Exploring the rich multicultural history of Devon.

Patty

Posted on

15th January 2025

Posted by

Wendy Milne

Posted in

Honiton Community Stories

PATTY GREW UP in a middle-class immigrant neighbourhood just outside Boston during the 1950s and 1960s. Her childhood was characterised by classic American activities like attending Boston Red Sox games, enjoying barbecues, swimming in the lake, skiing, and ice skating. She lived in a multicultural community with Jews, Greeks, Irish, and Italians. The diverse culinary experiences from eating at her neighbours’ houses made her an adaptable cook.

Boston, known for its British traditions, contrasted sharply with the diverse culture of California, where Patty’s husband was from. The cultural shock was greater for her in California, with its beach culture, Mexican food, and organic lifestyle, compared to her experience when moving to England, where she found a familiar British influence.

What Patty missed most about Boston were the baseball games and the easygoing nature of Americans. The difference in the education systems between the U.S. and England also posed a challenge. She found the English system more structured and laden with tests, whereas the American system she grew up with seemed more relaxed and flexible. Patty detests English snobbery and cherishes her democratic spirit.

Patty identifies as mid-Atlantic, feeling a blend of both American and English cultures. Despite feeling like she didn’t entirely belong in either Boston or England, she learned to accept her dual identity without dwelling on it. The experience of being a dual national taught her to embrace the best of both worlds, similar to Italian Americans who maintain ties to both cultures.

Her journey highlights the complexities of identity, belonging, and the enriching experience of living between two cultures.

Listen to highlights from Patty’s interview below:

 

Highlight 1: Life growing up in Boston [00:00:00 – 00:02:54]

Highlight 2: What I miss and learning to figure it out [00:02:56 – 00:04:40]

Highlight 3: Getting  your knickers in a twist… identity and belonging [00:04:42 – 00:06:49]

Highlight 4: Why is it important to tell your story? [00:06:50 – 00:07:37]

 

To read the transcript from Patty’s full interview, click the logo below