Would you say you were American or X?

[whitby_2773]

hi phoenix

interesting question!

i've been out of australia 10 years and if asked at this point, i would say I'm australian, living in the US. if i take US citizenship when i'm eligible in 3 years or so, i'll say i'm american, born in australia.

but more complex than that....

who do you support in the olympics??

tim and i had a conversation about this the other day and it was a perfect example of how people's pereptions are different. despite living here the same amount of time, tim said he would still 100% support australia. i said i'd support both. so he said "what if australia and the US were playing in the final of the world cup (soccer)? who would you support then - given that australia would have achieved a lifelong achievement?"

i said i'd support both and would be pleased whoever won.

he asked me to turn in my australian passport.

i do think, tho, that it depends a lot on the experience you have in both places. if you had escaped a war-torn country, for example, and gone to a country where your life was safe and happy, i think you'd be more likely to want to adopt nationality in your new country. if, however, you had left a country where you were happy and where all your family and friends lived, and went to a country where you felt lonely and disconnected, you'd be more likely to name the country of your birth as your nationality.

i've loved both america and australia, so i name both and will have no trouble saying 'i am american of australian extraction' if i take US citizenship.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Hmm good question. My parents have both been in the US for 30+ years and are both naturalized citizens (my dad is even retired US military) but they''ll both say they''re Korean first and foremost.

I was born in the US and no matter what, I''ll say I''m American (I love it when people ask me where I''m from, I say Random State, US, thinking they meant where in the US, and they ask me, "No, where are you REALLY from?")

But I''ll also cheer for Korea in the Olympics - I was VERY upset at the mens short track speed skating final the other night

 

[Arkteia]

I think that for young people it is easier to feel Americans irregardless of their looks, race, country of origin or descent.

I have a friend who is Chinese and immigrated to one of southern states shortly after Vietnam war had ended.

He had it bad - I mean, really bad! He was teased at school (being the only Chinese kid there), beaten up, what not. Totally lonely. Worse, people who saw him on the street would project their feelings about Vietnamese who were coming to the US at that time (to my surprise, I learned that the attitude towards these unhappy people was not supportive, either - as if they left the country for no reason). He could not tell his parents because he was afraid they might get upset. To this day, he says he is Chinese - and I think he has bad complex if not more from his childhood experience. Technically, he is probably not Chinese - he does not speak the language, and culturally he is fully Americanized. But his traumatic childhood...

I know many young Chinese immigrants who accept the fact that they are now American or Chinese-American. I see many Eastern Indians marrying Caucasians and feeling that they are American (although most of them stick to their religion). Good that things have changed so much.

 

[yssie]

This is interesting.



My parents moved around a lot, before and after I came into the picture. I've lived in 8+ countries, spent months in several more, and my parents have dozens under their belts - they still call themselves Indian, and even though we've been in America for 5+ years now I call myself a Kiwi and probably always will. NZ is the first country I truly remember - my first school, my first friends, my first surgery

...



I love both, though, so I root for the underdog

 

[Cehrabehra]

I can relate to this question as far as home STATES goes... I am originally from California - I''ve lived all over the country and now world and for 13 years lived in oregon - but I do NOT relate to being "an oregonian" I am a californian. I think a lifetime could pass and I''d still claim to be californian. However, I have a friend from Ohio who now lives in and loves Oregon and she says she''s from Oregon.

I think it depends on how you feel

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/15/2010 6:27:01 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 2/15/2010 9:29:43 AM
Author:Phoenix
If you were originally from X country but have lived in the USA for a long time, say thirty years or so?

Just curious what some of you who weren''t born in the US would say if asked?

good Q Phoenix...
i was born in HK then became a U.S. citizen in 1977, i wouldn''t know how to answer the Q

am i Chinese or American ?

To me, you''re a funny American Chinese dude!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/15/2010 11:31:50 AM
Author: Luckyeshe
When people as me: ''Where are you from?''
My typically response: ''Do you mean, where was I born(nationality), or what US state I came from?''

Then the answer is: ''I was born in the Philippines but we immigrated to New York when I was 9 and then moved to Florida when I was 12. I''ve been here for over half of my life and I always say I''m Floridian. But to be specific, I''m a Filipino-American Floridian.''

Long I know, but it gets everything all in there so no confusions!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/15/2010 12:03:16 PM
Author: gemgirl
I''m a native New Yawker

, but most of my mother''s family calls themselves Italian Americans. I''m second generation Italian American.

Lurve that NY accent!

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/15/2010 11:32:46 AM
Author: Clairitek
My father was born in England, raised in New Zealand, and immigrated to the US when he was 19. He didn''t get his citizenship until 2000 when he was 47. Even before he officially became a US citizen he considered himself American since he identified with this culture more than anything.

I think someone else said that too. That is so true.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/15/2010 7:21:30 PM
Author: whitby_2773
hi phoenix

interesting question!

i've been out of australia 10 years and if asked at this point, i would say I'm australian, living in the US. if i take US citizenship when i'm eligible in 3 years or so, i'll say i'm american, born in australia.

but more complex than that....

who do you support in the olympics??

tim and i had a conversation about this the other day and it was a perfect example of how people's pereptions are different. despite living here the same amount of time, tim said he would still 100% support australia. i said i'd support both. so he said 'what if australia and the US were playing in the final of the world cup (soccer)? who would you support then - given that australia would have achieved a lifelong achievement?'

i said i'd support both and would be pleased whoever won.

he asked me to turn in my australian passport.

i do think, tho, that it depends a lot on the experience you have in both places. if you had escaped a war-torn country, for example, and gone to a country where your life was safe and happy, i think you'd be more likely to want to adopt nationality in your new country. if, however, you had left a country where you were happy and where all your family and friends lived, and went to a country where you felt lonely and disconnected, you'd be more likely to name the country of your birth as your nationality.

i've loved both america and australia, so i name both and will have no trouble saying 'i am american of australian extraction' if i take US citizenship.

He he, your DH is so funny.

I think my DH is more likely to want to say he's an Aussie since he likes their rugby team!

Hmmm...I agree with your analysis... partly. My family and I were political refugees from Vietnam and have adopted British nationality, and I thus say that I am British (not to mention the fact that my immediately family lives in London); though I'm am very proud of my Vietnamese roots and family history and will always say that I'm Vietnamese by origin. This woman I met, she and her husband are both Americans by nationality and yet her husband says he's American whereas she's adamant that she's NOT American.

 

[Phoenix]

Date: 2/15/2010 12:08:19 PM
Author: Karl_K
not that I get asked but when I do I say: planet earth

woops just saw the not born in the US part so im out.

He he.

You're a cool dude with lots of brains and talent.

 

[zhuzhu]

I say I am the citizen of the universe.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 2/21/2010 12:13:42 PM
Author: Phoenix

Date: 2/15/2010 6:27:01 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 2/15/2010 9:29:43 AM
Author:Phoenix
If you were originally from X country but have lived in the USA for a long time, say thirty years or so?

Just curious what some of you who weren't born in the US would say if asked?

good Q Phoenix...
i was born in HK then became a U.S. citizen in 1977, i wouldn't know how to answer the Q

am i Chinese or American ?

To me, you're a funny American Chinese dude!

to me,you are a crazy Chinese lady with lot of big diamonds!!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 2/21/2010 11:49:35 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 2/21/2010 12:13:42 PM

Author: Phoenix

Date: 2/15/2010 6:27:01 PM

Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 2/15/2010 9:29:43 AM

Author:Phoenix

If you were originally from X country but have lived in the USA for a long time, say thirty years or so?


Just curious what some of you who weren''t born in the US would say if asked?

good Q Phoenix...

i was born in HK then became a U.S. citizen in 1977, i wouldn''t know how to answer the Q

am i Chinese or American ?

To me, you''re a funny American Chinese dude!

to me,you are a crazy Chinese lady with lot of big diamonds!!

except she''s not chinese lol!
This question has so many answers - if I ask an asian person where they''re from I am not expecting england or usa - I am wondering if they''re korean or cambodian (alas I cannot tell the difference yet) etc. You can answer with your race/nationality, you can answer with where you are living, what your citizenship is, where your heart belongs... they are all correct in certain context and if the context is not defined - you get to define it lol Maybe the easiest answer is the long one: I was born in Vietnam but only lived there until I was 6 - I am a british citizen - lived there for 20 years but have been in various asian countries for the past 10.

I''m obviously making up the numbers lol

 

[AGBF]

Date: 2/15/2010 9:29:43 AM
Author:Phoenix

If you were originally from X country but have lived in the USA for a long time, say thirty years or so?

This doesn''t apply to me, since I am not originally from one country living in another. It does apply to my husband, however. He was born in Italy and first came to the United States as a graduate student in his early 20''s. When he tells people how old he was when he immigrated, he always lowers his age, though!

My husband does not want to be associated with Italy in any way and does not want to have to speak Italian with anyone. He is offended if anyone notices that he has an accent and then asks, "Where are you from?". He will often answer, "Connecticut". (He has the sense not to do this if someone from his job needs an Italian speaker!) He has gotten me so sensitized to his feelings that if I ask someone else about his origins, I often ask, "Where were you born?"

AGBF