“A question”, Miriam Klara Czapp

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Summary

I have thought a lot about the question “where are you from?” Maybe this is because I sometimes feel uncomfortable giving an answer. This question often arises from curiosity and interest. But it can also express insecurity and is too often a rhetorical question. The answer can be the truth or an imaginary story. We become accustomed to the question and we can feel like we are not a part of it. Some people have to answer this question every day, again and again. My comic shows four different day-to-day situations, in four different cities in Europe…

Biography

I was born in Potsdam, in Germany. Six years ago I went to Barcelona to visit a friend and I decided to stay. Three years ago I moved to Italy. I have been drawing since I was a child, but I have never published anything. I have just drawn for myself and for the people around me.

Page 1

1. Thanks for inviting me, Lena! /  Come in! I hope you are hungry. I cooked a lot. / Friends, this is Okan. He studies with me.

2. Okan, take some sauce! / Wow, it’s going to be summer soon! / Yeah! We should go to the lake tomorrow!

3. Okan, where are you actually from? / It’s a Turkish name. You can’t hear that? / Me? What do you mean? / … I was born in Berlin.

Page 2

1. Hey, you see that blonde woman over there? She’s not from here, I’m sure! / Yeah! She must be from Romania. They always look so good!

2. Ciao bella! Where are you from?! / Yeah, those girls from the East!

Page 3

1. Hola amiga! Do you need sunglasses? / Yes, actually I think I do!

2. Where are you from? / um… from Germany. / You don’t look like, you know. More like from Czech Republic or somewhere like that. / Yeah maybe…

3. My cousin told me that it’s easy to find work in Germany. Life should be better there… / Oh. But…all that glitters ain’t gold!

Page 4

1. 1er étage / Bonjour Monsieur Prakash! / Bonjour Monsieur Monnier! / You have been working in our company for two years. I have never asked you, where do you come from? / Oh, I’m living in Nanterre.

2. No, I mean, where are you really from? / Ah! I was born in England. / Yes, but your home country?

3. You mean, where my parents were born? …in India. / On yes! 8 years ago I spent my holidays there. It was great! …I was a young man! Ha ha!