Digital Nomads

Im white but I get it.. I try to explain all the time that there is not a “standard” American person. We’re White, Black, Latino, Asian — all Americans.

I think it comes from misunderstanding rather than racism, OP

It's a valid question. Just tell them what ur ethnicity is lol they don't care which country ur from

THe US is thought of as an Anglo country, with some Blacks. So you need to let them know that it is more mixed these days including Latino

Eh, I feel you. Traveling can be a huge pain. Somethimes you just have to take a break and remember why you wanted to do it in the first place.

If I may ask, where do you get these questions the most? I'm a Black American, have been living abroad for almost a decade now and traveling often the whole time. When people ask me where I'm from, I usually just tell them I'm from New York and that ends it there. Every once in a while someone asks me about my ethnicity or if I know where in Africa my ancestors come from. I usually just say that most African Americans travel their lineage back to West Africa but it's almost impossible to pinpoint a specific location. That usually ends that part of the conversation.

I’m a half-black American and look Latino or middle-eastern. Just use it as an opportunity to showcase the world that Latino Americans exist and that they’re dope and have a dope attitude.

You’re literally an ambassador in that sense. That’s how I always viewed it. As an opportunity to represent and show that people like me exist and can travel and live the lifestyle too.

Don't kill me, but I would rather ask such question to "white" US citizen as indigenous people looks different then then,than asking "black" person as we all know history (I suppose).

The best way is to answer some state from USA, like the rest do, that makes people angry at you instead by acting like everyone should know all the states from another country.

FYI-
Lots of white people get asked this in america since everyone in the country is pretty much an immigrant. Usually of european descent especially after ww1 and 2. People just answer my grandparents were German or Italian whatever. It's really common. No one is asking because american=white. They're just asking what part of the world you melted into america from.

Where are you traveling that they don't have Latinos? I live in Texas so I might be out of touch with how other parts of the US are demographically.

I hear you :) I usually ask them to guess instead of me answering. I agree to whatever there guess is. I really dont care

As a white American I used to do this too!

I had an experience one time in the military that helped me to learn. Thankfully it was pretty painless.

There was an Asian service member who was helping me do something administrative for some kind of training school.

I asked them "Hey Lee, where are you from?" Without skipping a beat or looking up, Lee: Georgia

Why did I expect him to say Guangzhou, China? Because I had a, previously unknown to me, bias against Asian Americans that they weren't "really" American.

In my conscious mind I never felt that way. But there are times where this does happen. Sadly because of supremacy culture POC not only have to be patient but incredibly intelligent to convince people not only that it is real but that they might be contributing to it.

I'm sorry that you had this experience. But please continue to share. It is because I heard stories like yours over and over before I was able to self-correct.

Reply “you got me buddy I’m actually from [name whitest country in the planet].” Bonus points if you can say in that language.

I’m Asian American and I’ve been getting this recently in South East Asia. Like they can’t believe an Asian like them was born and raised in America. I for real have experienced more racism spending a week in Vietnam than I have my whole lifetime in America. The surprising thing is that the white Europeans are more open minded and accepting than some of the locals I come across in these countries.

You sound overly sensitive. If it bothers you so much then don’t travel.

bruh. I get this all the time.

But I'm genuinely asking this and not trying to interogate you. Why do you care?

But I'm genuinely asking this and not trying to interrogate you. Why do you care?m lying (not in a mean way they're just like "nah really though") and tbh even then I didn't care.

Yes, it comes from a place of malice. Being spoon fed American media that reinforces the illusion of a white, christian ethnostate is no excuse. Take each opportunity someone interacts with you that way to educate them and take them out of their ignorance. It will be good for you and the world around you.

Most people are just curious. Just come up with a funny response. You are American regardless of your skin color.

Try being an Indian from the Caribbean lol

Dude, I am very sorry for you. It's unfair and bothering and some people are stupid. In the meantime, I have had the reversed experience with American black people. I am universalist and met a woman who was like screaming over all roofs that she is "african american". She said she's black and started every phrase with "as a black woman, ..." everytime we were discussing about everything. She had just a black grandmother and looked like a portuguese or other mediterranean (I live in Europe). She reduced all discussion to racial discrimination. Her bf dropped her? He's racist! She doesn't find a job? It's because people are racists! Dude, as said, most people here wouldn't even have an idea she had a black grandmother.
I'm not trying to trivialize or mock your experience, and I'm deeply sorry that this happened to you. Being stereotyped is one of the most shitty experiences. I'm just saying that seeing from outside the USA, americans are among the people most obsessed with the idea of "race" and THIS is absolutely irritating. For the rest - you might have met real idiots, or maybe just ignorants who consider Black = Africa. It is not supposed to happen in multicultural countries or those who have colonies, but I am coming from an eastern european one, and there, people seeing a Black or an Asian have a reaction of curiosity and stupour. Which is stupid, I reckon, but not everytime ill intended. More multiculturalism should help people be used to the fact we are not all looking the same, but it's a long way to go. I hope these bad experiences haven't obliterated your apetite to travel and discover the world! <3

I’m sitting at an airport in Dallas and thinking the exact same thing. Nothing but white people in this airport 💀

Most countries aren't multi-ethnic so most of the world doesn't know how to deal with it. Chill out.

These are the same people who get upset when Americans of European descent say things like “I’m Irish.”

It’s just noise bro, don’t take it so serious.

This happens to everyone, not just Americans. How many people in the world know that Brazil is a multi-ethnic society? A Brazilian with Japanese ethnic roots (1.4 million) will experience weird reactions when traveling in the US. People have outdated stereotypes of what someone who is from X country. If you watch Italian TV, you see many Italians of African descent in the entertainment business, as well as the recent Italian sprinter in the Olympics. I think those who have not traveled around the world just maintain a simplistic view of cultures and ethnicities and it is somewhat natural to expect that.

I find it tiring too but I appreciate the fact that I've had the privilege to explore the world expand my knowledge. The people with these simplistic attitudes have not had a chance to and you wish they would one day go out there.

So where are you from really?

Are they asking like United States American or South American if you look more South American.

Hey you can’t have identity politics at home and expect a universalist welcome abroad, ok. Y’all gotta pick one!

Which countries are you in where this is an issue? And how often has it happened?

After getting back from Thailand I realized America is very different in some regards. There are a lot of countries you can move to and become a citizen but the people wont ever see you are truly one of them. For example, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Sweden, Norway are all great places to live but you wont really become “one of them”. In America and Canada if you are a citizen you are seen as one of us waaaaay more so than almost anywhere in the world, this makes us stop at “im american” or “im canadian” because we accept it but other places just see things differently culturally l.

Its probably better not to even be considered a white american 😂

OP, I totally sympathize with you. It has got to be so frustrating to feel that you have to "prove" your Americaness when others don't, both abroad and stateside. What would happen if you told one of these people that they didn't "look" like they were from their own country? I think their brain might melt.

I think this is both the fault of America for having such a whitewashed global Hollywood for so long and also the fault of other countries for not trying to empathize.

I worked in Korea and always tried to use diverse photos in my lessons but without fail anyone Asian-American was immediately claimed as their presumed heritage. I've tried and failed time and again to have this conversation with locals, especially when they say "so and so looks American". Why? Because they're wearing jorts? They have a buzz cut? Look bud, I'm listening to them talk and they're Russian.

I can't tell you how many times I've said, "American is not a race" but it falls on deaf ears.

The idea that ethnicity and nationality can be different is not a concept in Asia. In homogeneous societies the thought has never crossed their mind, and likely never can.

I wonder how they feel about Native Americans