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We live in Wales. Squeaky was born in Wales, she has a bilingual birth certificate, and unless we move across the border in the next year (very unlikely, I'm not moving EVER again!), she'll be educated in both English & Welsh. But she's not Welsh. Friends have said she's Welsh, because she was born in Wales. My answer to that, "Jesus was born in a stable, does that make him a donkey?"
Squeaky's Daddy & I were both born in England. Not all that far apart, as it turns out. Our parents were all born in England, and when the Six Nations rugby rolls around, I support the team in white (and remind people which team has won a world cup, and which teams haven't). But have a look at my Flag tags post, and you'll see I'm supporting the Czech Republic, rather than Team GB. My paternal grandfather was Czech, and until I married, I had a Czech surname. If I have the option on a survey, I tick European, rather than British.
To be honest, growing up my surname caused me more trouble than I'd care to admit. When it came to choosing Squeaky's name, I wanted one that she wouldn't have to spell, having spent 29 years spelling my surname, correcting pronunciation, and responding to "errrr, Miss, errrrrrr". I was actually quite relieved in many respects to have the opportunity to change my name when I got married. And I chose to do so, I wasn't expected to, or coerced into it by anybody, it was a choice I made on my own. But since doing so, I actually feel closer to the Czech side of my heritage than I ever did with a Czech name. The only time my name ever gave me a positive advantage was in going through customs in Prague, when my English named husband and friends had the third degree from scary customs officials, yet they saw my name & waved me through with a smile.
So, what will Squeaky grow up to be? Will she see herself as Welsh? As English? As British? As European? Right now, she thinks she's a princess!
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