Not only did the clocks go forward to summer time today (did you remember?) but we are also being counted...
I must have filled in a form like this last time which was 10 years ago, but I don't remember...
Anyway, such questionnaires bring up a number of amusing questions for a multicultural family like ours...
Like 'what is your main language?' Well, that depends, doesn't it? On my mood, temper and not least the topic. I consider myself fully bilingual (although some of my friends in Norway at times express horror of my at time shambolic use of Norwegian...;-)), but we also throw in some other words and expressions from Persian when the topic calls for it. Or even some very internally made up words that only make sense to us in the family. So, what to do???
;-)
Then there is the question of ethnicity and cultural background.
Will there ever be a day I wouldn't say I am Norwegian? I hope not. We have been here for almost 12 years and will I ever say I am British? It is even more complicated for Our Boy who was born in Norway but raised in England by what is probably categorised ethnically as Norwegian/Iranian parents.
Some times it is hard to fit in a 'box'...
Well, I have filled in the form to the best of my ability and will leave the puzzles and queries for future descendants and genealogists to ponder when they look us up in censuses :-)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Heisann :-)
ReplyDeleteKlart du er norsk! Født og oppvokst her, da ER du norsk!
Som du vet er Gubben engelsk, og han vil absolutt ALDRI bli norsk..hvorfor skulle han det? Sa til han det er "skillsmissegrunn" hvis han bytter statsborgerskap, nemlig vært gift med en nordmann en gang..holdt det, hehe
Ha en fin søndag og klem fra meg
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI just came across your blog while reading the baking blog Söta Saker. I've only read a few blog post but I find it very interesting since I am Swedish and moved to Leeds 7 months ago.
I just had to comment on this post because I had to fill in the census form, and like you, I had some trouble to fit into a box. I was born in Colombia but was adopted and moved to Sweden, and now moved to England, and even though Swedish is my native language, I only speak English nowadays (oh my poor Swedish, can't speak it fluently anylonger).
I'm gonna keep reading you blogposts now, it's fun to read what another scandinavian thinks and experience England.