Where are you from? This really works!
May 17th, 2006 | 05:18 AM
#62
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,641
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When people ask me where I'm from, I say I was born in the PA Dutch country but I'm not Amish and that we lived in Oregon for 10 years and then in Belgium and Germany and are now in the UK.
When they ask my husband where he's from, he says he was born in Gagnon, Quebec, Canada, but the town was completely torn down, and that he grew up in Hong Kong, Singapore, Perth (Australia), Baden-Baden, Germany, southern California, and Vancouver, Canada. (And that he's not from a military family.)
At which point, most people stare at us glassily for a minute, then run away, so we're never asked about Bush or anything else.
When they ask my husband where he's from, he says he was born in Gagnon, Quebec, Canada, but the town was completely torn down, and that he grew up in Hong Kong, Singapore, Perth (Australia), Baden-Baden, Germany, southern California, and Vancouver, Canada. (And that he's not from a military family.)
At which point, most people stare at us glassily for a minute, then run away, so we're never asked about Bush or anything else.
May 17th, 2006 | 07:13 AM
#68
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,585
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Kate, one of my friends informed me that she was moving to London. I began telling her all these wonderful things about the city, the British, etc until she informed me it was London KENTUCKY.
Don't flame me, that's not a place I'd want to call home exactly, lol!
Don't flame me, that's not a place I'd want to call home exactly, lol!
May 17th, 2006 | 07:32 AM
#69
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,850
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Like Sandi, I am from Dallas, and when I would say that, I would get the "wow! Cowboys! JR and Sue Ellen! JFK!" to the point where I started saying "Texas" which was actually not as bad as it is now (back then it was Clinton and I got a lot of "what do you think about blow jobs?" type of questions). Then, one day I decided to say Norway. Man, that shut them up. The guy looked at me and said "Oh, salmon" and then went on his merry way.
On another note, a friend from Houston was so tired of hearing "Houston, tenemos un problema" that she started saying she was from Brownsville.
On another note, a friend from Houston was so tired of hearing "Houston, tenemos un problema" that she started saying she was from Brownsville.
May 17th, 2006 | 10:43 AM
#75
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,265
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If you are from Southern New England, (like my entire family is) you pronounce it Woostah.
We live in Los Angeles county, so if we say L.A., then we are technically correct. A few years ago, my late Father-in-law, who lived in Germany, was hospitalized. While my husband was visiting, he met his Dr., who asked where specifically he lived. He expected a blank stare when he told him the town. It turns out, this Bavarian Doctor had been an exchange student right here in our little South Bay town. He is still in touch with the family here. He wanted to talk about it for hours. Small world!
We live in Los Angeles county, so if we say L.A., then we are technically correct. A few years ago, my late Father-in-law, who lived in Germany, was hospitalized. While my husband was visiting, he met his Dr., who asked where specifically he lived. He expected a blank stare when he told him the town. It turns out, this Bavarian Doctor had been an exchange student right here in our little South Bay town. He is still in touch with the family here. He wanted to talk about it for hours. Small world!
May 17th, 2006 | 10:50 AM
#76
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,830
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I always tell people I'm from NYC. They usually repsond by telling me they have a relative who lives in ...
The first time I went to Italy (Rome) in the early 1980s, I'd mention I'm from NY, they all asked if I knew Mario Cuomo.
The first time I went to Italy (Rome) in the early 1980s, I'd mention I'm from NY, they all asked if I knew Mario Cuomo.
May 17th, 2006 | 11:02 AM
#78
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,052
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LOL CAPH52! I know exactly where Clinton county is! I live in Madison county, about 15 miles from downtown St. Louis. People just don't realize that Chicago takes up just the top corner of Illinois, and that most of the state does NOT fall in the Chicagoland vicinity!
Telling them I am from St. Louis isn't much better. As I mentioned before, a lot of people don't even know where it is. I was in Florida once and a store owner asked where I was from. When I said "St. Louis" she asked what part of Mississippi that was in, because she had a friend in Jackson!!
Tracy
Telling them I am from St. Louis isn't much better. As I mentioned before, a lot of people don't even know where it is. I was in Florida once and a store owner asked where I was from. When I said "St. Louis" she asked what part of Mississippi that was in, because she had a friend in Jackson!!
Tracy
May 17th, 2006 | 11:38 AM
#80
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 61
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I was at Buckingham Browne & Nichols in Cambridge, MA for a few years. We pronounced Worchester as "Wuss-ter." In England, we would say "wister."
I also have a good friend, Ruth, from Maine. She was born and bred in Maine, and attended U of Maine. She ALWAYS pronounces her "r's." Not all Mainers talk like a character from a Stephen King movie (Dolores Claiborne). That is a stereotype.
I also have a good friend, Ruth, from Maine. She was born and bred in Maine, and attended U of Maine. She ALWAYS pronounces her "r's." Not all Mainers talk like a character from a Stephen King movie (Dolores Claiborne). That is a stereotype.
