When you tell people where you are from , what do they usually say?

[What_Exit]

@kunilou

I’m reminded of a story from the early 1980s, that the tourism folks in Kansas City were trying to figure out how to broaden their appeal to tourists. So they conducted some focus groups in New York to see what people’s perceptions were about KC.

The answer was “none.” The average New Yorker - as the famous magazine cover pointed out - had literally no perception Kansas City, and no interest in learning about it, much less visiting it.

KC was known for steaks and not much else I thought? Why would anyone fly to KC? You might stop if driving cross country, especially in a RV but fly there? Not sure what they expected with the survey. I have some minor interest in seeing the ballpark & the Negro League Hall of Fame but I’m that kind of baseball nut. I doubt most people know where the Negro League Hall of Fame actually is.

[zimaane]

Iowan here, living near Washington DC. I used to get a lot of Field of Dreams references. Now I get a blank stare, or maybe, “I was there once. Or was it Idaho?”

[Chefguy]

@Misnomer

If I’m out of the area, I’ll say that I’m from DC just because it’s easier*. But I would *never *say “me too” to someone who told me they were from DC! How bizarre!

*I’ve found the usual reaction to be “oh.” I think most people are just happy I named a place they’ve heard of/can picture on a map.

In the 90s, I once told a bank teller that I was getting ready to go live in Belgium for a few years. Her response: “Gee, I hope that’s not near Iran!”. :smack:

[Misnomer]

@Chefguy

In the 90s, I once told a bank teller that I was getting ready to go live in Belgium for a few years. Her response: “Gee, I hope that’s not near Iran!”. :smack:

Oh, my. :eek:

[wonky]

@kunilou

I’m reminded of a story from the early 1980s, that the tourism folks in Kansas City were trying to figure out how to broaden their appeal to tourists. So they conducted some focus groups in New York to see what people’s perceptions were about KC.

The answer was “none.” The average New Yorker - as the famous magazine cover pointed out - had literally no perception Kansas City, and no interest in learning about it, much less visiting it.

But everything’s up to date!

I’m from Appalachian Ohio. Some people say “I’m sorry.” Most are more interested in what that’s like.

[Tim_R.Mortiss]

@wonky

But everything’s up to date!

They got some crazy little women there and I’m gonna get me one.

[Buttercup_Smith]

Almost everyone I speak with on a day to day basis that does not know me will ask me where I am from. I live in extreme south Florida but am from middle Georgia. It’s the southern accent that I cannot seem to ever get rid of.

[betterlifethroughchemistry]

@Little_Nemo

If I tell people I’m from New York, they assume I’m from New York City.

When we told our friends and family in Baltimore that we were moving to upstate NY, we received one of two responses, one, “OMG, I hope you don’t become Yankee fans”, um, NO, we were born and raised in Bawlmer, long time Oreo fans, and, “OMG, I’ve heard NYC is horrible”, um, we moved almost exactly as far north of NYC (175 miles) than where we lived in Bawlmer (183 miles)…New York is a big state…and NYC is in the furthest southern part…

[eschereal]

I was told that people who live in Manhattan (and parts of the Bronx and Brooklyn) believe that Boston is a district in Queens. You know, near JFK.

[What_Exit]

@eschereal

I was told that people who live in Manhattan (and parts of the Bronx and Brooklyn) believe that Boston is a district in Queens. You know, near JFK.

I really don’t get the joke. Could you please explain?

[betterlifethroughchemistry]

@RealityChuck

At science fiction cons, people laugh when I say I’m from Schenectady. Someone once saw it on my badge and thought I was joking.

It was because of and old genre joke that SF writers get their ideas from a post office box in Schenectady.

LOL, waving hello from across the river about two miles from Kurt Vonnegut’s former house…

[eschereal]

@What_Exit

I really don’t get the joke. Could you please explain?

I was looking at the New Yorker cover that kunilow posted earlier, which only looks westward. If their view of the outside world is that myopic, what do they imagine to be eastward?

[Nava]

Dragons?

[elfkin477]

“Really? You don’t sound like you’re from New England. I would’ve thought you were Canadian.”

Which is something most people I know raised in the southern half of New Hampshire have also been told. We don’t sound particularly Canadian.

[epbrown01]

@KRC

When I was a kid I told someone us kids were from Kentucky. He said “You’re a bunch of hillbillies!”

I calmly said “We’re from Lexington,” and he said “Oh, then you’re not hillbillies.”

I knew other kids who’d told people they were from Kentucky and got questions like “Do you eat with a fork? Do you use a flush toilet?”

All I ever got mentioning KY was “What’s in KY? I can’t think of anything.” “Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Fried Chicken…” “Oooh, right!”