I've found that when I moved to New York City, I get a lot more statements of "You're the first person I've met from Nebraska!" (Usually, followed by some itteration of "There are Asians in Nebraska!?") So, let me tell you a little bit about where I grew up and my very multi-cultural family, especially for Nebraska in the 1980's.
I was born in the summer of 1982 in Taegu, South Korea. I was adopted by my parents before I was even born. My father, grew up in Butterworth, Malaysia and immigrated to the United States when he was only 18. My mother, was born in Omaha, Nebraska and grew up in Lincoln; which is where I would spend the first 23 years of my life.
They were introduced to each other by my maternal grandfather, who worked in the engineering field. His church had sponsored some Chinese immigrants and needed a translator. He knew my Dad from work contacts and as a thank you, wanted to take him out to dinner. The other guests at that dinner? My maternal grandmother and my Mom.
I don't know much about their courtship, but they were married in the late 70's and my Mom always wanted to have a big family. After some problems conceiving, they saw that Holt International (an adoption agency out of Portland, Oregon), was going to start letting families in the Midwest adopt from Asia.
My parents filled out all the paperwork and had the mandatory home visits. They bought a new house in the Northwest part of Lincoln, The Highlands, and waited my arrival. After some delays with paperwork, they finally made the drive down to Kansas City, Missouri to meet me, along with several other Midwest families meeting their newest editions to the family.
I arrived dressed in a giant powder blue onesie and the attendant congratulated my parents on their "New baby boy!" "Wait!" My Mom said, "We're supposed to have a girl!" After some humiliating checking, I was on my way to my new home with parents. And thus, the journey in Nebraska began.