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[Hod]

No land is perfect. All have good. All have bad.

That’s my motto, which I just made up, to express my view as the world citizen I am.

A reasonable person can complain about life abroad, but they’d be able to see the pros and cons of their adopted land just as they could see with their home country.

I have a UK passport, but I had no say in that. Four decades on, I don’t belong in any one place and am happy in many.

Outside of my native UK, I’ve lived and worked at length in Germany, Malaysia, Thailand and Morocco. As per my new motto, these places all have good and bad.

The UK has London (my amazing hometown), Lake District, sleepy villages, beer, cricket, football and humour I understand. It also has chavs, dull and whinging people, rain, no public transport and is fairly expensive.

Germany has Berlin, which for me is the best city on the planet. Forget the rest of the country. I love the way stuff just works, multikulti, security, beer, kebabs and I can hang out till 4am in a bar and still get a bus home. I just didn’t like the uptight people, and this is my only country in which I never made a genuine local friend.

Malaysia is a bit easier as my wife comes from there. Weather, food, eye candy, cheap, food, scenery, beaches, multikulti, etc. The only problem is I’ll always see it as the third world country it is. It’s corrupt, dangerous and crime ridden, with an inept government doing their best to promote unrest.

I only lived in Thailand for a year and a half and loved it. It’s a more homogenous and fun version of Malaysia with spicier food. It too is a third world country and way more corrupt and dangerous.

Morocco had the best people of the lot. Eleven years after leaving, I’m still in touch with the local staff. They never faked a welcome. I went to their homes, their naughty places, their illicit bars and Casablanca docks. I don’t think it’s a coincidence, though, that Star Wars 1 saw Obi-Wan Kenobi tell young Luke Skywalker outside that dodgy bar, “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy”, whilst wearing a djellaba, the native dress of Morocco. Outside of tourist land, it’s a seriously scary place.

We can't choose where we're born, but if I had the choice, I wouldn't change a thing. I grew up in a safe and secular environment allowing me to be a free thinker.

Unlike Germany, I check left and right before I cross on green. Just maybe the other driver in the 38 tonne truck is wrong. Don’t blindly obey; many correct people are now in the graveyard.

How can a kid grow up in Malaysia with its three different races separated from kindergarten age? Inept governments and corrupt police mean you’re always looking over your shoulder, quite literally, in case a motorcycle is speeding along your pedestrian footpath.

Morocco is an Islamic country whether you like it or not if you’re born there. If you don’t believe or don’t fancy fasting at Ramadan, tough.

Having grown up in the UK, through no choice of my own, and later living and working in four other countries, I’m now more sure than ever that I was super lucky.

If H G Wells’ unnamed Time Traveller turned up right now offering me another home country in which to grow up in, I’d tell him to go find an Eloi, as I’m OK thanks very much.

Where would you have chosen to grow up?

[jpvanderwerf2001]

I would have chosen to grow up in Ireland (wish I could live there now). My experiences with Irish people and the country itself have been overwhelmingly positive. Also, what I wouldn't give for one of those accents!

[johnslat]

Also happy with the luck of the draw - I've been to dozens of countries, but I like my country of origin.

Of course, if one were born and grew up in hell, one might get homesick in heaven.

Regards,
John

[gregory999]

[bograt]

[Hod]

[Hod]

[grahamb]

[D. Amokachi]

There's a lot I don't like about the UK but being born there gave me a UK passport which has enabled me to live and work all over the world. Most people aren't so lucky.

[gregory999]

[Hod]