“where are you from?” or “where are you a local?” 

The speaker faced one problem when he flew to 14 countries on her book tour in 13months, which was about the introduction. “She comes from Ghana and Nigeria”, or “she comes from England and the States”.  But for her, that was not true. 

Yes, she was born in England and grew up in the United States. Her mum, born in England, and raised in Nigeria, currently lives in Ghana. Her father was born in Gold Coast, a British colony, raised in Ghana, and has lived for over 30 years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

One day, one idea hit her. She thought that she was not a multinational. How can a human being come from a concept? During her life time, countries had disappeared - Czechoslovakia; appeared - Timor-Leste; failed - Somalia. Her parents came from countries that didn’t exist when they were born. 

Then she tried to re- or un-defined herself, her world, her work, her experience, beyond the logic of the state. 

She listed a few examples. One of her friends was born and raised in Ghana. Her parents are third-generation Ghanians of Lebanese descent. She speak fluent Twi, knows Accra like the back of her hand. However, she thought her friends came from Lebanon, because all her formative experience took place in suburban Accra. 

“All experience is local”! “All identity is experience”!

If say the speaker comes from the United States, she would say it isn’t the truth. She has no relationship with the United States, all 50 of them, not really. Her relationship is with Brookline, the town where she grew up; with New York City, where she started work; with Lawrenceville, where she spend Thanksgiving. Despite her pride in Ewe culture, the Black Starts, and her love of Ghanaian food, she has never had a relationship with the Republic of Ghana. Her relationship is with Accra, where her mother lives, where she goes each year. 

Instead of asking “where are you from?, ask “where are you a local” would tell others so much more about who and how similar they are. 

She proposed a three-step test with three R’s: rituals, relationships, restrictions.

1) Rituals:  daily rituals,   making your coffee, driving to work, harvesting your crops, saying your prayers. Where???

2) relationships:  People who shape your days,   to whom do you speak at least once a week, who shape your weekly emotional experience. 

3) restriction: where are you able to live? what passport do you hold？

In fact, all of us are multi - multi-local, multi-layered.