The Austrian changes colours (and citizenship)

Did you hear about the chap who got arrested for spying - he carried 5 valid passports and the reason given was - which person would carry 5???  Two are understandable - maybe even 3 in some circumstances - but 5????

Usually - you would associate a passport with citizenship - eg being a citizen of a particular country.  Of course - here in 2018/9 the issue of citizenship and changes thereof along with Immigration are a very hot and contemptuous  topic.  People have moved around - always since we climbed down from the tree and started to walk upright!  It is what defines us as humans - the thirst for discovery and new things and places.  We have a curious quest for discoveries.  So ever since we left that proverbial tree we moved around the country side - often just for no other reason then a new source of meat / berries etc and other times simply because we could.  Back in those days - humanity was way less then 1 billion folks - so a rare breed. In some places you could move for years and not meet another human.   Then folks discovered that actually right here is not a bad place - plenty of meat walking by or grazing permanently and lots of seasonal greenery - eventually learning to move from Hunter-gatherer to being Farmer. The need to move around and keep hunting / gathering was replaced with a "security" for your survival by having a source of food permanently and plentiful close by.  The Farmers quickly learned that their particular patch of earth is worth something so needed or wanted to protect that and themselves and voila - the first Wall was build around their own settlement - in order to keep themselves save and intruders (both in animals and other humans) out.

Sounds familiar???? 

Today we have many tribes scattered  around the globe - and of course all still have a  "border-wall" - a means of controlling who can and cannot simply walk in.  Each tribe had several "crossing points" or in the olden days - GATES - which you crossed every-time you wanted to leave your village or city or country thus controlling who was allowed in and out and stay.  In that sense nothing - and I do mean nothing has changed since the olden days when we build fences around our 3 or 5 huts.

What defined you as being a citizen of that particular group of people? Usually your birth.  Eg you were born into that community.  In some cases travelers would arrive and an exchange of goods and services as well as ideas on almost anything would take place at a mutual agreeable time and fashion.  Sometimes that traveler would meet someone rather special or fill a need and stay beyond a friendly meet and greet time - and eventually settle down in the new village/town etc.  In doing so said traveler would become part of the new community - warts and all.  Contribution by the 'immigrant' to the greater good was a given.

In my case - I met a Kiwi Girl who innocently flattered her eyelids and said to me - 'You do me'!  I got hitched and after a while we made a decision to stay in the great Kiwi-land!  I was always known as 'That Austrian'!  Which is quite natural - after all the locals who lived here for generations would always see me (for as long as they live) as the dude who came from another country.  Certainly at first.  Then there is my accent - seems it is still a bit unusual - even though I now speak perfectly kiwi lingo and given my heritage away.  However after 30 years of living here  - it was time to make it official.  Basically you give up your rights as a dude from one tribe and pledge to part of the new group of people.  Sounds simple??  yes and no!!

In my case - I had to give up my Austrian citizenship.   That's Ok!  There was a time when you could have dual citizenship - and the rules changed at least once if not 2 or 3 times.  Other countries will be more forgiving.  Personally - I cannot see how you can serve two masters at the same time - especially if they are so far apart - so no problemo for me in this matter. 
In short - I went from red- white-red to black and white!! Also I am pretty sure I done my bit for the greater good in the new living place.

Globalization, mass tourism, ease of travel and communication across the globe  challenge all of the old established understandings (citizenship / hospitality etc)  and the various systems established which we have developed and are commonly and instinctively understood (ingrained even) ever since we climbed down from that proverbial tree.  It is not too surprising that some tribes close-up shop.
Change is never easy.
So they go back to the familiar and comfort.  After all - even in to-days world - your local tribal identity still defines you.  The only question remaining is: - will we always be a planet with lots of local tribes and identity or will we move into a truly global single tribe?

These are interesting times we live in.




Have fun!