This week’s podcast featured beautiful actress, Gogglebox Star, Isabelle Silbery chatting about her views on the Nationality question. She is a dual national who was born in England but of French and Indian descent. Her professional life is primarily spent on stage and film, but she also enjoys a passion for children and helping them grow up. She is married to a British citizen and has two children. Her views on nationality are very interesting and at times controversial as she states: “It is strange that those people who say there is no problem with nationality, when it is actually the opposite – that the problem with nation is when you get to live in a multicultural community and realise you don’t know a single person who does not have a nationality.”
Isabelle Silbery is right in that many people who have moved country and marry a native of the country they are staying in, tend to be multicultural. Her point about the lack of knowledge about the nationalities of those they live with is certainly a valid one and something we need to think about more seriously if we are to avoid misunderstandings and problems. It is important that children grow up with the knowledge of their heritage and nationality. However, if they come from a multicultural background and don’t know anyone with their own nationality, this can cause difficulties, especially if they are forced to adjust or live in a multicultural community where they don’t feel comfortable.
Age is definitely something of a big concern for many singles out there, especially those in a relationship or looking for a partner of long term standing. We tend to look younger and older than our years in order to feel good about ourselves. We want to believe we are young, because then we feel confident, youthful, and able to cope with our partners’ lifestyle and pace. If you feel your nationalities aren’t matching up and you are considering a move out, don’t just assume it’s because you are too old, consider the alternatives and find out how you can keep the life you had before while keeping up with the pace of the changing times.