I started a new blog. Garlic and Olive Oil It deals with the eight years I lived in Spain, back in the seventies and eighties. It's only now dawning on me that I have been foreigner in two separate countries.
I never thought about it before.
Americans to this day say to me, "Where are YOU from?" That's after they say, "You're not from around here, are you?" Then they want to know my whole life history.
"What brought you to America?"
"Do you have any kids?"
"Do they talk like you?"
"Where did you meet your husband?"
"Why did you go to Spain?"
"You haven't lost your accent?!"
At least some things have changed over the years. It used to be that people would ask if I lived in a castle and if there was colour television in Scotland. They even asked where in England Scotland was located!
I'd give them a Geography lesson and try to explain how there are four countries which make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain. But nobody ever paid any attention. They were always just fascinated by the way I speak.
Being a foreigner in Spain was completely different. I could hide behind the Spanish language. I could detach myself from conversations very easily. Half the time I had no idea what they were saying! Even when I learned Spanish, it didn't bother me that people would ask me where I'm from. It was understandable for I have a very pale skin that goes bright red in the sun. I stood out.
But I don't stand out in the United States where there are lots of people with really pale skins.
I just have to work more on a Yankee doodle accent!
Any time I go to the U.K. people there also ask me where I'm from! They ask me if I'm Canadian!
Maybe I should just move to Canada, and be done with it.
I never thought about it before.
Americans to this day say to me, "Where are YOU from?" That's after they say, "You're not from around here, are you?" Then they want to know my whole life history.
"What brought you to America?"
"Do you have any kids?"
"Do they talk like you?"
"Where did you meet your husband?"
"Why did you go to Spain?"
"You haven't lost your accent?!"
At least some things have changed over the years. It used to be that people would ask if I lived in a castle and if there was colour television in Scotland. They even asked where in England Scotland was located!
I'd give them a Geography lesson and try to explain how there are four countries which make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain. But nobody ever paid any attention. They were always just fascinated by the way I speak.
Being a foreigner in Spain was completely different. I could hide behind the Spanish language. I could detach myself from conversations very easily. Half the time I had no idea what they were saying! Even when I learned Spanish, it didn't bother me that people would ask me where I'm from. It was understandable for I have a very pale skin that goes bright red in the sun. I stood out.
But I don't stand out in the United States where there are lots of people with really pale skins.
I just have to work more on a Yankee doodle accent!
Any time I go to the U.K. people there also ask me where I'm from! They ask me if I'm Canadian!
Maybe I should just move to Canada, and be done with it.
