Where are you “from”

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Noush
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by Noush »

I am an Australian, my passport says so and no argument. Around here though I say I'm from the "Blue Mountains outside of Sydney" so as not to be confused with City Folk. We are different here, we say hello to each other passing in the street. We've supported each other in wild bushfires. We are that kind of community.

Like most Australians, my roots are from somewhere else. On my father's side, Scotland, although they were here by the time he was born in Melbourne (me too). My mother was born near Southampton after her family abandoned Germany when Hitler came to power. My grandfather was an engineering draftsman (aircraft in the war) and came to Australia afterwards to work with mining equipment. He was my hero, I have a bunch of his drawings.

We still had family in Bavaria up until last year when Uncle Mike passed away. I used to visit regularly and why I mention it is that every time I went there I had a strange but unmistakeable sense of belonging especially in Munich. My soul is most at ease there....and yes, I'm a Bayern supporter.
The name Noush (rhymes with push) is old Bavarian dialect. Uncle Mike called his father Harald that. It means "someone who should be pampered" and my daughter does. :)
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by Dickchins »

Interesting thread indeed....!

I tend to say or write British if refering to myself in general, but if speaking to someone about it, I usually say im an Englishman, not Brit. If a form askes for place of birth, I will write England, not UK or GB. If asked locally I will just say Bolton.... usually followed by "yes its still a dump!"

Ive had this conversation with mates before now, and a couple of them highlighted they would never refer to themselves as English, as people may pull their faces as if its wrong to say it. We should say British. This confuses me a little and if im honest, and even makes me a little angry.

Im English and im proud of that. As any Scottish, Welsh, or Irishman (or woman) is also proud. Ive never met anyone from Scotland, Wales, or Ireland that refers to themselves as British, always "im a proud Scotsman" etc. And rightly so! And I have quite a lot of friends and family from other parts of Britain!

I share Steves point that theres a hell of a lot I dont like about my country, however its my country. Like it or lump it! And like family, you may not like or agree, but they're yours anyway!
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by Caller »

I'm an English Brit living in Thailand.

I'm also a Londoner, but not a cockney.
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by ajax87 »

I’m a Michigander. I’ve never travelled internationally (other than Toronto, but that doesn’t really count for us Michiganders) so never had to identify by nationality.

Within the US we use our home state, or city if we’re from a major metropolis. When I was living just outside Boston, I would say I’m living in Boston but originally from Michigan.

Fun fact: I never figured out what people from Massachusetts are officially called. Everyone would identify with Boston, since that’s where I was. Massachusettsian? Wikipedia says it’s Bay Stater...

I only ever heard “Masshole”, but I thought that was only for when they were driving :lol:
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by treyford »

Like the others, I always answer questions on forms about my Nationality with British but I always have a wry smile when I have to give the answer to my Place of Birth, which is Kano, Nigeria. My father and Mother were stationed there when I was born. The family then moved to the Far East and we did not return to the UK until 1963, those of you who are old enough should remember, that year as one of the coldest and snowiest on record, it started snowing on Boxing Day and the thaw didn't happen until Easter. I had never experienced cold like it and I hate snow to this very day.

Most of my education was in England but I left when I was 18 to live in Australia, not on the £10 lark. I subsequently went on to live in South Africa for lengthy period of time only returning because my mother was diagnosed with cancer.

So having grown up and having lived a great deal of my life overseas, I have a problem dealing with my "Britishness", I am a product my time living abroad and my shared experiences in other societies. I would say that my only bad experience as an "Englishman' overseas was in Australia where I was attacked by another "Englishman' who didn't like the fact I was getting on with all the Australians at the same workplace better than he was, he was insanely jealous for some reason. I had no issues in SA with Afrikaaners or any of the other racial groups, in fact I made a conscious decision to play rugby for a club that was predominantly Afrikaans, they were initially very sceptical but once they had realised I was willing to learn their language and participate socially they accepted me.

So, the truth is I hold a British Passport and I enjoy the benefits of living in the UK but a part of me would love to be somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere but I will continue to support English teams and think of myself as an Englishman.
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by GTC854 »

Interesting thread. My wife and I are both Scots and when asked where we come from the expected answer is always some area of Scotland, due to our accents. Truth of the matter is we have not lived on Scotland for over 30yrs so when we reply Lincolnshire it usually surprises people! We do however view ourselves as Scots/Brits. I served in the military for 24yrs and as a result of continually moving our eldest was born in Norfolk England, our middle child was born in S Wales and our youngest in the north of Scotland. As a family we settled in Lincolnshire 22yrs ago and our children have spent most of their lives in that area and all speak with the local accent.
My eldest has shunned her Scottish heritage and views herself as English - though she visits her grandparents in Scotland frequently. Our middle child is about to give birth to our first grandchild and she views herself as more Scot then English. While her husband is English his grandparents are Scots so my daughter views her forthcoming child as mainly Scottish - though I am not sure her husband agrees! Our son, our youngest, who was born in Scotland has always viewed himself as Scottish and fiercely so. This caused him no end of trouble going through school as he was the only one who stood up for Scotland at sporting events and who supported a Scottish football team.
As I read these paras it has dawned on me that I have mainly commented on how my children have view their 'nationalities' and not commented their response to the question where are you from. That question has caused me to think! I believe (and I will ask them) that they would respond 'I am from Lincolnshire' but I suspect my son would also add, for good measure, but I am Scottish.
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by nbg »

I consider myself to be British.

A born and bred Devonian. Albeit one who has lived in Hampshire for over 30 years, whilst still retaining ties to Devon.

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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by sproughton »

I'm English (living the dream just outside Watford) and British. I don't particularly identify strongly with either of those labels; factually that's where I'm from though I don't have a strong desire to label myself as one or the other.

I've always chuckled at a few friends who are born and bred in Yorkshire who have such a strong attachment to being a Yorkshireman - that's what they are and that's that!
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by jkbarnes »

Thank you to everyone who has shared their backstory. The responses have been as insightful and fascinating as I thought they’d be.
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by Qubo »

Does not matter so much, much more interesting where I'm going. My $0.02.
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

ajax87 wrote: Sun May 30, 2021 3:06 pm Fun fact: I never figured out what people from Massachusetts are officially called.
“Bless you!” I think.

KIp might know. He lives next door.
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Where are you “from”

Post by ciclismosam »

This thread had me musing and in a more lighthearted note I picked out this shirt to lounge around in for Sunday morning.

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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by Dickchins »

ciclismosam wrote: Sun May 30, 2021 6:39 pm This thread had me musing and in a more lighthearted note I picked out this shirt to lounge around in for Sunday morning.

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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by oberonfoto »

I was born in Paisley Scotland but spent my early childhood - from the age of 3 to 11 - living in Nairobi Kenya - hence the strange accent. On return to the UK I went to boarding school in Dumfries. In May 1980 I left school on the Friday and joined the Navy on the Monday spending the next 22-year pushing HM Ships and Submarines round this wee world of ours. Since leaving I’ve worked as a press photographer, chef and night manager of hotels. I have duel nationality - British and Irish but I can relate to the RN advert “Born in Paisley, made in the Royal Navy”.
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Re: Where are you “from”

Post by Kip »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Sun May 30, 2021 6:06 pm
ajax87 wrote: Sun May 30, 2021 3:06 pm Fun fact: I never figured out what people from Massachusetts are officially called.
“Bless you!” I think.

KIp might know. He lives next door.
Here you go Alex.
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