What does it mean to truly belong and why do we try to fit in?
Some people grow up knowing exactly where they fit.
Others… spend a lifetime navigating the spaces in between.
As it is for Birgitta Car – an educator and writer, born in South Africa, raised in Australia, and working in Thailand, her life has been shaped by migration, culture, and the search for identity.
Birgitta’s family fled Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), arrived in Australia as a child and grew up navigating the complexities of belonging in a multicultural society. Her love of reading and education became a gateway to understanding the world, and herself.
Now living and working in Thailand, Birgitta reflects on the experience of adapting to new cultural environments, the concept of “shapeshifting” to fit in, and how different societies approach identity, politics, and community.
This conversation explores:
- The impact of migration and displacement, on identity
- Growing up feeling “in between” cultures
- The role of education and storytelling in shaping perspective
- Cultural contrasts between Australia and Thailand
- The idea of belonging as something we create, not just inherit
- First Nations history being taught in schools alongside colonisation
The pathway to reconciling grievances as a united and diverse nation
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the first inhabitants of this nation and recognise the Traditional Owners of the lands where our volunteers, staff and community partners live, learn and work. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging, honouring their deep cultural, spiritual and ecological knowledge of Country.
Follow Birgitta:
Socials:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/birgitta-car-baa08563
Substack: https://birgittacar.substack.com
Connect with me
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Together, we can be the change we want to see in the world, one story at a time.
