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Nov 9, 2005 | 3:50 pm

#1

ALadyNCal

Join Date: Sep 2002

Location: Laguna Niguel, CA

Posts: 3,780

Q: "Where are you from?" A: Is your answer usually general or specific?

When you meet new people while traveling -- whether you're in the U.S., Italy or Australia -- it's one of the first conversational questions that come up:

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

How do you answer it? Do you mention the state you live in? The place you are originally from? Or the town you live in (which people may or may not recognize). Somtimes I say "L.A.", because most people are familiar with it, but I'm not really from L.A. -- I live 'in the vicinity' per se. I could just as easily say I'm 'from' San Diego (being geographically between L.A. & S.D.) but figure most people know L.A.

Of course, some people are probably just making conversation and 'don't care' where you're from

and "California" would be more than enough information volunteered.

I also think about how U.S. travelers might mention they are from L.A., Dallas, NYC, Boston, etc. and think most people know where those places are. Whereas if someone from a town in Germany or Japan tells me where they are from ~~~ I would probably (unfortunately) be clueless

So -- when someone asks you "WHERE ARE YOU FROM?" is your first instinct to be specific (town) or general (state or country)?

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