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Inspired by several recent questions about siblings.

My little sister was born a day¹ after me. Yet, we are not twins. I love her very much.

Now the question:

Where am I?

EDIT: yes, the intended answer is about (realistic) people in our real world.

Hint 1:

She's a woman, I'm a man... but there is no incest.

Hint 2:

Tags are important.

EDIT2: some answers, especially this and this are close and in the spirit of the intended answer (but they are slightly circumventing the question). Thus it's just a matter of knowing/guessing:

the specific language that fits the question

and I'll reveal the answer in some days if not guessed by then.

¹ Not really important that this is one day - could be a few days, a few weeks or whatever...

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    $\begingroup$ @OP - notice that your riddle is pulling in various genuinely good answers - you might want to make it a little more specific to be better aligned with what you have in mind. Otherwise, you run the risk of it being closed as being too broad. $\endgroup$
    – Phylyp
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 16:58
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    $\begingroup$ This question needs clarification why the polygyny answer is wrong. $\endgroup$
    – Sentinel
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 8:31
  • $\begingroup$ @Sentinel Polygyny is not necessary, father could have had an affair or she could be adopted, but the real clarification: tags are important $\endgroup$
    – Radovan Garabík
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 8:59
  • $\begingroup$ @Radovan Garabik True it is not necessary but there is nothing really to say why that should be incorrect, other than that the geography and language are important, but that is implicitly the case if you are talking about countries with different laws. $\endgroup$
    – Sentinel
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 10:45
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    $\begingroup$ LOTS of reasonable answers here, with no response by OP on most. If this many answers arguably fit, then the puzzle is under-specified. A well-crafted puzzle will give enough information to rule in the intended solution while ruling out everything else. Also, keep in mind that (at least here) puzzles are not interactive challenges—potential solutions should be testable by referring to the puzzle, not by needing a response from the setter as to whether they're right or not. If the puzzle lacks enough specificity to make that determination, then it's probably too broad. $\endgroup$
    – Rubio ♦
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 23:11

24 Answers 24

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You are in

Eastern Europe. More specifically, you are Ukraine and your sister is Belarus.

Reasoning:

Ukraine gained independence from the USSR on the 24th of August, 1991. Belarus gained her independence from the USSR the next day.

We are not twins:

The two are distinct countries, but can still be considered sisters: neighbours with a 1,084km border, both 'related' to the former USSR. Belarus is also the smaller of the two ("little sister"), with a total area around 1/3 that of Ukraine.

I love her very much:

I haven't been able to find much significant about Belarus-Ukraine relations with a cursory search, but after the annexation of Crimea by Russia, Belarus pledged support to the Ukraine, offering the Ukrainian president "the friendship of the Belarusian people.". Relations between Belarus and Ukraine have also recently strengthened. A bit weak for 'love', but I haven't yet found anything about national sentiment.

Another possibility would be:

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan (31st August and 1st September 1991), but their relationship seems less amicable. This sortable list of independence dates shows a significant number of countries with independence two days apart(!), but I only found these two pairs matching both the single-day difference and a shared border.

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    $\begingroup$ Nice answer, definitely respects the geography tag. $\endgroup$
    – Phylyp
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 7:56
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    $\begingroup$ According to the footnote, the time difference isn’t precise. Further, based on the OP’s comment to another answer, it seems that we’re talking about actual people. $\endgroup$
    – DonielF
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 2:39
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    $\begingroup$ This answer was posted before the edit/hints. Haven't thought of anything better yet... $\endgroup$
    – pbeentje
    Commented Mar 29, 2018 at 9:18
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Probably wrong but I think that you are on

Venus. Тhe day here is 243 Earth days which is enough to have two siblings in two consecutive days.

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    $\begingroup$ Well, that escalated quickly... $\endgroup$
    – ABcDexter
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 7:27
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    $\begingroup$ The answer also relates to the roman godess of love, which fits with the last sentence of the puzzle. Nice answer, this should be it! $\endgroup$
    – Rick
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 7:34
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    $\begingroup$ Nice lateral thinking, but not the intended answer - the day is 24 hours or so, and the persons and the location are absolutely possible to exist in real life. $\endgroup$
    – Radovan Garabík
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 7:38
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    $\begingroup$ @rhsquared At first I though the same (that this is on a different planet), but the tag geography suggests that the situation is on Earth. $\endgroup$
    – Kirill Bulygin
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 14:26
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You are in

Slovakia. Your profile says so. And in that language 'sestricka' means BOTH 'little sister' AND 'nurse'. So your wife is a nurse and is one day younger than you. You could also be in the Czech Republic, based on the linguistics alone. A nerikej mi ze nemam pravdu vole 😉

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  • $\begingroup$ Jo vole :-). Very good thinking, but way too meta - the question is not that sophisticated (and calling your wife "my nurse" would be unusual, tough not impossible). However, this is the first answer that goes in the correct direction... $\endgroup$
    – Radovan Garabík
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 21:08
  • $\begingroup$ @Radovan Garabik No way!😊 I was convinced I had it! But the little sister analogy is not too meta for this site by the way. It would be a riddle. Nevim, no. $\endgroup$
    – Sentinel
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 21:44
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    $\begingroup$ "Hello, Nurse!!!" -- The animaniacs. $\endgroup$
    – Chowzen
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 23:09
  • $\begingroup$ @Chowzen Yes, and how OP addresses his wife is not relevant to the question. I think OP should let us know if his gf or Mrs is a nurse or not 😊 $\endgroup$
    – Sentinel
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 8:29
  • $\begingroup$ @Sentinel Well, it's not really about me in real life (btw she's not a nurse :-)). 1st person singular is "riddle speak". Anyway, your answer is close, even if not geographically... $\endgroup$
    – Radovan Garabík
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 9:02
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You are in:

A country that permits polygyny (a man with two legal wives).

Your sister and you share the same father but different mothers.
Each of the mothers gave birth on successive days.
Your sister is still your sibling, which explains your love for her.

Granted, she would be your half-sister, as you share only one parent.

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    $\begingroup$ @ABcDexter - now that's what I call escalation :-) $\endgroup$
    – Phylyp
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 7:47
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    $\begingroup$ Although polygamy is not strictly necessary here. The father could have separated from the first mother. $\endgroup$
    – Amit Naidu
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 16:45
  • $\begingroup$ The cad! Shacking up with the second one immediately after impregnating the first one. (Seriously though, good point @AmitNaidu ) $\endgroup$
    – Phylyp
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 16:48
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    $\begingroup$ @Abigail, agreed (also: IVF), which is why I used separation instead of divorce to describe the situation, but actually that was a very measured statement on purpose. I was really just trying to keep this whole scenario family-friendly and avoid scandalizing gentle readers. But you both had to come in here and lay it all out there like that! :/ $\endgroup$
    – Amit Naidu
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 22:19
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    $\begingroup$ If the wives were identical twins, then (genetically, at least) the children would be full siblings. $\endgroup$
    – Michael Richardson
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 14:16
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Probably not the right answer..

We are not twins:

You're two of triplets. So you're not twins.

Where am I:

On a boat, crossing the International Date Line

Born a day after me:

Born a few seconds apart, crossing over the International Date line, making you born roughly 24 hours apart.

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  • $\begingroup$ +1 Good thought, but I think OP means 'day' as in a proper, full day. $\endgroup$
    – Amit Naidu
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 16:41
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You're in...

your sorority house.

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    $\begingroup$ Nice answer, and welcome to Puzzling! Please add spoiler tags (the characters >!) before your answer, so others don't see your answer before they're ready to :) $\endgroup$
    – puzzledPig
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 15:58
  • $\begingroup$ Welcome to Puzzling.SE. I've added a spoiler tag (view the edit to see how it's done), and a Wikipedia link to help those in countries that are not familiar with what you've referred to in your answer. $\endgroup$
    – Phylyp
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 16:51
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She could simply be your

Adoptive sister, born one day after you, you could love her very much, but that wouldn't specifically place you anywhere

Trying to do so anyway

You could be somewhere where adoptive siblings are allowed to marry (loving each other very much), but that doesn't seem to be anywhere on earth, so that leaves somewhere where people are allowed to adopt adults that are already married, and where no objections are made if a married couple is adopted by the same person or when one side of a married couple is adopted by the parent of the other side, but this idea is so weird it's hard to find laws for or against it.

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  • $\begingroup$ siblings don't always fight. $\endgroup$
    – Jasen
    Commented Mar 31, 2018 at 8:24
  • $\begingroup$ @Jasen, haha, yes I know, I have many siblings I never fight with, I was just purposely connecting the "loving each other very much" line to marrying because I figured the "very much" bit was an implied hint towards marriage, I think one of the hints might even be confirming that, but off course it doesn't have to be that :) $\endgroup$
    – OnlyF
    Commented Mar 31, 2018 at 8:32
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You are on

the International Date Line, born and living

And you're not a twin because

you are your own little sister, born one day apart in each timezone

And who doesn't love

themselves very much?

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  • $\begingroup$ A bit contrived but a fun direction! $\endgroup$
    – Allison
    Commented Mar 28, 2018 at 18:13
  • $\begingroup$ Samoa is one island that until recently corssed the date line. $\endgroup$
    – Jasen
    Commented Mar 31, 2018 at 8:27
  • $\begingroup$ @Jasen, yes I know but I figured for her to be calling herself her own little sister is weird enough as it is, she'd pretty much have to be continuously living on the international date line to be referring to herself as her own little sister, often switching from one side to the other, but as it turns out it's a he anyway, which invalidates my answer. $\endgroup$
    – OnlyF
    Commented Mar 31, 2018 at 8:39
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Depending on your definition of a day, you might be at

the North or South Pole,

because in either of those places

the Sun rises and sets once a year. If you understand a day to be the time between two sunsets (or something similar tied to the Sun), then a day lasts a year. This gives the time for your mother to have two different pregnancies ending on two consecutive days.

Reasoning why something like this is necessary:

At least Wikipedia defines human twins to be two people born out of the same pregnancy, so it dizygotic twins (two different eggs fertilized independently at the same time) still count as twins. Also, since she is your sister and not a half-sister, the mother is the same. Since the question is about real people, enough time is needed to have two pregnancies.

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You are

in a community speaking an Iroquois, Omaha, or Crow language, probably in USA or Canada. These language use the same word for "sister" as for (some instances of) "female cousin".

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  • $\begingroup$ This is very close. Yet, there is a better answer (even assuming the Iroquois, Omaha, or Crow accept relationship between cousins, you probably would not refer to her as "cousin" when talking about your relationship). $\endgroup$
    – Radovan Garabík
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 19:11
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    $\begingroup$ @RadovanGarabík: There doesn't seem to be anything about relationships in the question. The riddle loves the sister, but familial love is a thing that exists. $\endgroup$
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 19:11
  • $\begingroup$ It's (intentionally) only indirectly expressed (would be a next hint). Anyway, your answer is roughly in the same ballpark. $\endgroup$
    – Radovan Garabík
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 19:19
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For a physics answer:

You were traveling at 99.99962% the speed of light as soon as you were born, making only a day pass for you before you sister was born a year later according to your previous frame of reference (with your mom and soon to be sister.)

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You are in the

Czech republic

Because...

The word sestra can both mean sister and receptionist in Czech and you have some romantic relations with your receptionist

I hope the HR department does not find out

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  • $\begingroup$ receptionist??? I do not think so... $\endgroup$
    – Radovan Garabík
    Commented Apr 1, 2018 at 18:51
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Where am I?

Big Diomede Island, Russia

My little sister was born a day¹ after me.

Big Diomede and Little Diomede are on different sides of the international date line.

Yet, we are not twins.

Big Diomede is more than double the size of Little Diomede Island. Though they share the type of terrain they have, one is inhabited by Inupiat Alaskans and the other by occasional Russian military. So not similar enough to be twins.

I love her very much

From Russia With Love. Spy, cold-war, reference to the political tension between the two islands felt by their super-power parents. Maybe in a way Big Diomede covets Little Diomede...

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You are in a

Czech or Slovakian nursing home

Because

In those languages "sestra" means nurse and "sestricka" means dear or little nurse (affection or diminutive) and respectively they mean "sister" or "little/dear sister" too.

And

The nurse is about your age and you happen to have aged prematurely :-D

This is getting silly. Please narrow down the question. :-D :-D

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  • $\begingroup$ Sister is a title given to some nurses, even in English, but I don't think it's part of the solution. $\endgroup$
    – Jasen
    Commented Mar 31, 2018 at 8:31
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Where am I ?

At the center of the Solar system, on the Sun ?

My little sister was born a day after me.

Maybe Monday - Moon day - (After Sunday - Sun day -, which is the American first day of the week) ?

Yet, we are not twins

This is obvious

I love her very much.

By gravity, the Sun tries to attract the Moon.

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I was going to suggest:

China, where "Me" is the name of your other little sister who is the twin of the little sister in question.

Unfortunately, I doubt this is correct because:

I can't find any indication "Me" is traditional name. The closest is Mea (Italy), Mee (China) or Mei (Japan). Also, it isn't written as a proper noun.

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  • $\begingroup$ and "me" is lowercase anyway.... $\endgroup$
    – Radovan Garabík
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 12:16
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This is a guess....

USA

Because

This is a reference to Pretty Little Liars

Where

Mrs DiLaurentis has a twin sister and both sisters had children with the same father. This makes the children horizontal three quarter siblings with the same genetic material. I don't know if the birthdates match (one day) but this answer could point to a geographical location where such a relationship is termed 'sister' in the sense of full sibling.

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I think the answer is that you are in

either India/Japan/Korea/China

Not sure where exactly though, but my biggest guess would be

India

Because

They use word bhaisab - which means literally 'brother' - for a really close friend/BFF, and they use similar word for sister

And

she might be little (opposite of tall) and she is grown up (hint of woman)

And

you love her very much (was/is still BFF female) so you know she was born a day after you and there is no incest involved because you are not related to her in any way...

(A thought from Slovakia)

Just a shot in the dark.

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  • $\begingroup$ Yes, this is almost it... almost :-) (perhaps if you specified which of the hundreds of languages of India...) $\endgroup$
    – Radovan Garabík
    Commented Apr 1, 2018 at 18:55
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Here is what I think...

I think you are in Korea and you are her 오빠... not real brother but if you are dating or really close (love each other very much) some she might call you that if she is younger. It means 'older brother' but also can be used in a loving way in a close relationship.

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A long shot here:

You are in the Andes speaking Quechua, but your native Polish is causing some language interference.
Pani means "sister" in Quechua and "woman" in Polish.
Source: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pani

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  • $\begingroup$ Good one, however "pani" in Polish is an honorific. (Generic) woman would be "kobieta". But, on the other hand, "moja pani" is exactly how you'd refer to your wife... $\endgroup$
    – Radovan Garabík
    Commented Apr 1, 2018 at 18:47
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You are

In a monastery/church ?

Because you are

a monk

and your little sister is

a (small) sister of the monastery

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You are in:

The Arctic Circle. The sun does not set between (approximately) March 18th and September 24th - a total of 190 days. If you consider that a day ends at sunset, this 190 day period could be considered "one day".

And your sister:

Was born prematurely. Your mother became pregnant immediately after your birth and gave birth within the 190 day period. The earliest surviving pre-term birth on record is 128 days.

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You are in

Sri Lanka

Because

The Tamil word taṅkai means little sister or female parallel cousin

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You (the first person) are

a patient in the hospital. To be precise, you are admitted into hospital bed for treatment.

Your little sister is

the nurse assigned to take care of you. She is younger to you by a day or couple of weeks. Almost universally, nurses are called 'sister' in India, the country of billions.

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