[alexander_busek]

The girl who took our names and got us seated had roundish facial features like the Japanese and somewhat flat cheeks like Koreans. I figured she was from somewhere between Korea and Japan, so out of the blue, I asked her if she was from Hong Kong. Yes, indeedy. she was. My brother’s mouth dropped open and he asked, “How did you know that?” I just smiled.

She was just being polite to the stupid Gaijin. (She would otherwise be fired in a New York minute.) Believe me: She was actually from, e.g., Okinawa.

I find it actually rather boorish to ask a total stranger such a personal question. What if they were to smilingly answer, "I wonder about that myself sometimes. You see, I was abandoned as an infant, raised by gypsies, and then sold into prostitution at the age of 13. So I really don't know."

When I bump into an English-speaker abroad, and they comment, e.g., "It's mighty cold here!" I might respond with "So where abouts are you from?" - But to speculate openly about their genetic make-up as a conversation-breaker?!

Regards,

[higgmeister]

I find it actually rather boorish to ask a total stranger such a personal question.

So funny, I've done it quite a bit. Russian, Turkish, Romanian, it's very much appreciated when I get it right and engage in a conversation about their mother country.

[sparklite2]

I find it actually rather boorish to ask a total stranger such a personal question

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Well, I’ve never been known as politically correct.