Quote:
Originally Posted by costello
I'm also very curious, and I'm sure I've asked foreigners where they're from. I'd never ask that of someone who spoke with an American accent though. I assume they're from here. To assume otherwise merely because they look Asian or something is just rude IMO.
My sister introduced me to the word 'xenophilia' - the opposite of 'xenophobia.' I think I'm a xenophile.  I'm just drawn to foreigners. I remember in my first week of university (I came from this tiny, all-white Kansas town), I saw this swarthy-looking guy in class and immediately buttonholed him and asked him all about his country (Pakistan) and tribe (the Afridi). After we'd been talking for about an hour, he told me I was the first female he's ever talked to who wasn't his relative. And he was like 20 years old! I hope I left him with a good impression of my gender.
I suspect part of his problem is he has huge issues around race. Also, his dad abandoned him. So, these questions are inherently painful for him. |
Usually when I ask someone where they are from I'm literally expecting Michigan or Wisconsin or whatever...being at a university people in these jobs move frequently as part of the education process and its pretty common to ask what schools people went to etc. Sometimes people volunteer more about their backgrounds or sometimes I know because its in their cv or they are from outside the country and we have to deal with J1 paperwork or whatever. I'm not typically like oh you're tan where are you or your family from. I think part of this is spending the last 20 years of my life at a university if someone is actually from this city that in itself is quite unusual and I will then ask for restaurant recommendations or possibly mechanics...so regardless of actual origin its a useful conversation starter.
But given that you ran up to someone you understand what I'm trying to get at in the second post...people generally start the convo because they are really interested in you and just want to talk to you. These are the people I'm not worried about. Now the guy who thinks I'm a female and likely to get knocked up and be off work to deliver and tosses my cv...that's the guy I'm worried about.