FOREIGNER EVERYWHERE

by Equity & Diversity Liesure Activist Malcolm Fiahlo

The notion of ‘foreigners’ is as old as time itself with in-groups and out-groups jostling for power, hierarchy, status and resources. Wars have been waged and empires crushed. The BIG wars of the last century and the current twin ‘hot spots’ (Ukraine and Gaza) can be distilled down to this basic universal premise!

More interesting to me (and oft ignored) is the notion of ‘foreigner’ across multiple contexts. Born and raised in Mumbai, India, I often felt ‘foreigner’ being Goan, English speaking  and Catholic minority. Migrating to (Christian, English speaking)  Perth, Australia in my late teens, I felt ‘foreigner’ being brown and queer. Getting married and moving to Fiji (US diplomatic posting), I felt ‘foreigner’ despite 35% of the population being of Indian descent (“you’re tall, lean, angular and comparatively light-skinned so we know you’re NOT Indo-Fijian 😊” …). Now, residing in Washington DC with my Californian husband, I’m often told “we ❤️your posh British accent” so here we go again …

Make complexity your friend, ‘anchor’ spiritually, ❤️thyself, cultivate a tight TRIBE and THRIVE in that exciting interstituak  ‘foreigner(S)’ space!