Although my family moved every few years when I was a child I spent my formative years in Kent where I went to secondary school and then college. Despite the fact I’ve lived in Japan longer than I lived in Kent, I feel compelled to answer the question “Where are you from?” With “I’m from Kent.” Anyway, here are some facts about my adopted home town.
Kent is in the Southeast of England, borders London and provides access to France via ferries and the Channel Tunnel. Consequently, most people in Kent have been to France on shopping trips.Being the nearest point to mainland Europe, Kent was prone to attack and invasion from Vikings, Romans, Saxons and later on the French. Because of this Kent has a huge number of castles. Most of these are open to the public.Most English counties have nicknames for people from that county, such as a Tykes from Yorkshire and Yellowbellies from Lincolnshire; the traditional nickname for people from Kent is “Kentish Long-Tail”, deriving from the long-held belief on the continental mainland of Medieval Europe that the English had tails.
Tail or not, that’s where I’m from and that’s the place I miss sometimes.
Enjoy November.
Barry