Discovering a fellow countryman

Just recently I ran into Justine (a student I last met in my Beginner level Spanish class). We met by chance in the metro station and had a wonderful chat. I found out things I never knew about her. When she introduced herself in the class she said she was American – and spoke with a definite American accent. I did not stay in the beginner class for long – a mere two days. Then I voluntarily downgraded myself to the pre-beginner class! Anyhow, Justine said she felt that she did not learn much in her class and that she can not speak Spanish better than she could before she took the course. Since my brother and I just left that class with no goodbyes, she thought we had hotfooted it back to South Africa, and was surprised to see us again. I told Justine about all the fun we had had in the pre-beginner class and that we were glad we had voluntarily downgraded. She said she wished she had too!

Floating around the world

After talking a while, Justine revealed that she was born in South Africa and grew up in in the USA. Her parents are South Africans through and through. She does not like the USA but has the luxury of a British and an American passport so she has many options for places to live and work. She is leaving for New Delhi in late August - for a 6 month job as an environmental consultant. She said she has lived in Barcelona for the last four years. As she does not speak Spanish, she has reached the ceiling in her professional capacity here. She has to find work outside Spain as Spanish companies always want employees that speak Spanish. She said she enjoys living in Spain now but that her first year was difficult. Now, her problem is that she can no longer grow professionally here. So she has to seek work in countries outside Europe. She also said that she does not see herself returning to live in the USA. She does not like or agree with the way people live or think there. I wondered if it is a case not not "finding your fit". I wonder if growing up in one culture, inside another culture (ie an immigrant family in the USA) perhaps makes one feel like an outsider. I then paused to think that maybe we South Africans have such a strong emotional and psychological connection with Africa that it is hard to settle anywhere else. Even though we have small ethnic or cultural connections with Africa we are still Africans in our hearts.