On Belonging in the 21st Century
A Foreigner in the West, a Westerner in Arabia
In search of an identity
10 years ago, I left the Middle East for good, returning yearly to visit family and friends.
In a way, I’d left the Middle East even when I was still there. I was physically there, but my mind had been in ‘the West,’ for decades already.
My foreign beliefs, my style, my cares, my TV show and music preferences — almost everything was fundamentally ‘foreignized.’ My identity and mindset had been formed out of multiple countries and cultures, none of which were inherently mine.
I looked at friends who were from one or two countries or cities, and how I’d envy them!
Whenever they’d have to go visit home, they’d visit only one home! How easy for them! All their friends are from the same place. They all have more or less one place they call home. They feel a strong sense of belonging to that one place. Even in more complicated situations, they always had a sense of belonging, a sense of home.
‘Where are you from?’ I ask.
‘I was born and raised in London, but my parents are Russian. So, I’m Russian/English.’
‘So where is home?’
‘Definitely here, in…
