Where are you from?
I was getting my hair cut at SuperCuts on Saturday when the nice Syrian lady cutting my hair innocuously asked me that question. It’s one I often hear, and yet it’s surprisingly difficult to answer.
If you don’t know what I mean, consider the context. I was born in Maryland, I’m most recently from Michigan and currently live in the Chicago suburbs. When, I’m traveling, I think that ‘Chicago’ is a sufficient answer to get to the meat of what the other person wants to know. When I’m not traveling, though, the question is a little bit different. I don’t think any of the three answers above are sufficient for what the other person wants to know. Now, throw in the fact that most white people getting a haircut don’t typically get asked where they are from (barring a thick accent), and I think you get the true gist why I’m being asked that question. Read the rest of this entry →