Article October 25, 2004 Issue

CITIZEN OF THE WORLD

By Kim Shippey

THE FACT THAT I HOLD citizenship in three countries sometimes gives me access to people and place I wouldn't otherwise reach during international reporting assignments.

However, two months ago as I watched the opening ceremony of the Athens Olympics on TV in my living room, I had to endure my biennial emotional upheaval (the Summer and Winter Games are two years apart). As the athletes from my three "home" countries passed by the main stands, I felt three separate surges of excitement and loyalty. Momentarily, the feeling of belonging came back. My cheers were equally loud and strong for each contingent.

But above all, I thought how privileged I was to want to celebrate with the athletes of more than one country. My roots not being exclusively in any one part of the world, I had learned to be at home wherever work or family commitments required me to be. In a modest way, I was already a citizen of the world. Citizenship, I decided, was about being aware, understanding other cultures, interacting with others in a shared purpose—a few of the facets of what you could call the family spirit.

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