How To Answer ‘Where Are You From?’ When Traveling

One of the most common questions international travelers hear is, “Where are you from?” Whenever I travel, I am usually asked this question several times a day by taxi drivers, check-in clerks, servers and fellow travelers.

Before last fall, I usually answered this question easily and without any hesitation. “I’m from the United States,” rolled off my tongue easily. My response was normally met with a neutral response or questions about traveling in the States.

However, there has been a marked shift since the November 2024 election. I’ve been to three countries since Donald Trump was elected president: the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India and Iceland. On my first trip to the UAE, I noticed my voice dropped to a whisper when I told people that I was from the U.S. I looked down, ashamed and scared of where my country was headed. By the time I landed in India, I had started adding, “But I didn’t vote for him!” after I disclosed my American roots.

Some people laughed, and others said, “Of course not.” However, many people looked as uncomfortable as I felt, unsure how to respond themselves.

Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, I went to Iceland, a place where residents pride themselves on being a welcoming and open country. The main road in Iceland is painted as a rainbow. It’s a powerful symbol ― a stark contrast to Trump’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts back home.

Before I boarded my flight, I gave a lot of thought about how to tell people where I was from. I wanted to be honest but make it clear that I didn’t support Trump without making anyone uncomfortable. When I started my trip, Trump had begun “flooding the zone” by targeting immigrants, trans people and other marginalized groups. I went from being ashamed to mortified.

I started my trip by telling people I was from North America, which I don’t think fooled anyone. Because I have Polish citizenship, I pivoted to telling people that I was Polish but lived in the U.S. While technically accurate, it didn’t feel like an honest answer. I don’t speak a word of Polish, and the truth usually came out quickly.

To make matters worse, Iceland is close to Greenland, a country Trump has repeatedly said he wants to buy. During my trip, I met several Greenlanders and had to fight an impulse to tell them I understood that their country was not for sale. I was grateful when someone lightened the mood by joking that he was glad to be from the tiny Nordic…