The Friday Five on a Sunday

[nanila]

1. Of the various cultures, ethnicities or nationalities you belong to, which most strongly do you consider yourself?
   
   My childhood, teenage years and young adulthood were approximately equally divided between Hawai’i, the Pacific Northwest, and California. All of these were very formative to my character and beliefs in different ways.
   
   
2. Is there a culture you cannot claim heritage from but which you feel quite close to?
   
   I have lived in the UK for over 20 years now and taken British citizenship. My partner and children are British. Although I wasn’t born here I do live as a Brit on a day-to-day basis. Probably the most significant milestone, in my opinion, is that when I’m travelling and I get homesick, it’s for the UK, not anywhere else. I’d struggle to pinpoint exactly when that happened, but I have no doubt about it now.
   
   
3. What's one language you wish you knew fluently?
   
   Tagalog, so I could talk to my dad in it.
   
   
4. If you could move anywhere in the world and be guaranteed a job, etc., where would you go?
   
   I’m pretty happy here, but if I could spend some time in the English-speaking* southern hemisphere with the family , I would live there for a few years.
   
   
5. If you had a time machine, and could witness any one event without altering or disturbing it, what would you want to see?
   
   I would love to witness the formation of the first life form on Earth.
   
   * I’m too old and too occupied with raising children and an extremely demanding job to properly learn a new language.

Comments

[annofowlshire]

I remember flying back to the UK from my dad's memorial in 2022, and as the plane was landing I thought "We're home! We're home!" and realizing that the UK had become home. From that point, I was no longer "X years gone" from Seattle, but "X years home" to the UK.

[nanila]

That's quite a momentous occasion to have had that particular revelation. Wow.

[cmcmck]

Even within the UK I always used to think I was home when I saw Rochester castle again from the train.

Now being home is seeing the Wrekin from the train. :o)

[nanila]

Those are both lovely landmarks. :)

[silviarambles]

I consider the UK 'home' too, but I've had mixed feelings about this since Brexit. I think I'm only just getting over the sense of betrayal, it's been an interesting reaction.

[nanila]

Sympathies. I loathe Brexit. I was so happy when I got my EU passport and I still feel immensely betrayed about it being taken away a scant few years later.

[omnipotent]

I'm glad you were able to make the UK your home. :)

[nanila]

Thank you. Me too. I didn't expect to become as happy here as I have been.