Outsider


I grew up in Northern Ireland and have been a teacher and lived in England, Ghana, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malawi, Mexico, Colombia, The United Arab Emirates, Australia, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia.

These are my memoirs which are arranged chronologically by year. Much is social commentary.

Aside from narrative recount, the style is often anecdotal, aphoristic and ironical. I try to soften the heavy social commentary with humour. Some friends have said I tend to 'rant' at times. I don't deny it! Perhaps it is the Irish in me. I apologise in advance then, if that is your impression too.

I do not intend to stereotype various nationalities but inevitably I will generalise for dramatic effect.

In a globalised multicultural world there is an urgent need to identify and face up to our national idiosyncracies and shortcomings. Nationalism has always seemed to me to be a bogus substitute for a genuine sense of connectedness and community. It is a highly dangerous concept when manipulated by politicians to get citizens to do things that are unpalatable to them-like going to war for instance.

If we don't begin to see ourselves as others perceive us - and not as we would like to see ourselves, then catastrophe looms.

I contend we can be comfortable with our heritage and still be able to criticize and even laugh at ourselves at the same time.


The two are not mutually exclusive.

Outsiders are in a unique position to show us our shortcomings because we simply cannot see them ourselves.

I believe that no culture has found the ideal 'solutions' to the challenges of life. Every culture I have lived in has both positive and disturbing characteristics.

In which cultures do people appear happiest? (notwithstanding natural and man-made disasters such as war and famine)

What question can be more profound than that?

The results may be surprising. In my experience, the happiest cultures were Ghana, Malawi, Mexico and Colombia. At the bottom of the list would be England, Ireland and Australia.

I think we need to learn from each other-not try to 'teach' each other...there is a big difference.

Please send me an E-mail if you would like to comment on anything.


Outsider


Outsider1952@gmail.com









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Showing posts with label 2009 Adelaide Abu Dhabi living at Alice's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009 Adelaide Abu Dhabi living at Alice's. Show all posts

Sunday, May 31, 2009

2009 Adelaide living at Alice's

So much has happened to M and the teenagers since they arrived here in Adelaide. Although things are not perfect here after my return form Abu Dhabi I don't think the family would have survived an extended period of my absence: I would not have been part of what has turned out to be a traumatic readjustment to life in the real world for all of us.(Adelaide).

As it is, living as I do at A's place with my chinese lodger companions, I am still not 'centre stage'-but at least I am here-if only on the fringe. I think it would just have made things worse if I had tried to squeeze in permanently at HQ with the others. (where M,S and J are living). In such a small house space all of us would have felt the strain.


The financial pressure is a real concern but J has just been made employee of the month -at McDonalds and is doing very well on that front -and at school too. S is doing OK at University of Adelaide and has just started a job one day a week as a security guard at his Rugby club.

This should give him confidence and a little more cash-and help us out with the rent.
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