I used to do the "Man this is awesome to finally be able to ski again, it's been so long, just could not do it where I've been the last 10 years"

Which would usually elicit a "where were you?".

Prison, attempted murder, tried to push a random stranger off a ledge.

I just come right out and ask "hey! where ya from?". I have never had a person get offended. It normally starts an interesting conversation.

Just say, "What is your nationality?"

I work with many Indians. Their English is pretty British. The ones who haven't been here long will use British idioms and terms. The first time I was told: "I need to go suck on a fag", I was very, very confused.

Moose Jaw is pretty important. Some great NHL Players like Clark Gillies is from Moose Jaw.
Oh wait, the DC lawyer thought HE was important? Him and the 1000 other prostitutes that hang out it DC

Yew onna dem Ornamenal people ain't chee? Ah never met me ah Ornamenal befo'.

I've actually had someone say that to me and I could not stop laughing.

I guess it's in how a person perceives the questioner. In my case, I didn't have to take offense, so I didn't.

I've read it's best for traveling Americans to have a maple leaf pin on their lapel.
(keeps 'em from getting kilt)

Hey man, you you are ugly and you talk funny. Where you from?

My standard line for younger people... Were are you from Brother? (Or Sister?)

I stay away from older foreigners. You just can't trust them ;)

The only thing I have to say, is don't include an assumption.

Especially if you assume someone from Korea was from China or Japan, or any of those three mixed up.

Depending on the part of the country you are in, people with an accent may get asked a lot where they are from. Almost everywhere they go, even in passing. It can get annoying for folks, so my recommendation is to not ask in passing (at the supermarket or in a phone call to a service provider for example).

In a social or work setting where you will spend time with someone, by all means ask straight out. And as mentioned above, it is good to ask with a positive comment, i.e. 'cool accent where is that from?'.

I never fault people for asking. But it is a bit like when we had a Great Dane. We'd be out and about with the dog a lot. People loved seeing him and generally it was fun. But everyone had the same couple jokes pertaining to its size, comparing it to horse and riding it, which we heard literally a thousand times over the course of the dog's life. ARGH! :rolleyes:

G

'murican.

Most people are proud of their heritage and are eager to tell their story.

I ask the same way people ask me. Whether it is an unusual last name or accent, I just ask

Hahaha, that's funny.

Not as fun a game as asking Canadians which part of the States they are from :D

Or assume someone speaking Spanish is Mexican... I work with a bunch of South Americans, Peru, San Salvador, etc.

You ain't from around here are ya