#1 People will think it's cool that you come from California
May I be so bold as to suggest that most Californian's learn a common lesson when they travel.. When someone asks where you are from, you don't say the United States, and you don't say "America"—you say you're from California.
Immediately, thanks to Hollywood, I suppose images of movie stars and sunshine and bikinis will flash through people's minds. And they'll say "oh how niiiice!"
Now recently I was actually called out on doing this. I told a group of European international students that I was from California, and one German guy asked "Why do people from California always say they are from California first? Why don't they ever say America? I say Germany first."
Okay, fair enough... I started to respond, but before I could answer another group merged with ours and introductions began again. When a girl from the new group asked me where I was from, I looked back at my new German friend, smiled, and then replied "The States."
"Oh alright," she said, "...from which state?"
"I'm from California"
"Oh how niiiice!"
My German friend rolled his eyes.
Even if you don't say it first, people will usually ask. Maybe they want to know what kind of American you are, or maybe they are just being polite. It's just like when you tell me that you're from Poland. I'll ask you "oh really, what part?" Then you'll reply "Gorzów Wielkopolski"
"Hmm no I'm afraid that I'm not familiar with that particular part of Poland..."
Either way, you get to say you're from California. And even though you and I both know you don't actually live on the beach next door to Brad Pitt, most people still think that's pretty neat.
Reason #2: It is cool that you come from California
California is a great place.
I originally come from about the least California-y, isolated little mountain town in the world—but I am still from California. And that's good enough for me. :)
May I be so bold as to suggest that most Californian's learn a common lesson when they travel.. When someone asks where you are from, you don't say the United States, and you don't say "America"—you say you're from California.
Immediately, thanks to Hollywood, I suppose images of movie stars and sunshine and bikinis will flash through people's minds. And they'll say "oh how niiiice!"
Now recently I was actually called out on doing this. I told a group of European international students that I was from California, and one German guy asked "Why do people from California always say they are from California first? Why don't they ever say America? I say Germany first."
Okay, fair enough... I started to respond, but before I could answer another group merged with ours and introductions began again. When a girl from the new group asked me where I was from, I looked back at my new German friend, smiled, and then replied "The States."
"Oh alright," she said, "...from which state?"
"I'm from California"
"Oh how niiiice!"
My German friend rolled his eyes.
Even if you don't say it first, people will usually ask. Maybe they want to know what kind of American you are, or maybe they are just being polite. It's just like when you tell me that you're from Poland. I'll ask you "oh really, what part?" Then you'll reply "Gorzów Wielkopolski"
"Hmm no I'm afraid that I'm not familiar with that particular part of Poland..."
Either way, you get to say you're from California. And even though you and I both know you don't actually live on the beach next door to Brad Pitt, most people still think that's pretty neat.
Reason #2: It is cool that you come from California
California is a great place.
I originally come from about the least California-y, isolated little mountain town in the world—but I am still from California. And that's good enough for me. :)
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