All of us living in another country are who we think we are, until we go back and are forced to reassess. My Latvian friend, Astrid has the features of one of the local tribes, but is 100% English in character - so much so that she could only take it over here for a few months.

I think our understanding of collective identity is formed by the character of society around us (hence the reassessment process on returning to the homeland), as opposed to the ethnic gene pool - it is a kind of chronic catatonia if you don't watch it, but I think it is ONLY THAT that is the main factor in our understanding of collective identity. It is passive process, and it limits us, especially when we romantisise it.

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Jā, atceries manu ierakstu par marinētām bietēm? Nu, kur es stāstīju, kā vienurīt pamodos un man pēkšņi šausmīgi kārojās marinētas bietes, lai gan Latvijā tās ne tuvu nebija manu iecienītāko ēdienu sarakstā.

Bet es šeit vairāk tā kā runāju par kaut ko citu: par vietzemnieku - ārzemnieku grupu / kopienu berzi un kā tā rodas, ne tik daudz par individuālu pieredzi (lai gan līdz šai saprašanai mani noveda tikai mana individuālā pieredze - man šeit nav nekādu grupu, ar ko identificēties).

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Jaa - gribeeju pateikt, ka ja tev tur buutu apkart liela Lv ekspatu gruupa, tad tu varbuut pasiivi, varbut apziniigi pastiprinaatu tavu identiititaati caur shis grupas koletiivo saprashaanu par to, kas tas ir buut latvietei (now you see why I wrote the last comment in English -ceru, ka tu kaut ko sapratiis:))

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tavs latvišs ir lielisks - kā vienmēr :)

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