What Does it Mean to be British?

This session is about what makes you British. The first question asked was “Why do people come to Britain?” The responses were:

“It’s a small country.”

“There are a number of attractions.”

“It’s easier to get around thanks to transport.”

“There are lots of natural resources such as oil and salt.”

“There is access to the sea.”

“We make lots of preservatives.”

“We are difficult to invade as we are an island.”

Mr Rush then talked about how his Vietnamese mother-in-law has lived in Britain for a long time and how she classifies herself as British. To live in Britain you need a passport and a birth certificate. It will be harder to live in Britain once Brexit happens. However, his mother-in-law and her nephew made a living in Britain, with her nephew working as a scientist for Johnson & Johnson.

We also talked about what happens when you’re born in international waters, how refugees decide where they stay during conflict and split-nationality parents and relatives. One example was that her dad was born in Australia, moved to Britain, but still classifies himself as Australian. It depends on your opinion if you are split-nationality or not.

Mr Rush still celebrates Chinese New Year with his wife and his mother-in-law as he believes it’s right to celebrate your heritage. Still, it’s up to you how British you feel.