blog 30
My boss asked me very directly this evening "where do you want to settle down in America eventually" I replied I had no intention of returning, even in the long term. I qualified this later by saying that if I was in a position where people listened, perhaps. I.e. dittmar. The following question from him: "so why England."
I was struck a bit silent, as I’ve always assumed I knew the answer. But when faced with it from an Englishman, rather than American, I had trouble, stumbling though my main points. One, as he guessed, was that language – it’s similar enough to bridge. The second, I said, was the treatment of women. A bit odd explaining this to a 40 year old Yorkshire, but England – while not quite at the same level as America – is not Spain. Women are if not expected, at least considered qualified, for the same intelligence jobs and responsibility as men. Even as a Texan woman I rebelled against the expectation of women to be pretty and witty, but women who would want to go home and raise children eventually. I would struggle in any country that did not value women as intelligent career oriented.
The third reason why England has to do with my industry – with urban development. I’ve come to not only appreciate but enjoy and value the way the English (specifically English but also vaguely British) think about land. It’s hard to explain when you’ve grown up with it – I tried by juxtaposing it to the American ranchers 'its my land, I can do what I want with it' mentality. It causes a range of effects in the way cities and housing are built and managed. Different expectations and limitations of government, of property owners. To think, that Scotland doesn’t have 'trespassing' in their legal vocabulary. There is no such thing as truly private property, except your house. Land is free to ramble. I’ve grown up half expecting to be shot anytime I wandered onto land that wasn't mine.
I need to find a good explanation for him of the difference in land rights between the us and the uk. I'm pretty sure I’ve read it only because the passages I'm thinking of in my head are too good to have come from me. Someone’s written a piece on how how Americans see land vs. uk; i think I used it in my masters. It’s difficult to imagine a different way of owning land unless you live it.
Fourth. I love London. can’t say this enough. In some ways I have married this city, have adapted my daily living patterns to its rythyms, changed who and when I go out to suit it, I can’t explain my devotion except in terms of beauty, and it refreshes me everyday. I can’t imagine being with another. It’s that simple.
Here’s to hoping I’m faithful.
I was struck a bit silent, as I’ve always assumed I knew the answer. But when faced with it from an Englishman, rather than American, I had trouble, stumbling though my main points. One, as he guessed, was that language – it’s similar enough to bridge. The second, I said, was the treatment of women. A bit odd explaining this to a 40 year old Yorkshire, but England – while not quite at the same level as America – is not Spain. Women are if not expected, at least considered qualified, for the same intelligence jobs and responsibility as men. Even as a Texan woman I rebelled against the expectation of women to be pretty and witty, but women who would want to go home and raise children eventually. I would struggle in any country that did not value women as intelligent career oriented.
The third reason why England has to do with my industry – with urban development. I’ve come to not only appreciate but enjoy and value the way the English (specifically English but also vaguely British) think about land. It’s hard to explain when you’ve grown up with it – I tried by juxtaposing it to the American ranchers 'its my land, I can do what I want with it' mentality. It causes a range of effects in the way cities and housing are built and managed. Different expectations and limitations of government, of property owners. To think, that Scotland doesn’t have 'trespassing' in their legal vocabulary. There is no such thing as truly private property, except your house. Land is free to ramble. I’ve grown up half expecting to be shot anytime I wandered onto land that wasn't mine.
I need to find a good explanation for him of the difference in land rights between the us and the uk. I'm pretty sure I’ve read it only because the passages I'm thinking of in my head are too good to have come from me. Someone’s written a piece on how how Americans see land vs. uk; i think I used it in my masters. It’s difficult to imagine a different way of owning land unless you live it.
Fourth. I love London. can’t say this enough. In some ways I have married this city, have adapted my daily living patterns to its rythyms, changed who and when I go out to suit it, I can’t explain my devotion except in terms of beauty, and it refreshes me everyday. I can’t imagine being with another. It’s that simple.
Here’s to hoping I’m faithful.
