Friday 23 January 2009

ENGLAND V PORTUGAL

Yesterday I had a call from Rosie, as she came back from Newcastle. She was shocked of how no one spoke or smiled at her during the train journey and she said to me: “People in England are so anti social, why did you come here?”

I have been thinking about that question, and I got to the conclusion that is not the important question, I came to study. The important question is: why do I want to stay? And you see, I’m still trying to find out the answer. What I can tell you is, being in England or being in Portugal is all part of my life but they are two parallel worlds. They are not integrated with each other. I am someone in Portugal and someone else in England, that does not mean I am better in one place than the other, and especially it does not mean I prefer who I am in England just because it is where I want to stay. It just happens.
Of course, that having a better career opportunity influences the fact that I want to stay, but I know there is more to it, and I will keep you posted when I find out the answer.

2 comments:

Mark Griffin said...

Saw this link and thought of Rosie and you. It doesn't really add much to your search - but I did think it was revealing about the UK. We're bored!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7848244.stm

I've just read a really good book called Happiness by Richard Layard, which suggests that nations should not just assume that economic well being is the most important measure of success - but that lonely rich countries, like Britian have a significantly lower standard of living than some poorer, but more socially active countries. He highlights Ghana and Mexico.

Boal also suggests that the richer individuals get the more likely they are to 'defend' their possessions and distrust others and this inevitably leads to isolation, depression and the higher rates of suicide in industrial countries. If we laughed more, shared the little we have more and made time to listen to each without prejudice I think we'd be a much happier country!

Rosie said...

I think we'd be much happier too! we are LUCKY people!!!!