Mini Identity Crisis
Yesterday after work, Tim and I drove up to Frankfurt with some friends to go to a concert of the L.A. Guns. Somehow during a ballad middle in the concert we got dragged onto stage with some other folks to sit campfire-style around the band. (No, this is not something I usually would do, but Tim was the first one to be dragged up onto the stage, so when I got pulled up I didn’t protest.) At one point, the singer asked me - in front of all the entire audience - “Do you speak German?” I hesitated, decided he meant fluent German, and said, “No”. He said, okay, what do you speak? I hesitated, decided that to answer “English” was trite and very non-specific, and answered with a smile, “American”. He laughed and said, “Where are you from?” I hesitated, hesitated again, and finally said, “It’s a long story.”
See, most people would say, it’s simple - you’re from Ohio, USA. But to answer that to someone who doesn’t know me implies things that aren’t true, like that I’m a tourist. I mean, I traveled to the concert from Aschaffenburg, Germany. But really, I feel like I’m here in Germany from Holland, because I’m not really 100% integrated into Germany so it’s not quite true to say I’m from Germany, and really at this point we’re here from Holland.
There are millions more people out there in similar situations, I’m not the only one who sometimes has trouble answering the question, “Where are you from?” To me, that’s exciting and multi-dimensional at the same time that it’s just that small bit disturbing. I’ve been obsessed with the concept of culture shock lately, and by that I refer to the long-term effects of permanently living in a new culture. Culture shock has a lot to do with identity. Once you figure out how your identify fits into the culture in which you’re living, the culture shock wears off.
For example, I find that when speaking a foreign language, the number one reason I have an accent is not necessarily because I don’t know how it should sound but because, to pronounce the words like a native speaker is to deny my own identity. (What’s equally interesting there is that I speak German with an accent both American and Dutch.) The psychological aspects of cultural integration continue to fascinate me.
on May 10th, 2007 at 10:00
When i first met Tim i was amazed by his accent, it wasn’t entirely Dutch, nor was it English, but there was a definite American twang to it; your doing no doubt!
You should’ve just said the truth; you’re an American who now lives in Germany but moved from Holland… you’re from Amgerand!
At least you only have difficulty with one of those questions; i hate being called on before an audience, one because i don’t look entirely English but have lived here my whole life, but two, they always ask your name, and Javid isn’t a name people get right in a quiet conversation yet alone in a noisy audience situation. Sometimes i wonder why i dont just go by an alias when it happens; it would be so much easier! “I’m Jack!”.
on May 10th, 2007 at 14:35
you are what they cal an globetrother a persone who cant be put in a country nor continent you live on a globe caled earth and i guess that is were you are from! and yeah my deepest wish is that i want to be just that.
were you live is were your hart is and i think tim stole yours making that it lives in afschafenburg right now ^.-
on May 11th, 2007 at 13:43
“Where are you from?”
..is a trick question to me. whenever i hear it, i go thru a loop…
i’m from Saigon, Vietnam
immigrated Baltimore, MD via Guam
lived in Houston, TX as a pre-teen,
educated and socialized and politicized in Washington, DC
and living Austin, TX.
I consider myself a “Northerner” amongst all the Southern “Folk”-ers that surround me. Ever hear the term, “I’m surrounded my morons”? I’m living it.
…so i just answer, whenever anyone asks, “I’m Hawaiian”. Saves me alot of explaining…
What do you call someone who speaks multiple language?
Multi-Lingual.
What do you call someone who speaks two languages?
Bi-Lingual.
One language?
American.
on May 11th, 2007 at 18:53
languages i know (partly)
dutch, english, german, french, japanece, spanish, italian and a bit polish to lol (moast are all verbal ofcorce)