“I’ve started to grasp how complex British identity is”

Transcript: On British identity

Federica Stefani: Hi, this is Federica from Inverness and Britishness to me, it’s something that I’ve not thought about that much up until very recently when I decided to apply for citizenshipStaatsbürgerschaftcitizenship. I have been in the UK and Scotland precisely for almost a decade now. And before coming here, I think I had a very stereotypical idea in my mind of what Britishness would be. To me that would be waiting in line very perfectly, a different type of composureHaltung, Selbstbeherrschungcomposure from us rowdyrüpelhaft, grobrowdy Italians, people being very polite. I think that the Empire would always come to mind in terms ofin Bezug aufin terms of just the past in a way, and I think, of course, having a proper cup of tea at five o’clock would be something that I would have in my mind. Whereas coming here, I just understood how complex this identity is. Maybe not understand, but I started to graspbegreifengrasp. Because, of course, there’s local identities in each of the the Home Nations (UK)England, Schottland, Wales und NordirlandHome Nations. Again, people that feel Scottish first or Welsh or English, or even then, they will feel more like they’re local. They would maybe identify as Highlanders or where exactly in the UK they are. So, it’s very much an umbrella termOberbegriff, weit gefasster Begriffumbrella term, I think, which people may or may not want to use, depending on the context and political upbringinghier: Prägungupbringing as well and their political views. So, it is really very much something that encompassumfassenencompasses a lot of cultures, languages, identities. And for me, I think it would probably sit alongside being Italian and European first, but it’s something that I think will develop with time as an identity. I’ve grown up most of my life somewhere else. I think that this is something that needs to build up in a way, but I’m looking forward to the journey, and I am already a be a convert to sth.ein Verfechter von etw. geworden seinconvert to a really good cup of tea.