"Where Are You From?

"What are you?" "What's your background?"

I've been asked some form of these questions by patients at the hospital, customers at work, Tim Horton's cashiers, people I'm meeting for the first time...and I don't really know why. I don't know that I've ever asked someone what their background is unless they have an accent, which I don't unless I'm drinking or talking out loud to myself...I mean, what? I was telling LM that I was recently asked if I was from Nicaragua, and she confirmed that, just looking at me, one may expect me to have an accent. I suppose it may be a bit of a let down, then, when I speak with a very Canadian accent.

Nevertheless, this question constantly catches me off guard. I usually ask for clarification, because I don't know what the hell they're getting at. Most times, though, whoever is asking is because they want to know why my skin colour is darker than the average white person. Now, I don't know if other people who have a more medium toned skin get this question, but I've been asked it so often in the past few months that I thought I would write a blog about it and get it answered here.

I am not Italian, Egyptian, African, Mexican, Brazilian (or any form of South American), Portuguese, or Native Canadian (all assumptions that have been made) - although sometimes I'll make something up just for fun ("Oh, yeah, I'm Mexican and Native Canadian - Ojibway tribe. My Native name is Tree Bunny Canoe Grass"). I'm Black Irish from my Mom's side, which means that I have Spanish blood mixed with Irish because of the Spanish Armada going to Ireland or something. I didn't research it in great length and I got bored reading it. I'm also French Canadian, though that's on my Dad's side and he is "average person" white.

Not as exciting as some hope, as I've actually gotten "Oh, that sucks, I thought you were [insert some nationality here]..." and I feel like I should apologize for not being what they thought. The best was when someone DID ask if I was Spanish, and when I said yes, they started rambling off in the language. I just stared at him.

First and foremost, though, I'm Canadian - many generations back Canadian, too! And that's the most important part of my "background" - everything else is just a bonus.

Love,

M