Erstellt am: 6. 2. 2009 - 18:55 Uhr
No Place Called Home
Let’s say a young Egyptian man falls in love with a young Austrian woman, they get married, and have a baby. What is that baby? Austrian or Egyptian?
Let’s say that the young couple migrate to Canada, have another baby, and then get divorced. The Egyptian father retains custody of the children, then marries an American woman who raises his children as if they were biologically hers. Are those children Canadian? American?
Riem Higazi
That's Not My Name
"What are you???" is a question I get a lot. Based on my name, I’ve even been asked if I am part-Japanese. I just booked a flight on-line and a couple of minutes after I finished doing that, I got a call from the travel website I was using. The lady asked if "Riem" really was the first name and "Higazi" the surname. I said yes. She asked if I was sure. I told her I was as sure as I was of my name.
getty images
No Place Like Home
Einwanderungsland Österreich - Ein FM4 Programmschwerpunkt
I get sent letters and emails addressed to "Herr Riem" all the time. "Riem" is one of the most common names for girls in Egypt. It means Gazelle (even though my brother tells everyone it means Godzilla). My Dad tells me he chose the name because when I was born, he held me for the first time and said I had big brown eyes like a gazelle. There are lots of girls with big brown eyes in Egypt.
Anyways, I don’t mind. I don’t mind when people ask me if "Riem" is short for something. In Egypt, people might ask if "Sepp" is short for something… which it is come to think of it…well, you know what I mean.
Eh klar
I don’t mind when people act surprised that I have an Austrian passport. I used to be upset at people assuming I was an Ausländer but I finally figured it out - everybody’s an Ausländer if you really think about it. Everybody’s DNA consists of cultural mash-ups and these days, more and more people live outside of the country they were born in (or have familiar roots in) for some stretch of time at some point.
I’ve lived in Canada, France, England, and Austria. People ask me where I feel most "at home". I feel most at home in the Mediterranean. South of France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. People look like me there and they eat the kind of food I like. I like the rhythm of Mediterranean societies. The climate makes me feel good. It’s kind of interesting I think because in the Mediterranean, especially in Portugal and Spain (where I’m most "at home"), I feel as if North Africa and Europe is melting together, beautifully and most comfortably for me. I am a mixture of North African and European sensibilities so maybe that’s why I feel so "at home" in countries that are not really "my own". Then again, who doesn’t love the Mediterranean? Who doesn’t feel comfortable in a society that’s chilled and has priorities that include sleeping during the day?
Riem Higazi
Falafel, schnitzel, and maple syrup
I was born in Egypt and due to a strong resemblance to my father and a deep admiration for the Egyptian sense of humour, I am inclined to say I’m more Egyptian than Austrian or Canadian. I wouldn’t want to live in Egypt though. I have felt protected and been able to realize a few of my dreams plus my best friends live in Austria. Austria has provided me with a safe haven, it has given me the opportunity to be a part of something as wicked as FM4, and I’m in love with its languages (because Wienerisch is totally different than Waldviertlerisch and so on… ). And even though I have been called a "Zigeuner" (silly school kids who didn’t understand why my brother and I couldn’t speak German when we were little), and a "Muslim Murli" (a term of true endearment used by older relatives, not meant to insult at all), and way worse things which were meant to insult, I am also inclined to say I am proud to be Austrian.
Riem Higazi
Riem Higazi
My Egyptian grandparents took the only trip outside of Egypt of their entire lives in 1974. They visited my Austrian grandparents on their farm in NÖ. Though they had no common language, they got on very well and enjoyed each other's company. Especially my two grandfathers who were both men of little words anyways.
Just as inclined as I am to say that I am Canadian. I grew up in Canada, I have Canadian citizenship but what makes me most Canadian is that everything I am reflects the entire Canadian philosophy. In the United States, the idea is that its citizens represent a melting pot - a mixture of various cultures which blend together into one identity - American. The idea in Canada is that its citizens should represent a tossed salad, where each ingredient is good on its own but tossed together, the individual ingredients get even better.
I like that. In Canada, I grew up with friends who were called Siddiqa, Bao-zhi, Dinahi, Feisal, Malini, Aakankshaa, and Karry-Lee. We never questioned each other’s names - we were automatically respectful of each other’s individual heritage for the sake of our communal one.
So, that is what I am. I am an Austro/Egyptian/Canadian with a strong appreciation for all things Mediterranean. My multicultural identity defines me and has been a source of pride all my life. My multicultural identity has equipped me with the tools I need to be a citizen of the world and therefore, as cheesy as it sounds, wherever I am, I’m at home, baby.