Due Wednesday, 6. February 2013
Inspired by Rita's Common Application essay, this post asks you a question you will undoubtedly be asked when you arrive at university and being to meet new people. Here is your chance to prep for that moment. You meet your new room mate and what do you say? Most people say something like "Hi, I'm Kimo Kapuana and I'm from the Big Island." I'm curious, most of you have lived in several different countries, speak two, three, or seven different languages and have more than one passport. So, do tell, how do you answer "Where are you from?"
Where am I from? Well that depends. What exactly is your definition of where you’re from? Your origins, your passport, or both? Although it seems effortless to say “I was born in New Jersey but my parents are from Congo yet I have an American passport so I guess I’m from both”, it’s not always the complete answer that I’m willing to give someone, especially if it’s a person that I will be living with: A.K.A my roommate. I’m the type of person who tends to get comfortable with people quite fast which can either be a good thing or a bad thing. A good thing if they’re as “open” as I am, and a bad thing because I tend to go on and on about the same topic. Anyways, back to what I was saying. If my roommate was willing to know more about me by asking me the simple “Where are you from?” question, I would have to go back in time and discuss with them all the places that I have lived in. I believe that there’s more to a nationality than a passport or your origins. I’ve spent the majority of my life traveling, exploring new cultures, and meeting new people. You can definitely say that I haven’t been surrounded by homogenous entities. I mean, I have lived in Ethiopia longer than I have lived in the Congo or in the U.S. Or how about the fact that Switzerland is one of the most important countries to me that it has had a great impact on my life. It doesn’t mean that I’m completely Ethiopian or that I’m Swiss, but that they have been a major component that have added to “where I’m from”. This therefore becomes a part of me and a part of what defines who I am. So, going back to the original question, my roommate would definitely have to be ready to receive a long answer because as you can see, I would have a lot to say.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about Switzerland. Be interesting to hear about why/what the impact was. Just FYI - if you get an "average" American for a roommate, chances are she will have lived in the same house all her life - so a natural follow up when start talking will be "Why did you move so much, were your parents military?" For most of us, moving from one state to another is exotic.
ReplyDeleteThis comment is going to make me seem a tad bit conceited but my roommate is going to be lucky to have me. I have a rather bold personality and I’m an optimist at heart. I love to have a good time at whatever I’m doing. C’mon now, who wouldn’t want me as their roommate? I’m on high demand! Although I have a crazy and fun side to me, I know how to prioritize my life as well. In order to find a positive balance, my motto is to “work hard and play harder.”
ReplyDeleteI have sort of an unusual background. I’m an American citizen, born in Rhode Island, and my family has a home in Southern California, but I have lived most of my life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. My mother is Chinese but grew up in Bolivia for most of her life and my father is Indian but grew up in Kinshasa. As for me, I go by Chindian. I attend the American School in Kinshasa, which is the capital of the DRC. Because of where I live and how I was raised, I speak a few languages and I sometimes mix words from all of them into a single sentence. It may be confusing to people at first but I usually end up translating it. I tend to think in all four, English, French, Mandarin and Urdu simultaneously. I call it Enenchmandu. As far as being an African I must clarify, I do not live in a hut, we have regular electricity and I do not have a pet elephant, but I do have a beautiful golden retriever.
One very annoying habit that I have is getting constant munchies throughout the day. I am constantly eating. I think because I burn up so much energy from being active with sports and other activities, I am always hungry, but I do tend to always be stuffing my face. My friends say I eat like a pig and a common question I get from my teachers is “do you ever stop eating!?” I actually like most kinds of foods, but Indian and French are my favorites. I also like my native Congolese foods and other exotic flavors, so there might be some unfamiliar and unpleasant aromas.
Well, now my question for you is WHERE AM I FROM?
I'm curious, what is Chindian? Chinese - Indian? What about American? Taiwanese? You have, I think, a very American feel to your personality, but in living with you, I bet the Taiwan-ish and Indian side come through. Do you think, other than language, you have DRC aspects of your personality or life choices? BTW, while I do comment on your ability to eat, I do notice you almost always eat healthily - and you are a perpetual motion machine, too. Way beyond active.
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ReplyDelete“I live in Kinshasa”…“ Oh…”… “DRC”… “Oh….Okay I see.”…“In Africa!” That’s when their expression changes and they begin to react. “OMG that’s so cool!” A few minutes later, “ Do you live in huts?” “Do you ride to school on an elephant?” “Do you see animals all the time?” And the questions keep piling on. I get a lot of these astonished reactions when I’m out of Congo. So why am I living in Congo? Don’t worry, I get that question a lot as well. You see, my dad was born in Congo, but he grew up in Belgium, and my mom was born in Kenya, but she moved here after she got married to my dad, and I was also born in Kenya, but I’ve lived here my ENTIRE life, and we’re all Indian, except one more thing, I’ve never really been to India. So in the end, what am I?
ReplyDeleteYes, that’s a question I can’t answer. Maybe I’m just Congolese or maybe… oh god, I’ve thought about this way too much. Let’s just say Kenyan born Indian Congolese. EVERY SINGLE time a new student comes to school and the teachers say, “Why don’t you introduce yourself?” I begin with my whole background all over again. At the moment it is pure anticipation, but there’s always the other moments where I have to say bye to the “new kid” whether I want to or not!
And then someone else comes by, someone with a different skin color, who speaks a different language, has a different religion, and this time instead of saying “Hoi!” they say “ Unyung”. And that’s when I realize it; how often do you get to meet new people, people from different parts of the world, people who share their cultures and customs with you? That’s actually when I come to see that I’m fortunate for meeting so many people.
Hey, at least I can say that I know how to say something in Chinese, Gujrati, Hindi, French, Dutch, Flemish, Korean, and German! Pretty fascinating, isn’t it? Maybe, just maybe, I can say that I’m like a delicious salad made with my own taste and formed with a mélange of a bit of everything. Not forgetting of course, the seasoning on top that just combines it all together! So, what am I? Let’s stick to a salad for now.
Nicely phrased. Impressive use of melange, too. I'd be curious to see how you describe you indian side. In the US, when someone is 2nd or 3rd generation US they usually still claim some attachment to the country of origin - after that it muddies. For example, I have a friend who is 3rd generation Chinese-American and she says that basically means her parents speak English without an accent, that she "understands sometimes when her grandparents speak Chinese slowly", and that she gets hongbao at CNY. Another friend is 2nd gen - she speaks Chinese at home with her parents, uses English as her language of choice, enjoys many of her parents customs, but leans, overall to mainstream American thought. Her children will not "feel" Chinese at all. How about you? do you speak your grandparents languages? Observe any Indian customs at home? Or are you more Kenyen? Congolese? or Belgium?
ReplyDelete“Hi my name is Nonhlanhla Nkosi and I am from South Africa” that’s what I’d say before I had had a chance to get out of South Africa. Three years ago, I had the chance to move out of South Africa and move to Congo for school. It was my first time on a plane and getting out of south Africa, it was a bit scary but exciting at the same time. It felt like nothing that I have ever felt before it felt amazing until I finally landed in Kinshasa. Since I have never been out of South Africa, the whole world has always been SA, and what I mostly saw on TV, but Kinshasa was nothing I have ever seen or felt before. The weather was extremely different from what I had experienced before, the people looked different, and the language sounded like gibberish to my ears, it was very unusual, confusing, and frustrating all at the same time. It’s been three years now and I’ve caught a bit of the language, got to meet many people from here and other countries and I’ve gotten used to the weather, food and traditions, I feel like I fit in to the people around me. While living here, I have visited two other African counties, Gabon and Kenya. I got to experience two different languages with different people and traditions. Now when I am asked where I come from I say “hi, my name is Nonhlanhla Nkosi and I am African.” I having the opportunity to see what is beyond my country has made me open mind and aware of what Africa as a whole is all about. I do look forward to getting out of Africa and seeing what is beyond us but I am proudly African and plan to share my African experience with the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteI like your expansive view of how you are African. You could have focused a bit more on you and less on the trip, but your voice does come across.
DeleteWhenever someone asks me where I’m from, I always pause before answering. Although the question seems pretty basic, for someone like me who has lived in one country for 16 years of my life, my nationality doesn’t describe me at all. What describes me? I think is the ability to live in a single country with the tag of a "third culture kid”. When I’m asked countless questions on whether i consider myself as an Indian or as an African, I feel confused, because although I’m born in India, sometimes it doesn't feel like home. The main reason why it doesn’t feel like home is because I feel like I am treated differently there just due to not being raised up there. The different treatment makes me distant although i hold all the Indian values and cultures. There is no doubt that I absolutely love my Indian culture and especially Indian food but I still don’t know whether I’d be able to live in India. The word “international” has no meaning for me, because I consider myself a third culture kid, someone born in a different country but raised in another country. I was born in India and flew to Congo when I was just a month. Since then I have just visited 5 countries which are UAE, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, and obviously India. I’ve had a different perceptions about things around me because of the way and the place I've been raised in.For many people Africa is a continent of war and people traveling on elephants but for me if consider Africa as home although there isn’t much here, I know it has potential. I’ve gained the ability to accept and understand the various cultures. Living in Africa and studying in an international school gave me an idea of the several cultures and their customs. This understanding has helped me be more comfortable in adjusting quickly in a different environment. Unlike many other seniors, I just hold one passport and one nationality but by living in the DRC for 16 years make me unsure of what I choose to be. Because of where I live and how I was raised, I speak fluent Lingala and good French. At first when I would speak Lingala everyone would just stare at me go like “How do you speak such good Lingala?” The first thought that came to my after this question was “Just cause I’m an Indian”? , but I’d just answer by saying I’ve lived here my entire life so what do you expect? HAHAHA... DUH I’d tell my roommate “I’m an Indian from every angle but I consider Africa as home. I really don’t know what her reaction will be but from previous experiences some people react shockingly, interestingly, or just have a straight face.
ReplyDeleteDo you speak any Indian languages? So, what is it here that you connect with so strongly?
DeleteThis is one the most asked questions when you first meet a person and I guess it will be easy for me to reply. Some people in America think that Africa is one big country where people live with animals; it is like a jungle for them. Where am I from? Well my roommate needs to be ready for the answer she will get. Without even hearing all her questions, I will give her all the answers at the same time.
ReplyDelete“Hi my name is Doris Mukwanga, I am Congolese. I am from Africa precisely The Democratic Republic of Congo which the third biggest country of the continent. It is located in the centre of Africa and it is called the heart of Africa. God has blessed this country with many natural resources. I have lived in Congo my entire life and I got a Congolese passport. I don’t live in a huts and everyone wear clothes. I live in a big house with a pool, my parents are both Congolese and I got 3 sisters and 3 brothers. We don’t go to school on an elephant or a giraffe‘s back and we have bathrooms. We have access to clean water even if it is not stable sometimes. We don’t see animals every time except for dogs and birds and we have access to internet and television. We got four national languages and I speak two of them, I also speak French and English. This is where I am from and I’m going to miss my beautiful country.”
I know that she is going to find me weird and I am ready to have a weird reply but I think she will be to lucky to have a roommate like me.
I did not know there were four "official" languages. I know French is the language of government and business. I think (but am not sure) that Lingala is widely spoken in the greater Kinshasa area. And I know that there are many, many tribal languages. What are the other two (assuming Lingala is one of them) official ones? How much of the country have you visited? I'd love to see your lovely country outside of the city.
DeleteWhen I think about where I am from, I feel uncertain and sometimes I seem to be perplexed at this thought, like most of us. But luckily for me, I only have one nationality, one passport, but a mixture of origins. I am hundred percent Congolese and I have lived in the DRC for almost all my life.
ReplyDeleteIf someone wants to know where I am from, they expects you to give them a concrete answer but in my case, all I say is I am from the Democratic republic of Congo. The DRC is a very large multi cultural country and saying you are from the DRC is vague, as none of its citizens are from its capital city, Kinshasa. People come from twelve provinces, although most people live in Kinshasa, yet we all speak different languages. All this differences result in the large number of ethnicities that exist across the country. Both of parents are from the province of Kasai Oriental, within the province they are little villages. But then again, they never lived in Kasai oriental, they were born in Lubumbashi and they have barely been to Kasai. The same etiquette applies to me. However, to me it feels like I have no other choice but to accept this identity that was given to you since I was born. I am not saying that I do not want of my parents’ origins, but what I am saying is, it does not t I have no experience about that origin.
It is different to say you are from one place, when you have been exposed to different cultures. I have made my best to adapt to other cultures, and therefore decide which culture to make my own. All the connections I have made helped me or rather gave me the choice to decide what culture is mine.
I have my parents origins, and my own culture in the middle, that is the answer to the question where am I from.
Interesting how even with only one country as a base, we can still feel the need to pinpoint one place within the country. The US is the same way, people from Iowa and New York and California and Alaska will all be a bit different from each other just because of the surroundings.
DeleteI don’t usually like starting a conversation by asking about where someone is from, and I prefer not to be asked it right away either. As I’ve traveled through parts of the States, however, I have been asked this quite a bit. I don’t especially like the question because my answer is quite complicated, or at least is seems complicated in my mind. In the past I have usually said that I’m from where I am not presently. So while I was living in Minnesota I always said I was from Africa, and when I’m here I say I’m from Minnesota. But that is just a quick answer to the question; it helps weed out the people who actually care about where I’m from, from the people who don’t care. When I say I’m from Africa and the person says “Oh, that’s cool” but then starts talking about something else, I see that the person doesn’t even care where I in Africa, which also tells me that I probably wouldn’t enjoy getting to know the person because they probably don’t even know the names five African countries, and I don’t think I could have a friend who is that ignorant and unaware of the world. It always pleases me when someone asks me “where in Africa?”, or even “where in Congo?”, though it doesn’t happen often. When I know people care, I don’t mind explaining it. Next year I will probably continue to just say “I’m from Africa” to most people. However, my roommate will most likely be another MK (missionary kid)/TCK (third culture kid) so he should be more interested than most people.
ReplyDeleteI can see how Bethyl will mostly be MK or TCK (because of missionaries), but really, DRC has got to be "different." And I don't think I know many US people who can name 5 African countries, but most would be interested in learning....
DeleteWhere am I from? It wouldn’t be hard for me to answer this question. I am an Indian, born in Gujarat. I speak, and understand Gujarati, which is my mother tongue. My parents are Indians, even thought my father had spent most of his childhood living in Kinshasa. I have lived in Kinshasa for 14 years and spend 4 years of my life living in Mumbai because; my parents wanted me to get a better education. Those four years made a lot of difference to me. Before I used to call Kinshasa home because I had never spent more than a month living in India so I thought, what is the point of me being Indian when I didn’t know much about my country and spend time living there. However, now if you to ask me where you consider your home to be I would tell you that I have two homes, the first one is Kinshasa and the second one is Mumbai. Kinshasa is and always will be close to my heart because I have spent most of my childhood and a bit of my high school living here. Even though it took time for me to adjust to Mumbai, to the people, to the language, and to the varieties of culture because I had been raised differently in Kinshasa it didn’t take too long. It was a great experience overall because I had not experienced such a thing living in Kinshasa. I completely fell in love with the beautiful country and its people.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Kin will still be home to you after high school? Will your family be here or India? Without your friends here (they are all going away to school), will Kin still hold your heart? Is it the place or the memory?
ReplyDeleteWhere are you from? This question has been running through my head for these past years because within less than six years that I have been attending seven different high schools and most of the times one my first day I'm always being where I am from.
ReplyDeleteI am originated from neighbor countries the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Congo and that makes me be half Swahili and half Muluba, but believe it or not but I cannot speak any of the language and which really makes me feel uncomfortable because even my brothers and sisters know how to make up so sentences in the languages, and although I do not speak my origins languages but besides that I speak English, French, Lingala, Afrikaans, Zulu. I know it is sort of weird because I am not South African but I can speak the main languages that are spoken in South Africa.
One thing that makes people not believe with me when I tell them that I am Congolese is my accent because I remember even my first day at TASOK some of the girls did not believe me when i told them that I was Congolese, and sometimes I really ask myself am I really Congolese or am I being transforming into a South African.
So, what do you think? Do you identify with Congolese & SA equally? Do you do the "I am originally and ethically from Congo, but identify with SA" line? Being American, and from Hawaii in particular, we begin almost every introduction with this question and on average, 80% will say something like this.
ReplyDeleteWhen someone asks me where I am from, I usually start by saying that I am Belgian and then sometimes I give all my origins from my mom’s and my dad’s side. Then I tell them where I live, because when people ask me the question “where are you from?” they could be asking for my origins, my passport nationality or where I have a residence. So most of the time, I just tell them everything.
ReplyDeleteIf my roommate asked me where I came from, I would tell him/her first that “I am Belgian and I was born in Belgium, in a small city called Ottignies. So I have a Belgian passport but I have Belgian and French origins from my dad’s side and Austrian, Congolese and Italian origins from my mom’s side; what makes me of many origins.” I wish I had a passport for each of my origins; it would have been fun to say I was from all these nationalities.
I would also tell them that I lived almost my entire life in Africa. But I changed countries every 3 or 4 years for my dad’s job. We lived in many countries, so we traveled a lot, mostly within Africa but also in other continents. Right now I live in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Normally, in Belgium people know where DRC is located; if not, I usually laugh at them and I ask them to check it on Google earth: I don’t waste my time with uncultivated Europeans who go to school every day. I know I’m mean hihi...
What about folks from the rest of the world. I get that Belgians would know DRC, but I'm betting the Brits don't and I can almost guarantee North Americans haven't a clue. What countries in Africa have you lived in? And through all this living in Africa, you still "feel" Belgian?
DeleteWhat would I say where I am from if someone asks me? Well, that is not the scenario in my case at all. No one has ever asked me really, where I am from. The reason for that is self-explanatory. One would really have to ignorant if they could not tell where I am from. Just by looking at me, people shout out, “Oh you’re Indian.” No one really ever asks me where I am from, though it would be entertaining if someone did. I already have it planned if someone ever asks me where I am from I would say, “Oh, I’m Chinese/Caribbean.” The question that people do ask me is where I am from in India. I’m actually not from Delhi but I have lived there all my life so I just say I’m a Delhite. So here, I will disclose where in India I am actually from. I am from Bihar, a state in eastern India.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that actually surprises me is that many people think I am Caribbean. I believe that is because of my complexion. It is also funny that the first person that thought I was Caribbean was my own history teacher in my previous school in India. I still remember when Suraj sir asked me, “are you from West Indies?” I could not help but laugh. However, I would understand if someone said I was from West Indies. Everything set aside I would say I’m a fully-fledged Indian citizen, born in India, Indian parents, an Indian diplomatic passport holder and I’d say more but I ran out of words.
Clearly expressed. How long have you lived in Africa? Do you figure African into who you are at all? Maybe Indians work the same way US folks do. When someone outside of the country asks us we say American. Inside the country, we give the state, inside the state, we give the town. All depends on their knowledge.
Delete“Where are you from?,” asked the guy who was sitting on the bench. My brother and I were swimming in the swimming pool of the lodge near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. I thought for a moment. Should I say Korea or should I say South Africa? I am Korean but I was living in South Africa at that time. I did not wanted to make an impression that I came to Victoria Falls all the way from Korea. After a brief thought, I said South Africa. The guy seemed quite surprised and he asked me again. “No, Where are you originally from?”
ReplyDeleteIt might be a difficult question to some people in our class but for me it is a straight-forward question. I am from Korea.
However, this is what I usually say when strangers ask me where am I from: “I am from Korea but I lived in South Africa for 4 years.” Having lived in Africa for so long, I feel Africa as my second home country, especially South Africa. My looks, my foods, my culture and my language are Korean but inside there is a big space for Africa too. I miss South Africa without any reason like people missing the places where they were from. I used to and I believe I still have some South African accent when I speak (but I try not to because some people had difficulties understanding me.) When I spoke English in South African accent in Korea, most of the people who were listening laughed but I didn’t mind because I AM FROM SOUTH AFRICA (and I used to laugh at how they had an American accent – especially when they did not pronounce “t” in the words.)
Now I cannot introduce me without mentioning South Africa. 4 years might be a short period of time but that 4 years influenced me enough to say I’m from “South Africa.”
So how long have you been in DRC? Is this your first year? After 2, don't you also feel you are from here as well? Where in SA is "home"?
ReplyDeleteThis question “where are you from” is a simple, yet very difficult question. For most people, it is a basic one-country answer, for example: I am from Uganda. This statement “I am from Uganda” usually means the person was born there, raised there and has family from there, but not all the time. My difficult situation is that I don’t know where I am from. The facts of my life, born in Kenya and raised in Congo, already confuse me. My mom is from India and my dad is from Pakistan. People consider me as Indian, but I’ve only been to India once, and literally have no recollection of my visit. Now as for my nationality; because my father worked for a good number of years in Canada, he was given citizenship, which I inherited. I just mentioned 5 countries that all have some sort of connection to me.
ReplyDeleteMy situation is very tough. I guess my future roommate will need some time to hear me out. If I were given the choice to decide where I am from, I would pick the D.R. Congo for many reasons. I speak the local language, I am familiar with the cultures, I know the city, and I simply just love life here.
Kinshasa is home for me. When I roam the streets here and speak to random Congolese, they themselves say “Oyo Mwana’a Kin”, which translates to, “This kid is from here”. I have built an attraction to this place which will be hard for me to let go of during my college years. One thing that is certain, is that my kids will also face the same situation when asked where they are from.
i am so saddened that you don't know who you are, but take heart that you have so many backgrounds and feel at home everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThat question to me is the hardest question I have to answer. It is so vague do you mean nationality, origins, what country you just left. It is the hardest but also the most asked. Even right now it is hard for me to answer because I am a mix of different cultures, and origins and everything just clashes, when I have to answer that question. Because of that mix, I do not feel so comfortable answering the question because it takes at least two minutes and usually those asking you do not pay attention to what you say after the first 3 seconds. So to avoid misunderstandings and useless arguments, I do like Sam said I give quick answers and tell people my nationality, which is French. It is so much easier telling people who do not really care your nationality, because only a few people take the question further, by asking where your family roots are and else.
ReplyDeleteIf someone who cares to know asks me this is what I would tell him or her. I am from French nationality because with the independence that followed my grand parents took the French nationality and gave it to my mum, and so my siblings and I got them too. It is quiet advantageous in getting visas to go to places. Nevertheless, my real roots lie in West Africa. Why do I say West Africa, well because it involves many countries. My father culturally comes from both Benin and Nigeria, close neighbors, who culturally are pretty similar but have lots of differences. My mum, in turn her origins are from Cameroon which is so much more different from my dad because it is a little further from Nigeria and Benin and the culture is more different than similar. I will avoid getting into ethnicity because that is a web of confusion, but this efficiently summarizes my roots. M for Maelle and M for Multiethnic.
I love the thoughtfulness here. But you left out a step. You have a French passport. Your dad is from Benin and Nigeria. Your mom is from Cameroon. You did not say where you are from? Have you been here most of your life?
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