Q. Have you ever lived outside of the UK, SmileyRose?

A. Yes, I lived abroad for five months and also while my father was serving in the Royal Air Force.

My daughter currently resides in Australia, and my sister lives in Miami with my nieces. However, I have primarily lived in England and have attended only English schools. Throughout my education, all of my teachers—both within the UK and abroad—have been white British, from England.

The Royal Air Force schools overseas have experienced predominantly British teaching staff, in the British schools. Consequently, I have not been taught by teachers of non-British backgrounds.

My mother was educated in an American school, and my father in an English school. My father’s proficiency in spoken and written English was exceptional, which contributed to his role within the Education Department. While my observations are based on my personal experience, it is worth noting that English is widely spoken in both American and British contexts, particularly during my youth.

Although both my daughter and sister live abroad, they share similar backgrounds with me—having been raised and educated in England by British teachers.

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