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On an individual level, feeling like you belong can improve your well-being in many ways – mentally, emotionally, and even physically. Whilst some people find it hard to come by, one should never stop seeking to make connections with others, even if those connections are brief.
Anita's journey through the natural landscapes of the North is one of reclamation, a way of saying that this is her land too and she belongs in the UK as a brown woman, as much as a white man does. Her journey transforms what began as an ugly experience of hate into one offering hope and finding beauty after brutality. Anita transforms her personal experience into one of universal resonance, offering a call to action, to keep walking onwards. I Belong Here isn't simply a chronological account of Sethi's journey. The basic premise of the book stands, as Sethi outlines the different stages in her journey, and shares precious moments with us, but there is also an overarching story of Sethi's emotional journey. The book's sections, chapters, and even paragraphs flow beautifully, but they don't simply follow the linear progression of Sethi's physical journey. I loved the author's digressions, as she makes eloquent and impassioned arguments about the future of our world; the way we treat each other, and our planet. There is so much to treasure in this book, and I love how much of her thoughts Sethi shares with the reader. Not sure what to do about the nagging feeling that you don’t belong? This can be quite a hard issue to face and overcome by yourself. After all, there’s a good chance you don’t have anyone to talk to who might understand your feelings or be able to help. Where were the first steps you took and what place did you most spend your early life walking through?" An outcast is someone who has been shunned by society because of their views or actions, perhaps because they are extreme or illegal.So much history and information, and the descriptions of places make me want to grab a map and plan a visit, It offers inspiration to take a walking trip, to walk oneself well. Those are only small parts, but they add to my disappointment with this book. And editor/co-writer would perhaps have helped.
It’s hard to figure out one’s place in the world when you are constantly bombarded from all sides from social media, traditional media, your friends and family, or even coworkers who feel you should see the world the same way they do. There are some exasperations and things I wondered at: she refers to having travelled without items she was recommended to have because she 'couldn't afford' them and makes a similar reference to buying a second hand paper (unlaminated) OS map for similar reasons. Now it could be that for all sorts of reasons she was concealed her need from her friends, people who are thanked, or there were complications in organising it but I found myself irritated - were all these folk waffling on about literary matters and none of them thought to say "Here, you can borrow mine..."? She never really needs to be rescued on her walks and she's not exactly teetering up the fells in flip flops but I wasn't comfortable. I don't know if this points to shit friends or a more general problem of support networks which don't work, perhaps related to the issues she's examining in the book. You were born in Manchester but have spent much of your adult life living in London. How does it feel living in the south when you are from the north? A sense of belonging is an essential human need for almost everyone. The feeling of being a part of something larger than you provides a level of meaning to ours lives. Without it, communities would look very different and cooperation for the greater good would be far harder to achieve.
Reviews
This was not the first time Sethi, a journalist and author, had experienced racist abuse. Jibes about her skin colour had been a feature of life since childhood. In 2018, she had a fleeting encounter with Prince Charles at the Commonwealth People’s Forum where she was a speaker. When the prince asked her where she came from, she replied: “Manchester, UK.” “Well, you don’t look like it!” he exclaimed. Afterwards, Sethi wrote a powerful piece in the Guardian in which she revealed how she had travelled to Georgetown in Guyana to search for her ancestral history, only to find British colonists had mostly destroyed the records of the indentured labourers they had shipped in from India. She also noted how white people, the prince included, needed a history lesson about immigration, colonialism and the Commonwealth. As Sethi makes her way across mountains, rivers and hills, her stamina grows, her resolve hardens, her confidence builds Its also an incredibly educational novel, about past racism in Britain and how it needs to be brought to light, rather than being pushed aside, enabling white washing of British history to almost encourage, further racism from generations. Anita’s highlighting of such racist systemic events, are commendable. I know that shouldn’t be the case, but I can only imagine how difficult speaking up can feel, particularly in a systematically racist country, often in fear of your life, which is utterly abhorrent. Initiatives include distributing free copies of I BELONG HERE, reaching marginalised groups who do not have as easy access to books, as well as running writing workshops and walkshops.. The next paragraph switches to Wikipedia mode with a rundown of the fact that there are 10,000 different species of grass. Grasses are an important member of the plant family apparently, "a source of fuel and food, nourishing animals, humans, and the earth itself." Proof that biodiversity is crucial to the planet, "sustaining humans in all our diversity".
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