Ask Me Anything: Responses
Mar. 11th, 2017 12:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fjI still identify you in my mind (my mind being a very me-centric world, I guess) as being a foreign-born American, although it's clearly been some better part of a decade since this has been the case. How do you see your place in the world? Is there an identity to it?
I'm Dutch, and have always been Dutch.
When I lived in South America, it was made very clear I was a foreigner, and my family was foreign. So I considered myself Dutch. In the Netherlands I was often odd, but Dutch. In the US I got mistaken for local because of the accent I got in American School and US TV did do a great educational number about US life to foreigners, but I never thought of myself as American--just very bound and excited by the country.
It was hard to leave. I missed it for a very long time, still often do.
Over here strangers mistake me for American, and I almost always correct them. Because I am Dutch. I just started voting again in the Netherlands because I worry about where the country is going. I know I will very likely live there again. I will be a stranger again there--people are very confused when I fiddle and search for change in Euros, I have to explain I am an ex-pat and never use Euros--but I'll blend in soon.
I'm Dutch, and have always been Dutch.
When I lived in South America, it was made very clear I was a foreigner, and my family was foreign. So I considered myself Dutch. In the Netherlands I was often odd, but Dutch. In the US I got mistaken for local because of the accent I got in American School and US TV did do a great educational number about US life to foreigners, but I never thought of myself as American--just very bound and excited by the country.
It was hard to leave. I missed it for a very long time, still often do.
Over here strangers mistake me for American, and I almost always correct them. Because I am Dutch. I just started voting again in the Netherlands because I worry about where the country is going. I know I will very likely live there again. I will be a stranger again there--people are very confused when I fiddle and search for change in Euros, I have to explain I am an ex-pat and never use Euros--but I'll blend in soon.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-11 10:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-11 05:12 pm (UTC)My internal monologue is in the language of whomever I am imaginarily discussing something with, which is usually English these days.