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When people ask where I live, I notice I answer differently depending on what the asker will likely know. In addition to: “USA” “California” “Mountain View”, I’m amused that I have 3 phrases for (roughly) the same region: “near San Francisco” “Silicon Valley” “the Bay Area”

Where do you live?

Mountain View (I say this to tech people who have spent time in the Bay Area, like you)

even if you don't know where Mountain View is I'm 90% sure you know its rough region

I say… "USA", when traveling abroad "CA" or "near San Francisco", usually when US people ask, or abroad as more specific than "USA" "Silicon Valley", when I'm talking *about my job* to people who don't work in tech "the Bay Area", when I'm talking to people who *do* work in tech

I say US abroad too, but I’ve found most people know enough about the US to ask “where in the US” and I don’t think I’ve had anyone not know about Seattle