The words “another country” evoke themes on both sides of the Atlantic. It occupies the first line of the second (or third, depending on the version) stanza of the hymn, “I Vow to Thee My Country”, that was written in the aftermath of WWI. It is the title of a movie loosely based on the life of the British (Cambridge) spy Guy Burgess that explores themes of patriotism, class and sexuality. It is also the title of a movie based on the 1962 book by James Baldwin that explores the themes of sexuality and race in America. For someone of dual citizenship, with half a life spent in the UK and half in the US, the title taps a rich seam of conflicted thoughts and feelings about the ties that bind and how self can be subjugated to something greater than self.
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