So?

I've noticed this weird pattern of conversation for when I meet someone new. After they find out that I'm Japanese (that question usually comes right after "Hi. I'm Tanaka") the person feels the need to tell me about their son/daughter that's working in Asia; "My son's over there in Singapore teaching English" or someone in their family that's married to an Asian person;"My brother's married to Chinese girl" or they ask me if I know so and so who's visiting from Japan...why is this?? Am I supposed to relate to the fact that your children are teaching English in some country I've never been to? Asia covers a pretty big land mass...how am supposed to know absolutely everything about the variety of different cultures from the area? Whenever people tell me these things...I'm not quite sure how I'm expected to respond...what the hell do they mean by over "there" anyway?? My only response that I can think of is "So what?"