Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Haunted by Transatlantica

Back in the fall of 1985, when I had only been in the United States a few weeks, I read a copy of Vanity Fair magazine that I'd found in the office I shared with several other grad students. One paragraph in the editorial in that particular magazine, written by Tina Brown, resonated enough with me even then that I photocopied it and kept it. I misplaced the photocopy at one point in one of my moves but I found it again today. Here are the words I wanted to keep:
In fact, once you've lived on both sides of the Atlantic, it's impossible to be content with either. One becomes haunted with the perfect place called Transatlantica, which is somewhere in between. Its population shares England's civility and America's energy, England's irony and America's optimism, England's coziness and America's breadth, England's sense of the past and America's belief in the future. Whichever side you settle, your sensibilities are forevermore on the frequent flier's program.

11 comments:

kenandbelly said...

Yes. That's it.

ADDY said...

I think it's more to do with "you can't please all of the people all of the time!" We are never happy with what we have got... the cause of too many wars.

Paul said...

Nice quote. Perfectedly balanced. Though I'm missing the UK at the moment. Probably because I've got toothache and not a lot of money!

nappy valley girl said...

That is a brilliant quote, and probably sums up how I will feel for the rest of my life...

essbdee said...

that is beautifully perfect... I'll be printing and laminating these words soon as I get to work.

Expat mum said...

Very smart lady. (Both of you.)

Michelloui | The American Resident said...

Quite simply, yes.

All this blogging by us existentialist expats, ruminating over what it's like or not, considering this aspect and that of our existence, contemplating our lives in so many ways... can all be summed up right there.

Dang. Now I almost feel like everything else I've blogged about being an expat is a bit meaningless!

Iota said...

Very nicely put.

Alexandra Lea said...

I love this! I have lived in the US for nearly 7 years and now have US citizenship. My husband is a US citizen and when deciding about the future and whether we will move back to the UK there is always the question of the things we love/hate about each country. Would you mind if I linked to this on my own blog? Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Well-said :)

Almost American said...

Sorry for the belated response Alexandra - do go ahead and link to this. Thanks for asking!!

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