Whenever you meet anyone, in any circumstance, usually one of the first questions is "where are you from?" I do not know how to answer that question. I do not know where I'm from.
It seems like a simple question. But like most things when you're a chronic over-analyzer like me, it isn't that simple. The simple question is "where do you live?" or "where did you grow up?" But "where are you from?" comes with a need to delve into your history and allow the places you've lived to make a claim on you.
When posed with this innocent question, I either give the short answer "I'm a Minnesota girl", or I launch into an overly detailed and unsolicited story of where I've lived and how I fit into those places.
Here's my unsolicited, overly complicated story: I grew up in Minnesota, but 2 days after my 13th birthday we moved to Texas. I went to most of high school in Texas, but then we moved to Ohio for my senior year. I came back to Minnesota for college. I only lived in Texas for 4 years, and I'm definitely not a Texan. I only lived in Ohio for one year, plus summers at camp, and I have even fewer roots there- not an Ohioan (so much so that I never really figured out if it is Ohio-an or Ohi-an). But I never feel like I can claim Minnesota, because I didn't go to high school here. And while there's not a firm rule for "how long or when you have to live somewhere to claim being from there," it seems to be a pretty common standard that high school is the place you're from. Except that I'm pretty clearly not from either of the places I went to high school (lack of invite to either 10 year reunion makes that abundantly clear). So I guess I'm mostly from Minnesota. But then I don't know if I can claim a particular suburb of the Twin Cities- I've lived in Maple Grove for 6.5 years- is that enough to be from there? I lived in Savage longer, but over 15 years ago...so I'm from Minnesota mostly?
This conversation tends to be both boring and awkward- not the best first impression. I need a new first impression, and my unique abilities like quoting Canadian TV show "Corner Gas" word for word or having a related camp song to any topic of conversation don't seem to be less boring and awkward.
I know I'm not the only one with these get-to-know-you-question insecurities. So I'm making a rule for myself and anyone else who wants to follow it: say you're from whatever place you want. Maybe the place you like the best. Or the place you lived the longest. Or for simplicity, maybe just say you're from where you live now! Don't feel like you have to explain the back story of every home you've had. You're talking to a stranger, for goodness sake- they probably won't run a background check on the veracity of your statement.
Just as the dumb choices you made in high school don't have to define who you are today, the place you lived in high school or as an infant don't have to define you, either. Be you. No matter where you live or where you used to live.
Hello, world. I am Nissa. I am from Minnesota. How about you?
