As the ex-partner of Sofia G., a woman of nationality, it was expected that we would have some differences as a couple aside from the fact that I am not a male. However, my nationality (born and raised in Spain) did not seem to play a role in our relationship and I never once found myself feeling discriminated against or made to feel that I belong to a group because I am a woman. When I was working abroad in the Philippines, however, I experienced a different type of treatment when it came to my citizenship and nationality status.
In a legal firm in Manila, where I worked as an attorney, a very well-dressed colleague asked me about my marital status and asked if I was married. Even if I was married, he added, “So, how old are you exactly?” I was hurt and indignant that such a question should be asked of me and that he did not seem to know me that well. It became very clear to me then that he was not one of my country’s citizens but simply a foreigner who happened to work here. So, in that particular instance, my nationality had nothing to do with his assessment of me and, subsequently, our relationship.
Age is always an issue when it comes to matters of dual citizenship. There are times when one feels that the other person is not a citizen of the country where they reside, thus making them foreign. This is especially true with those who are of a common nationality who happen to live apart from their native land. Despite the age difference, if you belong to the same country you should always treat each other as a citizen for whatever purposes you have in mind.