“Where are you from?” It depends …

“Imagine there’s no countries.” – John Lennon

Telford Vice / Casablanca

“WHERE are you from?” If you’re asked by someone who votes for Nigel Farrage or Herman Mashaba, you’re probably not white. And they’re really asking what the hell are you doing here.

But if you’re white on the streets of Tangier’s medina and your questioner is somewhere on the spectrum of café au lait to terracotta that covers most Moroccans, it really is about where you’re from. The query comes from a face bright...