Where are you from?
I have to take a deep breath before I can answer this question.
I was born in Milan and lived there until I left home aged 15 to continue my high school studies in Jerusalem. Upon graduating, I moved to the United States to continue my religious studies. Until that point I was from Italy.
Over eight years in the ‘melting pot’ of New York I came of age with work, marriage and children. Just as I began to put down roots and see myself as Italian-American, our family relocated to London.
Where are you from?
All of a sudden, it became a little complicated.
I am from Italy.
But you sound American?
Yes I have been living in New York.
But if I was back in New York, I’d have to explain I was Italian but living in London.
Then came a point when I would visit Italy and my italian sounded a little foreign.
You speak italian really well. Where are you from?
I am from Milan.
But you sound American?
Where are you from?
I had envisaged our move to London to be temporary. But ten years on, I had been living in London longer than I had ever lived in New York.
I did not feel British.
My husband and children all acquired British citizenship, I remained Italian, but finally acquired a pair of wellies.
Sixteen years on, I realized I had been living in London as long as I had ever lived in my native country and twice as long as I had lived in the United States where i had developed my adult identity.
I resolutely remained Italian.
I am a Londoner!
Just as I marked two decades of life in London, producer Rachel Wang got in touch requesting to interview me for a film feature called 1000 Londoners.
Rachel’s questions about the buildings, views and features of London that I most liked (and disliked!) made me realize, that while I don’t identify as British, I do identify as a Londoner.
I am comfortably at home in Milan, Jerusalem and New York, but London is my city.
I love its energy and architecture, its eclectic fashion, art and design scene.
I am grateful to Rachel for finding the Londoner in me by including in me as Londoner #212, which is the area code for New York!
