Don't wanna to say where i'm from

[the-alchemist]

Hey guys. Been a long time since I logged on here. I hope you've all been doing well.

Because I haven't. To give a short background, I was born in Iran, grew up in Sweden, currently living in China. So yeah, complicated no? Anyways, I will always consider myself an iranian, for that reason I always say Iran. No offense to the country I grew up in.

But lately though, Iran has been so much on the news. Nuclear weapons, terrorism, politics etc. So now, if I say I'm iranian, people will talk non-stop about the above mentioned things, and I'm getting tired of it. Especially the local people will want to discuss these things.

So when someone asks me where I'm from, I just say "earth" or joke that I'm from Japan(the chinese hate the japanese), then they complain that I'm stingy and no fun and they wanna know my country. Usually I tell them I've got suff to do and busy.

But I really don't know how to deal with this any other way. I really don't give a rat's ass about politics. All people are human beings in my eyes, regardless of country or skin color. But it's getting annoying that as soon as they hear you're iranian, it's all just politics and terrorism they talk about.

But at the same time, it doesn't feel good having to repress yourself and your identity. I just wanna be judged by my character and behaviour, not my background. So I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. Anyone have suggestion on how to get out of this?

 

[perfanoff]

You're the type of immigrant that's ashamed of his nationality?

And what stops you from telling people that you are not interested in talking politics ?

 

[Tuppence]

It sounds really difficult and awkward. No matter how proud you might be of something, that doesn't always help when you get a negative reaction. There's so much more to everything than what's in the news. I think it's insensitive of them to talk to you about that,

You could get out of it by saying you're from Sweden, but if you really feel you belong to Iran, it probably seems completely wrong to say anything else. I love Scotland. It's a beautiful country. If I was Scottish, I'm sure I'd be very proud of it. But if someone told me to pretend to be Scottish to make things easier, that would feel so wrong.

I think Perfanoff makes a good point though. Could you try telling them you don't want to discuss politics because it makes you uncomfortable? I think they ought to understand that.

 

[the-alchemist]

Well, I mean sure I could say I dont wanna discuss politics. But having to tell that to every person you encounter kinda drains you mentally

 

[BrokenInside]

Nobody can force you to talk politics without your consent. People don't like my country as well. I try to defend my country, try to explain that everything is not true that is being shown on the media. Sometimes people understand, sometimes they don't. But i am not gonna decline/hide my identity just because people go mad. You simply gotta tell them that you are not in to politics. There's no need to waste your energy with someone who doesn't honour it.