Learn English – How to answer when an American asks “Which part of ___ are you from”

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I'm an alien worker here in USA.
This happens a lot when I start chit-chatting with a stranger, he/she would ask "Where're you from?"
"China" I say.
Then chances are the following question would be "Which part of China are you from?"

I never figured out the best answer to the "which part" question. I guess average Americans don't know world geography as good as the rest of world knows about America, so why bother asking "which part"?

Then I thought this might just be a polite way of keeping on the conversation. Sometimes I tried to give a specific answer like my province or the nearby famous city, but almost always got a "I don't know where the heck is that and not interested in knowing" face. Otherwise, I'd just give a general direction like Southeast, but that makes me feel I'm being too perfunctory to the nice guy. Either way, the topic is quickly switched over with a bit of awkwardness.

What do Americans expect when asking the "which part" question? Is there a short yet nice way of answering that question without having to give a geography lecture?

Best Answer

You are right, people often ask stupid questions based on ignorance and thoughtlessness. Now I will answer the question that you didn't ask -- what should you say in response?

Say something charming and intriguing about the place or region where you grew up, with a brief geographic orientation so they can imagine it on a a map. For example:

My partner is from a tiny village in northern Germany, that has two small grocery stores, one gas station, two churches (one Lutheran and one Catholic), and a one-room public library that is open two afternoons per week.

Now, this person knows at least twice as much about the geography of China than he did before he asked!

You follow up by asking them where they're from.

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