Top Ten Answers to the Question: “Where Are You From?”

By Renée Sylvestre-Williams

Canada is made up of immigrants, some here earlier than others. It’s become a bit of a game to see who’s from here – as in their family has lived in Canada for a few generations – and who may not be from here as often experienced by Canadians of colour despite being born and raised in the country.

It tends to follow a pattern. You’re talking to someone when the Question comes up, “Where are you from?”

“Uh, here.”

“No, where are you really from?”

And so on.

So we did a quick and non-scientific straw poll to find the best answers to the Question. Here are our top ten:

1. “My mother’s tummy”

2. “From a galaxy far, far away”

3. “Earth”

4. “King and Bathurst”

5. Me: “India.” Commuter: “No way! I thought you were from Guyana!” Me: “And where do you think they came from?”

6. “Toronto. No, seriously I was born in Toronto.”

7. “I was created the night my parents were murdered in an alley. I was eight. It was that night I vowed revenge.”

8. “Yonge and Eglinton” “But where are you really from?” “Toronto” (I do this until they’re flustered and stop asking. Usually I only have to get to the province before they give up.)

9. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you it’s rude to ask such personal questions?”

And finally,

10. “I never answer that question. I know who I am and where I’m from. I don’t care if other people don’t.”