How do you answer the question "Where are you from?"

[autumnbreeze27]

We live on our boat. We do not have a slip somewhere in our name, we are home wherever the boat is.

We left our home port on 10/1, and we are now at stop #3. Next stop is Mexico.

The other night we were out at dinner at a Chinese restaurant that got really good yelp reviews. The waiter said "Your first time here?" We said yes. He asked where we were from?

That was complicated. We're from the nearby harbor. We're from a different part of the state?

In the end I think he thought we were in town to go on a cruise ship to Mexico.

If you are a full time cruiser, what do you say when people ask "Where are you from?" Are you from the boat in the harbor? Are you from the last place you dropped your hook? Are you from your last long term slip rental? Or is it better to make something up so you don't find yourself explaining yourself.

"Where are you from?"
"Well I'm from the bay over there, but only for a little while."

[StuM]

Depends on the circumstance. In that situation, I'd say where you were raised or last spent a decent amount of time before you cut your dock lines.

I have two answers I give to that question:
If it's a waiter, taxi driver or whatever
Short answer: "PNG"

If it's a new acquaintance and we are getting to know each other:
Long answer: "Born in Malta, raised in UK, travel on an NZ passport and lived in PNG for many years"

[TeddyDiver]

"Where are you from" can have a different meaning depending of the mother language of the questioner, like either "where you live" or "where you grow up" For a spanish speaking reckon an answer "soy marinero" could be the best..

[El Pinguino]

Out for lunch a while ago in Oz with an very old unreconstructed Orstralian...

Served by a sweet young thing of asian appearance..
Sez he 'where are you from?'
Sez she 'Sydney'
sez he 'But where are you really from?'
'Well - I was born in Wagga..'

Talk about cringeworthy.....

[StuM]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Out for lunch a while ago in Oz with an very old unreconstructed Orstralian...

Served by a sweet young thing of asian appearance..
Sez he 'where are you from?'
Sez she 'Sydney'
sez he 'But where are you really from?'
'Well - I was born in Wagga..'

Talk about cringeworthy.....

Reminds me of the old one about the garbo and the aussie.

G: Hey mate, where's ya bin?
A: I bin on holiday.
G: Nah, where's ya wheelie bin?
A: Ah, I wheelie bin in prison.

[JPA Cate]

I didn't realize I was on the jokes forum!

We just tell them we left the U.S. in March of '89. Most of them can't do arithmetic in their heads, so it's sorta meaningless. They get it that we're from the U.S., and that's fine.

Sometimes we're asked where we came in from, then we tell them the last harbor.

Ann

[captain58sailin]

I tell them, I am from my Mommy and Daddy.

[chuckr]

We have been out 8 years and get that question a lot. So we say our last house was in Miami but now we live on a boat in the harbor/marina/ect and it has been for 8 years - we continue with no house,no car,no dog, no cat, just a boat -
that does it for them

[FSMike]

We're from "Wherever the boat is".

[belizesailor]

I've lived a semi-nomadic lifestyle most of my adult life, both ashore and afloat. We cruise and travel a lot. I've got personal belongings/assets scattered across 4 countries now. Spent a grand total of 1 month in my official primary residence last year, and plan zero time there this year. So, when people ask, I often say "Hell, I dont know any more".

Currently working towards establishing a new home base in Panama.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by FSMike

We're from "Wherever the boat is".

I learned early on the Big Brother doesn't like that answer. So, at least when communicating with USA officials, I give my official USA address. That makes them happier...though I haven't physically been there in a decade.

Governments prefer unarmed peasants with fixed addresses.

[PuttingDoctor]

My pat answer usually is, "I'm from hotels everywhere." But come February I'll likely answer with my home port of Toronto.

[Freemind]

I asked a co worker that many years ago. He answered. "From the earth, but it was so long ago it's hard to prove."

BTW, if a street thug in the U.S. asks you that it means what gang are you with, and you're probably in trouble.

Serious answer? I'd just say what state/ country I grew up in.

[jreiter190]

I say,"pretty much everywhere. " If pressed, say," I was born in the Biltmore hotel in Coral Gables, Fl. And raised in SoCal. " If they say, " but did you come here from?" I say," the last place I was. " If pressed, I think they are rude anyway and tell them, "Uranus ".

[lotek]

Easy answer. Texas.