upon finding out you're adopted insist on asking:
A: So do you know your real parents?
My sister: Yeah, you know, I ate breakfast with them this morning
A: So do you know your real parents?
My sister: I don't know about you, but I live with my real parents.
The second one borders on being a retort. Sometimes that's necessary.
Sometimes though, it's nice to just sit back, add a little humor instead of anger, and watch people flounder in their own confusion. :)
I don't understand why people would be so incredulous you come from Minnesota.
ReplyDelete@Campbell: I think people in LA were generally so used to Asian people being from Asia that the idea I could be Asian and come from somewhere in the heartland kind of made them short circuit. :D
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