Am I going or am I coming back? The dilemma of the migrant
By Adriano on Thursday, October 4 2007, 11:25 - Ideas - Permalink
This post is also available in: German French Italian
It’s now a ritual. The plane has to stop first, while the other passengers rush to the cupboards uphead, I take out the French sim card and replace it with the Italian one. It reminds me of those moments in which a country takes over another in an international peace operation.
Here I am once again. Naples, Capodichino airport. Welcome back, my friends say to me. But you go or you come back to your homeland? There are two theories that belong to each of the two schools of this eurogeneration folks. There are those who follow the reason: my life is now in Paris. I go to Cava, my homeland. And there are some others that let out a “I come back” regarded as a sign of weakness, as if the trip had to finish soon or later in the island of the myth that is in everybody’s heart. Keeping it in mind, talking barely about it, creating a myth out of it. Always.
For years I’ve been wanting to say “I go to Cava”. I left that place almost ten years ago. I’ve been living in Paris for five years now, I’m putting my roots here. Can I then use the same verb - to go – in order to draw the route to Tallinn or to Havana? Maybe one day we will make up a verb of movement, a proper one, a son of this hybrid, unstoppable need to come and go.
P.S. I’m sorry but I need to consult with someone: am I the only one who goes paranoid by thinking this kind of stuff?
Translated by Alessandro Mancosu
Comments
no you're not the only one going paranoid about this!
it took me years to stop saying "i'm going home" when i was coming from warsaw to cracow for christmas or on other occasion. but i still have doubts about it and have this subconscient feeling of 'coming back' even if i was only 'going' for the weekend.
hey adriano, long time no see
i follow cafebabel a bit from afar, mostly because of a severe lack of time. But i had to comment on this one: you are so right! I still can't make my mind whether I "just" go to Strasbourg or go "back" there.
anyway, enjoy you US trip. I bet your are learning and teaching a lot!
sarah (ex strasbourg team)