Monday, November 24, 2008

Becoming American

During this week of Thanksgiving — the most American of holidays — National Public Radio is spending time thinking about what it means to become an American in a 3 part series of interviews with noted authors who've written about newcomers to the United States.The first is Junot Diaz who immigrated from the Dominican Republic at age 6.
"Feeling like an outsider at a young age made Diaz become a "fanatic" for his home country.

"I don't think that I ever would have thought so fondly of Santo Domingo had I stayed there my whole life," he says."

You can hear the interview here.

3 comments:

Expat mum said...

I've just read his book about Oscar Wao - very interesting indeed. Yes, I would agree with him that when you move away from your home country, you do wax a little more nostalgic about it than you would have if you'd stayed.

Mmm said...

I think I might feel the same way!

Anonymous said...

Big subject here ... Hhhmmm.

I live between the two countries and don't feel like I belong in either.

When I live in the the US I have British friends, and I mostly handg out with Americans when I live in the UK.

Not sure what is behind that.

I do wish I was in the US this week, there is nothing like the wind up for Thanksgiving...

PS --adding you to my blogroll.

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