Stupid questions

Are you from the states? (it doesn't matter. I'm a human just like you)
How/why did you come here? (see above)
Do you like it here? Why NO I HATE IT HERE! I mean, really? I made the effort to move here, if I didn't like it, I either wouldn't have moved in the first place, OR I could easily go back.
Where are you from in the states? Why do you care if you're just going to look at me really blankly if I say New Hampshire then have to give geographical directions (a bit north and east of New York) to it?

I think I'm really tired of trying to explain how I got to the UK now. I've been here (except for about 7 months) since 2000. It's kind of getting old explaining it to every new person I meet. And really, isn't a bit racist? If I went up to someone who looked a bit asian and started asking them that sort of questions, I'd probably be accused of being rude at the very least, and racist at worse. I just would like to be accepted as a person not HEY LOOK AN AMERICAN! HOW DIFFERENT! HOW INTERESTING!

I don't know, I don't mind... I think people are really genuinely interested/curious! Given that most people find it really scary to even think of packing up and moving to a foreign country, I think they honestly do wonder what it's like and why someone would do it.

And racist?? No, not so much. I'm thinking they don't ask you based on what you look like but perhaps based on your accent - an accent that they might not hear that often....

That may be... but it's a topic I'd really like to avoid. And it may be down to accent as well, but I have a fairly neutral "generic" american accent (non regional) which seems to confuse most people anyway. I've gotten Canadian and Scottish as far as random guesses at my accent so far.

I need a badge that says "DON'T ask me about my accent!"  Or pin my life story to my shirt. Having to repeat it 5+ times in one evening is tedious.

Or just go back to being a hermit. But that doesn't avoid the checkout people.

Yeah... it's pretty annoying sometimes. Granted, I've only been here for a couple of months. But having a child in school opens the doors to a lot of large-scale social gatherings, and it gets really old when the thirtieth person in an hour walks up and says, "Hi, I couldn't help overhearing your accent. Where are you from?" and then all of the questions that follow. After a while I did feel like the new trinket on display, but I try to remember that people are usually just trying to be friendly and they really don't realize how often those questions get asked.

I wonder if it's harder being an American in some ways. There don't seem to be too many compared to all of the Europeans from various countries, so while everyone's used to hearing foreign accents, they're not as used to hearing American ones in particular. Don't know if this is true, really... just a guess.

I've only lived here a year, but I've been coming over since the mid Nineties. I find it kind of sweet, really.

The US has become such a favorite holiday destination for Brits -- especially at times when the exchange rate favors them -- they nearly always ask so they can then tell me about their experiences in 'Vegas or Disneyland or whatever. An awful lot seem to go to Boston and New England -- the parts of the US most like Britain, which I find hysterical.

One older woman in church (!) was breathless to tell me how AWEsome it was to go to a firing range in Florida and actually shoot a handgun. Yeah, I got an eye on that old bag.

Very seldom is it an entree to tell me something negative -- and even then, it's a complaint about those other Americans and I'm-sure-you're-not-like-that.

I suppose after a few years if it's still and always the first conversation I have, it'll get on  my nerves. But for now, I find it breaks the ice nicely. And they're always so proud of themselves for recognizing I'm not British...

answering questions about where you're from and your accent is just par for the course when you're an immigrant- it's just something that comes with the territory! *shrug*

I have been here in the UK for few months in 2006 and 6 months in 2008 and then 5 months this past year and now I am here for good..I live in a very small town where they don't get very many Americans. So I am a novelty...they always ask if I am Canadian first because the Canadians apparently get upset if you assume they are American lol..It doesn't bother me and them asking me those questions doesn't bother me. I agree with Anne R. I believe they are geniunely interested in where you are from. It is a different world to them. Someplace they may have only ever seen on tv...and if they happen to know the part of Pennsylvania I am from it is like we have something in common...I just figured that I will be getting these questions for the rest of my life. And sometimes it will help them to remember who you are if you stand out from everyone else. You kind of have to accept it when you are deciding to move here. People aren't going to stop being interested in you and where you are from...sure they may not know your exact location. But when they ask me where I am from originally then I ask them where they are from originally and sometimes they are from a different part of England and it is interesting to me...so it is a way to find out about other people and to have them find out about you...yes I do feel like I am on show sometimes...but it is part of my life over here...there are some concessions we made to come over here to be with our loved ones and that is one of them I guess....I am sorry that it is bothering you Akki...maybe once the people around you all know where you are from they won't ask you anymore...I hope it all goes well for you

Hey, at least people are talking to you! Some people come and post on here that British people don't talk or are too reserved!

I think in my new chosen career, I will have to smooze with new people quite a lot but the question is already wearing upon my nerves. It really is the first thing people ask.
I've also been visiting the UK since the mid-90s - when I was 15!

And maybe I was just blissfully unaware for the last few years of having a closeknit group of friends who don't need to know the whole story of my immigration.

Overall, this is akin to the mother-in-law I never wanted when I married her son... I married him because I love him. I moved here because I like it here, not to be bothered about my background because my background is not who I am right now. I am so much more than Just An American. or Just someone with a funny accent.

Actually I prefer reserved Brits.

Well if you ever go for British Citizenship you can answer the question of 'are you American' with 'Actually I'm British' and then watch the confused looks pass across peoples faces. I'm looking forward to that!   

Well if you ever go for British Citizenship you can answer the question of 'are you American' with 'Actually I'm British' and then watch the confused looks pass across peoples faces. I'm looking forward to that!   

Funnily enough, I was considering going for Citizenship then decided against it. I prefer being American in that sense.

Funnily enough, I was considering going for Citizenship then decided against it. I prefer being American in that sense.

I just look at it as having my cake and eating it too (regarding dual citizenship).

It depends on what mood I'm in. Sometimes I just don't wish to go through the whole series of questions. However, I've noticed that I don't get them as much as I once did. I've been here 7 years.

I had a colleague notice my accent the other day and ask if I was Canadian. I said no and he just looked at me like I was supposed to continue. I didn't want to but as he was one of the new partners and my office manager was right there I didn't feel I could be awkward about it so I went through the whole rigmarole of it.

But sometimes it's nice to be different and have that edge which other people don't have. You just have to catch me in the right mood.

I've developed the perfect reply for this question which, for me, comes in the form of "Brighton eh? Are you really in Brighton?"  When introducing myself with my name and location when taking calls at my job.... and that is this:

"No... Im really in Mumbai.... ya caught me!"

 

OMG nothing I love more than people asking me questions about myself, give me more opportunity to talk about my FAVORITE SUBJECT!!! MOI!!!

I love it, I love that so many people think I am interesting, I love that people want to know more about me, and I love telling people about myself and how much I love their hometown! I only love talking about one thing more than I love talking about myself...my son! Those are my two favorite subjects!