Being a British Expat Living in Switzerland
About Catherine McCormick
Looking at Catherine McCormick, you could see that she has blue eyes and brown hair. What you do not see is a loving mother, talented musician and a diligent children’s therapist. If you take a deeper dive, you will find out that she is an expat. Being an expat has helped shape who she is today.
Is having lived in so many countries a main part of your identity for you?
“Yes definitely … it was like a leap into a new life. It was something I never thought about. When I came back from that experience, it definitely changed something in me and I identified with living somewhere different afterwards.”
What are some cultural identities you have from the countries you have lived in?
“I miss ... in England something called Bonfire Night. We celebrate it with fireworks on November the 5th … [In Amsterdam] there is a Christmas tradition where Sinterklaas comes to deliver little presents on the 6th of December and you leave little clogs outside your door. If you are lucky, Sinterklaas will give you toys and things like that. It is a really nice tradition that I picked up on.”
What are some stereotypes about the countries you have lived in that fits you?
“When we lived in Holland, I really liked to cycle and I embraced it … For England, a stereotype is drinking tea and I like to drink it and I think it is very welcoming when you invite people to your house and you always offer a cup of tea. And for [Switzerland] I guess it is chocolate as there is the Lindt factory nearby our house … I like to think I am quite open-minded but it is always quite hard to say as there are always two sides of a story. I am always [trying] to think of other perspectives and not just my point of view.”
Have you faced any discrimination from any of the countries you have lived in from your target identities?
In Switzerland, I tried to talk to someone in customer service and the first question they asked was, ‘Can I speak to your husband?’ I was not treated as the main person ... I have experienced some difficulty from starting a new business as well. It was quite hard to infiltrate into the systems and it was more of a procedural thing for me.”
How do you balance the main parts of your identity when you are moving around so much?
“I have had three professions in my life: teacher, musician and therapist and the things that link them for me is that I am a performer … I still play the piano but I don't play at the professional level anymore but I can remember that part of me if I go to a gig or live music. It kind of rekindles that part of my identity that I am not actually doing in my life. It is still hard for me as there are some days when I wish that I did a little bit more teaching or some days when I wish that I did more performing. The thing that links those things is that performative aspect of me and it really defines who I am.”
“There is something about identity that for me, it gives me a sense of belonging and makes me stand out, it makes me feel different than others.”
-Catharine McCormick
Do you think you would be the same person you are today if you stayed in England your whole life?
“I would not have had those experiences I had as an expat. I think there is something about identity that for me, it gives me a sense of belonging and makes me stand out, it makes me feel different than others. I really value that I have friends from all over the world and I really value my friends from different cultures as they expand my perspectives so much. You have all these differences in languages between nationalities and cultures and it is really enriching. However hard it can be to move abroad, you are always glad you did it in the end.”
““The thing that links [my main identities] is that performative aspect of me and it really defines who I am.””
