I Am British (Aren’t I?)
I am British. OK, let me clarify. I am a dual citizen (British and American). It is debatable whether I can call myself British. In fact, my wife Nita, who was born in England and hence authentically British, argues I am decidedly NOT British. Even though I lived in Manchester, England for 10 years and have a British passport. My three children were born in England and are also dual citizens – are they British? Sadly, their accents would say otherwise. We do hang a dual British-American Flag outside our home to represent our family duality.
Although Britain and America are on friendly terms, celebrating the 4th of July last week reminded me they weren’t always. Living in Philadelphia and passing by Independence Hall from time to time symbolizes this previous struggle of the colonists and their oppressors.
Living in England for 10 years did rub off on me in some ways. While I never really picked up an accent, my father reminds me that I still say some funny words (rubbish being a favorite or should it be favourite). I recently created an infographic showcasing some of the different words each nation uses. The odd part for me, now having lived back in the States for nearly five years, is that I sometimes can’t recall if a word or phrase is British or American.
From my time living in England, I did notice some general differences in the way Brits and Americans approach the world. The stereotype of Brits being conservative, stiff upper lip types did hold true in some sense. There were times I felt in business Brits were more half glass empty and saw obstacles more than opportunities. Like with all generalizations, there were plenty of exceptions, but the “can-do” positive spirit of Americans definitely feels more prevalent on this side of the pond.
In spite of our differences, our nations seem to be fascinated with the other. While living in England, people would often ask me to simply speak, as they liked to hear the American accent. I would be peppered with questions from friends and strangers alike about what America was like (and why would I not want to live there). On the flip side, people often comment on Nita’s accent and enjoying her say anything and are fascinated by stories of happenings on the small island.
In England and Manchester in particular, what football/soccer team you support is extremely important. With two major teams in Manchester (United and City), I was asked very often by people “Who do you support?” For ten years, I would give the same answer – The Eagles, which always returned a curious look. Hey, you can take the Eagles fan out of Philly, but you can’t take the Philly out of an Eagles fan!
The point of this all, I suppose, is to encourage that we all get along and recognize we are all more alike than different. It is with inclusion and tolerance that enables better relationships, whether in business or personally.
On the cusp of England playing in the semi-final of the World Cup for the first time in nearly 30 years, I feel an inexplicable pang in my stomach as I root for them to win. Perhaps this is the Brit in me!
