Looking back my friends have been mainly white. In the 1960s, apart from the air-men on the local US bases, I didn't encounter any one other than from the UK. I did have pen friends: one in Malaya, but never saw photos - another in Australia ........ an American boy attended our Primary School for 6 months as did the local travelling children - parents had bought properties so that the kids could get regular schooling or they popped up seasonally - i.e. around fruit picking time. There was 1 Italian girl, no one would talk to her in the Playground so I did. She lived near me and began to teach me Italian ........ but then they left
and I wasn't able to get their address as it was sudden.
Even in Dance Class until I was 18, we were all English. Despite many Companies being from Russia etc..
When I went to work in the NHS at 18 I mixed with different cultures and loved it. As someone interested in human geography it was like going on holiday ...... from all corners of the World, as it was a teaching hospital. When some went 'home' on leave they brought back presents; from Egypt, India, Nepal ........ some of those I still have. We exchanged recepies - funnily enough, those from Egypt were very 'English' - meat and 3 veg.
but DH often cooks curries learned in those years as we have access to many ethnic markets with fresh ingredients - some I don't even recognise
However: apart from my GP, our Dentist and the Post man, I don't come into contact with many from outside of the UK. The post man is from Nigeria and we talk when possible about our differences. My GP and Dentist are 1st generation - the latter chats willingly about living in Kenya B4 moving here. They know about their heritage without needing to go into records as I do when searching genealogy, as it has been handed down orally.
A few years ago we met a family from Afghanistan - they had left there to live in Holland so the 5 children spoke their tribal language; Arabic; Dutch and were learning English ....... he dealt in lapis lazuli, sadly we lost touch as he no longer attends the Antique Fair that we go to every year. As he relaxed his English improved, initially he was quite stilted when talking to us but by the end of an afternoon chatting, he had improved. The children moved through 3 languages quite easily it seemed.
French was a disaster dahling
- the tutor was French married to an English man. With great patience
- I don't think she returned to France because I wasn't learning well - did she
. I had done French in ballet class
Watching Nadia on The 1 Show earlier, who stated that she doesn't celebrate C.mas with baubles etc. but 'was born on Ch.mas Day' ...... not 25th Dec.; triggered a thought that I don't have anyone in our circle that isn't English or Welsh. There are 3 Indian families in the village but our paths don't cross other than when I wave to the Granny who looks after the babies. We had an Indian friend locally for 3 years who went back to her grandparents' home to help out 6 months ago.
I suppose my point is: that although I live near 4 large multi-cultural towns, our paths don't cross except talking with those in the service industries or shops
. I feel that I'm missing out.
