There was a theatre production recently called ”A Very Brexit Musical”. It was a comedy. My story, our story…is not! As you know I come from Cyprus, a former British colony, a commonwealth country. Ever since I was a teenager, all I ever wanted was to come to England. And I did in 2006 I came here to study and ended up working here, buying a house, raising my family.
All was normal until that catastrophic day where 51.89% of British people voted for Brexit. I remember it was a very surreal moment hearing the news, just like the day when the U.S. voted for Donald Trump to be president!!? Back then I don’t think we could have envisioned what was to come- I’m not sure anyone did, including the politicians-
Fast forward two years later, Brits (not everyone, of course!) decided to be expressive of their dislike of foreigners in their country. I am afraid all these feelings had been suppressed for many many years and Brexit gave them an opportunity to be more open. I am reading stories everyday of people getting verbally or even physically abused because of their ethnic heritage! Of people getting targeted for speaking in their mother language! In England! In one of the most multicultural countries in the world!
What everyone who voted for Brexit though didn’t understand then and I am sure don’t understand now is how children are being excluded for being ”different”. My daughter doesn’t get invited to birthday parties or playdates even though she has lots of friends and even though we invited everyone to our house. My little angel had to hear a guy calling us f****** foreigners and that we should ”go home”. My little girl had to ask me many times how and why she is different because some children told her in school…
In her school, there are about 20 families who have a different ethnic background, the rest are White British. Yet, parents were discussing amongst them that the school has lots of foreigners and they should address that issue promptly! In the three years my daughter has been in her school, I was told that I should maybe move back home because it will be better for all of us, that foreigners take the jobs of British people and that people see no worth of befriending us as we have nothing new to offer them!
Being a mum is hard enough but being a mum who has to find excuses all the time to protect her daughter’s innocence from this is unbearable! I was reading recently, that whenever British people move to a country they are seen as expats but when other nationalities move to their country they are classed as ”foreigners”. I think this speaks volumes.
I am only sharing our story because emotionally it has gotten too big and because I think it’s time to speak up! I am not a second class citizen and nor are my children! We are all human beings trying to find our way in this world and no one should make us feel the way that my family has been feeling.
Nektaria recently started singing classes and on the very first session the teacher asked for her name. As soon as my daughter told her ”My name is Nektaria” the teacher replied ”And where are you from?” My 6 year old then replied ”I am from Cyprus, Greece and here!” I think this is the best way to end this post.
Ingredients
- 450g plain flour
- 3 rounded teaspoons baking powder
- 75g butter, at room temperature
- 50g caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- about 225 ml milk (semi or full fat)
Instructions
Step 1
Line the baking tray with parchment paper. Pre heat oven at 200°C
Step 2
Add the flour, baking powder and butter in a bowl. By hand rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
Step 3
Whisk the eggs together and make up to 300ml with the milk. Keep aside about 2 tablespoons of the egg/milk for glazing the scones later. Gradually add the egg/milk mixture to the dry ingredients until you have a soft dough.
Step 4
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it out with your hand, or use a rolling pin, to a thickness of 1-2 cm. Use a round cutter to stamp out the dough by pushing the cutter straight down into the dough then lift it straight out.Gently push the remaining dough together, knead very lightly then re-roll and cut more scones. You will get around 20 scones. Try not to overwork the dough.
Step 5
Place the scones in the baking tray and brush the top with the egg/milk mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the scones have nicely doubled in size and are golden.
Notes
The traditional way to serve scones is with clotted cream and strawberry jam. British people have not decided yet if the clotted cream goes on first or the jam!
