I agree. It's personal. I wouldn't be offended by such questions, but I've learned over the years that some people are, so I've learned to restrain myself.

I met this couple once in Topeka who both had heavy accents. I asked the woman where they were from. She gave me a dirty look and said, "Topeka." They weren't from Topeka, clearly, but I didn't argue. I just made a mental note that not everyone welcomes such questions evidently, and maybe I should curb my exuberance in the future.

I found the same problem with American accents. I find regional accents fascinating, but I've also learned that some people are ashamed of their accent or the region of the country they're from. So, I've stopped asking about that too.

My son, unfortunately, hates these questions. I say 'unfortunately,' because apparently something about him just invites people to ask. He also has a hard time saying 'no.' He feels obligated to give strangers a lot of personal information just because they ask.