The very next question followed by "What is your name" is "Where are you from" in the exchange world of NUS. There were many times when I was sort of stunned for a while before giving an answer. This is because if the same question was asked in Canada, I would say that I'm from India without any resistance. However here, I am torn between being an Indian and a Canadian. Most of the time, though, I say that I am from Canada. This is mainly because my home university is in Canada and thats where I come from. Also, I AM a Canadian citizen, so that is also a politically correct statement. However, after that response, many people are surprised because they expected me to say that I'm Indian, I suppose. So some people ask If I am "ethnically" Indian to which, I respond by saying that I was born in India, but moved to Canada when I was 12, followed by the whole story of immigrating with my family and such.
Also, since there are many south Indians in Singapore, I am sometimes mistaken for a local, which is great but they immediately see that I am not from here through my language. One of the locals said that she would've though I was Tamil if I hadn't told her otherwise. One of the people in my hall even asked me if I was mixed. He supposedly thought I was half Indian and half white.. I think another guy asked me the same question and each time, I took it as a compliment because mixed children are usually pretty good looking ;) However, all these queries come from the fact that people have trouble accepting that a person of my colour and cultural background can be Canadian. Clearly, country of originality is not determined by the politically correct citizenship, but by the colour and ethnic background of the person. It is the same case in Canada. It is a very common question to ask a person where s/he is from. Even if they have been in the country for most of their life, or even born there, they do not accept themselves as Canadian and neither do the others. They are either Italian or Slavic or Irish or whatever, but never Canadian. I even know Italians who are 2nd or 3rd generation in Canada, yet they think of themselves as Italian. I suppose this is a good thing when compared to the "melting pot" that is the United States. However, there is this sense of segregation and no one seems to belong to the place in which they are living. This is something that is fairly disturbing.
Taking my national confusion to my advantage, I respond to the question as I see appropriate. If I am talking to an Indian and that person is a mere acquaintance, then I would tell him that I am from Bangalore, India. They instantly seem to see me as someone who is close to them and there is this instant repore. To a local Singaporean or other exchange students in Singapore, I respond by saying that I am from Canada. The Singaporeans especially are fascinated by the western culture so they instantly become more interested in you once you tell them that you are from that part of the world. When I visited Bangkok and Malaysia, I told them that I was from Singapore! Since it is a country very close to them, we didn't seem that foreign to them, so that was great. I told a taxi driver in Bangkok that I was from Singapore and he wouldn't believe me. Then I had to make up the story that I am from India, but studying in Singapore and such. (I didn't want to go into that whole exchange student story because it would just be too long and the language barrier was very frustrating).
Nonetheless, no matter what nationality I say that I am, they always associate me by my ethnicity, and I don't mind this at all simply because I don't mind being and Indian. As a Canadian citizen, I can conveniently say that I'm from either nationality (as appropriate). After all, in the current flat world, it doesn't really matter much because virtually anyone can emigrate to any place and be part of that country (political details excluded). So I think it is fine as long as you have patriotism and love for the country that you say you are from. I think that is the factor that should determine your nationality. Since I have it for both India and Canada, there is nothing wrong with me considering myself as belonging to both nationalities. In a month, I will go to India and I don't think anyone would ask me that question mainly because that doubt (that I am not from India) would probably never arise in my mind.
So, in conclusion, where am I from? I am from Canada, but originally from India, currently on an exchange program in Singapore..
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