Where are you from?

This actually occurred a few months ago, though I haven't had a chance to finish this post until now.

My roommate's fiancee posed the question of, "Are you Chinese?" to me the other day. It was a bit random, as I've never spoken more than a, 'because formality dictates', hello or goodbye to him. I was caught a bit off guard as I was speaking to another friend at the moment, so I quickly answered, "um, yes." You would think that I wouldn't be as surprised since arriving to Utah I've been asked not only, "where are you from?" but "what are you?" on a weekly basis. The question seems to pop up at the most random of moments from the most random of people, like while Harry and I are minding our own business and picking up groceries at Smiths.

So I pose these questions: do people ask because they are genuinely curious about my ancestry and heritage? Or do people ask so they can more easily classify me? Do people ask so that they can confirm their own beliefs of what they thought a "Chinese person" looked like? I used to be more open about asking the race question, but since beginning college and having it posed to me again and again, I've tired of the question and I've become wary of its intent. So I don't ask it, and in doing so, I'd like to think I've become less concerned about the confining and ever so superficial boundaries of racial classifications.

I've encountered some strange responses after telling a person that yes, indeed I am of Chinese ancestry. The strangest encounter took place a few months ago. After telling this certain person my ethnicity, she sat back, looking deep in thought and replied, "I don't think I've ever met one of those before."

I was so aghast that I didn't answer, but in hindsight I should have said something like this:
"REALLY!??!?! Cuz' there's a lot of us, you know."

Another missed opportunity. POOP.