European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL IDENTITY(IES) OF PORTUGUESE ... 207Examples of self-attribution of a european identity amongportuguese women living in EnglandWhen we look carefully at the accounts of the three women, whodescribed themselves as European we can see that their identificationwith Europe was constructed on the basis of personal experiences.Moreover these experiences were linked to their participation inhistorically situated socio-cultural practices. Lina, now a widow andretired secretary, mentioned the European identity as a mechanism toreduce bureaucracy. As a daughter of a French father and a Portuguesemother she was entitled to a French nationality she never claimed.Being European enables her to handle her French identity without aneed of official documents recognising her French nationality.Podia ter a nacionalidade francesa, mas não vale a pena, agorasomos todos europeus. Mas fiz pesquisas e o meu irmão também,mas não vale a pena tanto trabalho, papeis e complicações só pelagraça de ter três nacionalidades. Tenho de qualquer maneira… muitagente julga que sou francesa… (original account, Estrela, 2002).I could have French nationality, but it is not worth it, now we areall European. But, I did some research and my brother too, but it isnot worth the work, papers and complications only to have threenationalities. I have it anyway… many people think I am French…(my translation).It may be that the legal aspect of identity played an important rolein Lina’s conception because of her age. She was over fifty years-oldwhile the other two women were in their thirties. At the time sheemigrated to Europe, Portugal was not part of the European Union,while a significant part of Maria’s and Madalena’s adult lives were livedwith Portugal being an EU country.Maria, a teacher of Portuguese language and culture in London,described her feeling of being an «European citizen» as a way ofmaking sense of why she «never feels at home» in England, but at thesame time when she goes back to Portugal she does not feel as sheused to.I never feel at home though, but I do enjoy living here andmeeting new people and because London is such a good experienceisn’t it because you meet people from all over the world. I’veimproved my English. I have met so many people in so many differentsituations. So, it’s quite rich the experience, but I always feel that I amnot at home. When I go back to Portugal, I don’t feel as I used to.So…It’s a bit difficult to explain because I am no longer a Portuguesecitizen. I feel much more like a European citizen right now because I