The "where are you from?" question

Aloha everyone! I have a question for any expat that has had a series of "homes" in the US prior to moving.

When I was over visiting my DF last time, I ran into an American couple. They seemed overjoyed to see (hear) me, and immediately asked me where I was from. Because in American, that's what we do! Heehee

Now, I don't want to speak for every American, but in my experience when someone asks "where are you from?" they are really asking: "where do you live?" They do not necessarily want to know your birthplace, or where you went to college....they want to know where you currently live. If you went on vacation to New York City and a local asked you where are you from, you wouldn't say "well, I was raised in Kentucky, but currently I reside in Washington." Ummmm...that would just be plain silly.

Going back to the American couple I ran into...I told them "I'm from Hawaii." and then we conversed awhile about what all they did during their last trip out to the islands. It was pleasant, but I was sensitive to the fact that my fiance had shot me a subtle "wtf" glance.

Later on, he pulled me aside and asked me (in the lovely British nonchalant way) why I had told them I'm from Hawaii. After all, I was born in Montana. Why would I lie to them?

Sigh....

What's a girl to say?

And that brings me to you all, with your infinite wisdom as "the ones that have gone before".  What is the correct way to answer the where are you from question in England? Take a brief history of my life as an example. I was born and raised in Montana, spent two years knocking about in California, took a four year tour of duty in the Army (stationed on the east coast), lived five years in Colorado, four years in Chicago and now three years in Hawaii.

So.....where am I from? Montana? Hawaii? All over???

Yes, technically I could say I'm from Montana, but lord help me if someone started launching into any conversation about that state. I haven't been there in 17 years!

I'm wondering how best to answer when I run into this conversation during my visits prior to moving, and also how to answer it after I move. At that point do I just default to my birthplace and hope no one asks questions?

Any advice or similar experiences would be welcome.

Mahalo!

How about 'I live in Hawai'i now but I've lived all over the US' ?  There's no "should" about it though ... whatever you feel comfortable with. As you say, you don't necessarily want to reel off your life story to everyone you meet.

I think you can say whatever the heck you want.  That's my theory, anyway. And if I had lived somewhere more interesting than Dallas, Texas (like Hawaii!) then I would certainly say I was from Hawaii! Well, actually maybe I wouldn't, because then you would get more of these comments - "Why on Earth would you leave Hawaii to move to England??!!!"  And then maybe some questions about Obama, since I get asked about Bush all the time since I'm from Texas.   

I'd probably phrase it as "I moved here from Hawaii" and wait for the inevitable exclamations of disbelief over why on earth anyone would move to England from Hawaii. 

I loathe this question for exactly the reasons you mention.  Generally, I say I grew up in Wisconsin but have lived in many places.   

I don't mind the question at all because I haven't lived that many places, and I think it's nice when people take at least a polite interest in you.  Plus I enjoy friendly chit-chat.

So I'll say I'm originally from Kansas, lived in south Florida for awhile, and now I'm here. 

Most British folks here are surprised because they have never met/known someone from Kansas (if they even know where it is).  Or, like last weekend in Harrods (where the Xmas window theme this year is the 70th anniversary of the Wizard of Oz film) - "Wow! So you're a real life Dorothy!"  Lol!

I find when I say "I'm from Chicago", people tend to say later "So you live in Chicago?" and then I have to say "um, no, I'm from Chicago but now I live in Connecticut..." blah blah. So I usually just answer the question with "I live in Connecticut."

"My dad was in the military, so we moved around a lot.  I went to high school and university in Texas, and my family still lives there, so that's what I call home."

I've said it enough that I don't even have to think about it anymore when somebody asks.  

p.s. I used to work on a cruise ship, and sailed the Hawaiian Islands several times.  Hawaii is one of my favorite places on Earth.

I say, "I was born in Wales, but have lived all over the place."

If they want more details, they ask and I'm happy to launch into the whole saga. 

I just say, I'm from NYC, or from just outside of NYC...I say go from the last place you were, or unless you enjoy making small talk with strangers, like I do, give them a bit more information. I enjoy the attention, unless I am in a rush, but after a while, you will have a bit of a "script" that you will do.

I usually say "I moved here from Boston but am originally from North Carolina" or something to that effect if it's someone I think I'll have regular, non-work related contact with in the future.  I find that people are more interested in knowing where I moved from, plus Boston is where my fiance and I met/lived before he got his job back over here, so a lot of times I will just say Boston and leave out the NC bit entirely since that's the answer that really sums up what most people want to know--which I've discovered always consists of where did I work before I came here, how did my fiance and I meet, why did I move here, do I get homesick... all of which only really apply to Boston.  I also find it easier to talk about Boston since everyone is familiar with the city, but when I mention North Carolina, every British person responds by naming a beach in SOUTH Carolina that their brother's sister in law once went to on vacation, and then I have to respond with "Oh yes, that is a lovely beach, but that's in South Carolina and I'm from North..."

I take it more to mean "where did you grow up, live for the longest?"

I lived the last ten years prior to moving to the UK in California.  That's where I tell people I am from. 

I usually say I was born in Brasil but grew up in Ohio. Those who have heard of Ohio don't usually ask why I would leave it!

I've only lived in two places before -- Tennessee and Rhode Island -- but the two are different enough that I feel compelled to mention them both. I tend to say "I was born in the South, but I lived near Boston for thirty years" because most Brits know Boston.