"Where are you from?"

In life, we are going to meet a lot of people. As physicians, we will meet many patients along the way. There are many good questions that we can ask which will foster understanding and connection. One question that does neither is "Where are you from?". Today is the 33rd year anniversary of when I permanently moved to the United States of America. While I have lived all over the US, no matter where I go, I always get asked this question. In the interest of saying what we mean and meaning what we say, I will share with you my take on how this question is received by the other person, and give you a moment to pause and ask yourself: What do I really want to know about this person? Then, ask them that question exactly. Want to learn more about how to talk to people, go to my website to get the free guide. www.drfaryal.com