I was 17 and for the first time out of my own city and country. I was in London, summer 1976. I do remember Trafalgar and Soho from that stay. A month-long stay that my parents had planned to have me practice and better my English. Mind you, I didn’t practice much English. Public toilets in central London had signs in Italian. The waiters at the restaurant where I worked for two weeks–just in front of Harrod’s–spoke Spanish or other tongues but English.

I was most proud that I could move and work liberally and easily in London as I pleased, without my asking permission to anybody. That was the time when I began understanding the beauty of some kind of Union among countries. So, goodbye, UK. It is sad.

I enjoyed Scotland immensely when I visited many years later, and I still have may places to go in my bucket list: I’d love going to the Shetland islands, for instance, and going back to enjoy some distillery in the Highlands, now that I like Whisky.

The Guardian published a moving “Goodbye message” in 27 languages. Ain’t it great to have 27 tongues to mess with?

Italian film director Francesca Archibugi says:

My first reaction was like, ok, people, you wanted this. Now live with it! But my initial childish reaction (fully similar to the rage I had when the current president of the US was elected–and the same one, now he is being acquitted from impeachment) has evolved into some acceptance and the conscience that perhaps we were never that much together in Europe. Sure, political manipulation apart (the same unnamed president is responsible up to some extent of this Brexit), the EU will be weaker, and with it the dream of a federal union of states. Who knows, that dream every year seems farther away. But ok, perhaps #rejoinEU will be possible. Or having Scotland back as an independent state. I’d love it.

The New York Times published that Brexit is like some US State, say Texas, left the Union. Well, no. It’s actually very different. For a US State leaving the Union would in fact be quite more dramatic, give that the US is a federal republic; while the EU is not, and every member state is just that, a member with huge sovereignty.

Anyhow, I can’t but add that I do love the Isles, starting from their languages, cultures and yes, Fleabag.

[Featured image: Screenshot from The Guardian.

Antonio Vantaggiato
av@qmail.com