I grew up in Boston and now live in a suburb of Boston. I tell people who won’t recognize the name of the town I live in that I live “outside of Boston” or “near Boston”. I never say that I live in Boston, because I don’t. Saying that you live in a major city when you really don’t is misleading. “Where do you live?” “Boston.” “I love Boston. Which part do you live in?” “Arlington.” “Wow! Arlington Street. Downtown. That must be awesome.” “No, I live in the town of Arlington.” “Yeah. That’s not Boston.”
It doesn’t make sense to me to claim to be from a city if the place you’re from is not part of the city you’re claiming to be from.
“Near X” works for me. When people ask where I’m from nowadays, I just say “North of Boston” because I actually live in a small town that no one’s heard of. Everyone’s heard of Boston (usually), so it saves time.
Seriously, no one really cares where you come from, they just want to be able to say “<large city>? I love <large city>. My grandniece’s third grade teacher used to live in <large city>.”
Right, exactly. If I met a stranger while travelling who asked where I’m from, I’d assume he means where I’m living now. When speaking with people where I live now, I refer to where I’m from as where I grew up. They’re not asking where I live; they already know that.
I’ve never understood the big city adjacent people who just say they’re from the city proper. I get that most people have never heard of Small Town X so it’s just easier to reference the city, but why can’t they just say they’re from the area. “I’m from the Chicago area” lets people know where you’re from without cheating. Yes, I am one of those insufferable city-dwellers who has spent her entire life within the city proper, and am irritated by people from Downey claiming to have grown up in LA. Bitch, no you didn’t.
I go with the town I grew up in. I have more in common with the other people who grew up there than I do with the people born in the other town. And isn’t the whole point of the question to get to know you or find some commonality with you?
Finagle: That’s because they are doing the latter.
As a military child I know this dilemma well. I was born in Florida, but we moved to California shortly after I was born. I did most of my growing up in Oklahoma because dad retired from the military there when I was 5. So I tell people I am ‘from’ there.
You could always do the Steve McQueen thing from The Magnificent Seven.
Man - Where you from?
Steve McQueen - (points over his shoulder to behind himself)
Man - Where you going?