the four repetitive questions

[jenever]

So, what are you doing in this country?
Do you like it here?
Don't you miss home? Your family and friends?
Wait, you're American? How'd you learn how to speak French so well?Do you constantly get asked these same questions in your country of residence? Does it annoy the hell out of you? I'm wondering if it is just specific to the country I live in

Comments

[anonymous]

I've never lived in another country but being on the biggest campus in America I hear people from OTHER countries get asked these (or similar) questions by Americans all the time.

[phrawzty]

Well, i often get asked the first two, very rarely the third, and never the fourth (for obvious reasons).

I don't mind it, but then again, i've only been in France for a year, so perhaps i haven't been asked it enough to become irritated. :) Generally, and this is just me talking, it seems like honest curiousity on their part, and it's an easy way to break the ice, since North Americans (famously) like talking about themselves. ;)

[jenever]

I don't mind talking about MYSELF, I just hate being tagged as "the American" and being asked questions about my nationality/foreignness rather than my actual life.

[flavrhierarchy]

I would get ALL of these questions when I lived in England (even the one about why I am able to speak French, though obviously for different reasons). I think it's just innate curiosity. I can completely understand how it could get frustrating after three years, though. At a certain point I'd want people to take interest in who I am, what I think and what I like as opposed to just where I come from.