"You are from which country !!?"

torryquine · Jul 2nd, 2005, 20:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwanttogoback

BTW, i found the whole question and introduction thing charming, especially when the parents would get their children to shake your hand and tell you their names.

Me too. We never found it irritating. We would always reply "Scotland", some folk didn't know where that was, but most did. We took a bunch of little Scottish flags with us to give away to children. On New Year's Eve, we had dinner at a lovely hotel in Guwahati and sat with the Cross of St Andrew and the old Scottish flag (the red lion on a yellow backgound that you see at rugby matches) proudly displayed at our table, knowing that people would come and ask the question anyway.

torryquine · Jul 2nd, 2005, 20:57

Oh, I forgot to say, we also carried a little map of the world with us, so we could point to where we came from if people didn't know where Scotland was. And a couple of postcards with pictures of Aberdeen and the surrounding countryside.

jaybel · Jul 2nd, 2005, 22:11

Indians also get asked "where are you from? " especially when they notice how frequently we keep thanking people for each and everything

say please for small things ...

address everyone as "aap" and it goes on....
few years ago the question used to be " Do u come from there?" meaning abroad ! or we would be asked ...America? England ? and when the answer was "No"..they lost interest

But Thanks to Bollywood Switzerland is on the Map

agni5454 · Jul 2nd, 2005, 23:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by bijapuri

I used to say "Mexico," until I realized that I would likely be the only "Mexicano" most of them would ever meet. God forbid!!!! Nowadays I think India is one of the few remaining countries where being from America isn't a knock, so I let them know the truth.

lol, same here
in most places (esp in mid-east, france, etc) you get the dirty look when you say US. i just say Austria

but again, my passport is american, so they will eventually know

Theon · Jul 3rd, 2005, 02:04

I also get asked "Which country?" when entering tourist sites since I look Indian and they want to know if they should charge me the foreigner price or Indian price. Once I said "Canada" with an Indian accent and they gave me Indian price. I doubt it'll work at the Taj though...

jaldi-jaldi · Jul 3rd, 2005, 05:41

A most embarrassing situation I find myself as a German is the reply I occasionally get on my answer: 'Good. Very good. Adolf Hitler!' Some weird mixture of arianism and the desire for a strong leader who will clear up the mess...

dzibead · Jul 3rd, 2005, 08:28

You know how birders have a "life list" of all the birds they've spotted? I suspect that, unbeknownst to us foreigners, there's a secret hobby on the Indian subcontinent that parallels birdwatching, and they keep "life lists," too. C'mon, you Indian IM'ers - 'fess up!

Casey · Jul 3rd, 2005, 08:37

There were a few times when I replied I was from Canada I was asked "French" or English". One rickshaw driver in Udaipur insisted on speaking French to me. I am not sure what language he thought he was speaking but it certainly wasn't French. He got quite offended when I couldn't understand it and accused me of not knowing French.

Wocca · Jul 3rd, 2005, 08:49

Usually after I answered where I was from, the next question would be somehow related to cricket

Ikuru · Jul 3rd, 2005, 08:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theon

I also get asked "Which country?" when entering tourist sites since I look Indian and they want to know if they should charge me the foreigner price or Indian price. Once I said "Canada" with an Indian accent and they gave me Indian price. I doubt it'll work at the Taj though...

Is that you on the pic? Nice pic... No, Indians who are not reciding in India have a hard time getting in to the Taj without paying the Insane two billion rupie prize or whatever it is (1500rs?). There is a good lassie in agra though, thats about it. Taj and Lasie, all there is to it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaldi-jaldi

A most embarrassing situation I find myself as a German is the reply I occasionally get on my answer: 'Good. Very good. Adolf Hitler!' Some weird mixture of arianism and the desire for a strong leader who will clear up the mess...

Yeah Ivé heard of him...
He was some leader with a moustache right?

Good stuff!

machadinha · Jul 3rd, 2005, 09:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaldi-jaldi

A most embarrassing situation I find myself as a German is the reply I occasionally get on my answer: 'Good. Very good. Adolf Hitler!' Some weird mixture of arianism and the desire for a strong leader who will clear up the mess...

It was just Hitler was kicking the Brits' ass, there's little more sinister to it. It can take you aback I agree, it's happened to me and most travellers I'm sure. Of course the wilder esoteric sides of the Germanic revivalism entertained some links to Tibet and India and the likes, something Hitler is said not to have been a fan of.

You only need to open a random Indian paper today and see how the west is treated on page 9 much like the foreign section with our own less-renowned newspapers to see how relevant western politics is to the region. I found it quite enlightening really -- there is a world out there without us after all!

skell · Jul 3rd, 2005, 11:52

I arrived in India last year the day after election day and when my friend and I said we were from America, we almost always were asked who we voted for. But it was only out of curiousity and a desire to discuss politics. We were never judged or harassed by our answer which was: she voted for Bush and I voted for Kerry. In fact, I was quite surprised that Bush was actually fairly popular with a lot of Indians. At least, they seemed to like him more than I did.

sadhuji · Jul 3rd, 2005, 19:13

questions of this nature represent people who want to know you better, one question leads to another, commonalities are established so that a bond of sorts get created.

the bonds are usually temporary ones, but might last a lifetime. it all depends!

mika · Jul 12th, 2005, 06:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by sadhuji

questions of this nature represent people who want to know you better,

Well I don't know why I haven't heard that question so often,
I've tried different answers and sure it depends on which circumstances they ask it but usually when I say the fact that I'm from Finland (even when I say it in Hindi) they try some very bad Finnish phrases to sell something, which is REALLY annoying.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sadhuji

one question leads to another, commonalities are established so that a bond of sorts get created.

the bonds are usually temporary ones, but might last a lifetime. it all depends!

Indeed! The first night in Goa I went to drink some beer and I had to take a leak behind some bar and I accidentally met really nice Kashmiri
people there. Now that I'm back in Finland we keep in touch and hopefully in few months I get back there to have great time with them.

GoanCanuck · Jul 12th, 2005, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by mika

Indeed! The first night in Goa I went to drink some beer and I had to take a leak behind some bar and I accidentally met really nice Kashmiri
people there.

Was this at Bogmalo beach?

Jul 3rd, 2005, 02:04	#35
Theon Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 146	I also get asked "Which country?" when entering tourist sites since I look Indian and they want to know if they should charge me the foreigner price or Indian price. Once I said "Canada" with an Indian accent and they gave me Indian price. I doubt it'll work at the Taj though... __________________ My First Time to India

Jul 3rd, 2005, 08:49	#39
Wocca Ephemeral Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: In Transit Posts: 103	Usually after I answered where I was from, the next question would be somehow related to cricket __________________ Multi famam, conscientiam pauci verentur Many fear their reputation, few their conscience

Jul 3rd, 2005, 19:13	#43
sadhuji Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: nasik, maharastra Posts: 1,261	creating bonds questions of this nature represent people who want to know you better, one question leads to another, commonalities are established so that a bond of sorts get created. the bonds are usually temporary ones, but might last a lifetime. it all depends! __________________ mooning over a moon journey

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Jul 2nd, 2005, 20:57	#32
torryquine Oilfield Trash! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Aberdeen Posts: 700	Oh, I forgot to say, we also carried a little map of the world with us, so we could point to where we came from if people didn't know where Scotland was. And a couple of postcards with pictures of Aberdeen and the surrounding countryside.

Jul 2nd, 2005, 22:11	#33
jaybel Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: switzerland Posts: 161	Indians also get asked "where are you from? " especially when they notice how frequently we keep thanking people for each and everything say please for small things ... address everyone as "aap" and it goes on.... few years ago the question used to be " Do u come from there?" meaning abroad ! or we would be asked ...America? England ? and when the answer was "No"..they lost interest But Thanks to Bollywood Switzerland is on the Map

Jul 3rd, 2005, 05:41	#36
jaldi-jaldi Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5	A most embarrassing situation I find myself as a German is the reply I occasionally get on my answer: 'Good. Very good. Adolf Hitler!' Some weird mixture of arianism and the desire for a strong leader who will clear up the mess...

Jul 3rd, 2005, 08:28	#37
dzibead res ipsa loquitur Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,885	You know how birders have a "life list" of all the birds they've spotted? I suspect that, unbeknownst to us foreigners, there's a secret hobby on the Indian subcontinent that parallels birdwatching, and they keep "life lists," too. C'mon, you Indian IM'ers - 'fess up!

Jul 3rd, 2005, 08:37	#38
Casey Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 707	There were a few times when I replied I was from Canada I was asked "French" or English". One rickshaw driver in Udaipur insisted on speaking French to me. I am not sure what language he thought he was speaking but it certainly wasn't French. He got quite offended when I couldn't understand it and accused me of not knowing French.

Jul 3rd, 2005, 11:52	#42
skell Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: The OC Posts: 993	I arrived in India last year the day after election day and when my friend and I said we were from America, we almost always were asked who we voted for. But it was only out of curiousity and a desire to discuss politics. We were never judged or harassed by our answer which was: she voted for Bush and I voted for Kerry. In fact, I was quite surprised that Bush was actually fairly popular with a lot of Indians. At least, they seemed to like him more than I did.