Chloe Rispin – A Californian raisin Kiwi Tagine

The majority of my childhood and adolescence was spent in California. I was raised by my maternal grandparents. My grandfather grew up in New Zealand and my grandmother grew up in England.

Together they immigrated to California in the early 60s.

It still baffles me to think California had been a state just over 110 years when they arrived. I made several trips to both New Zealand and England while I was young. I’m fortunate to have been able to travel such distances from California.

I really loved how charming and welcoming everyone was to me from the moment I arrived in New Zealand. When they would stamp my passport they would say, welcome home, which always surprised me.

Sometimes I felt a bit lost in translation in California. I didn’t realize I was growing up speaking three dialects of English. Talking about the “chilly bin” in the back of the car instead of calling it an “ice chest” greatly confused people.

In 2014, I moved to the UK for study. While at the University of Buckingham, I had an incredible time. I have many fond memories of the staff and all of the students from the whole world over. While at Buckingham, I co-founded the Multicultural Society in order to promote cultural diplomacy on campus through hosting various monthly events showcasing many different cultures. Additionally, there were events specifically focusing on lesser known languages.

Since graduating from Buckingham, I have missed having such a dynamic and open minded international community.

In December 2022, I began preparations for Talisman Magazine to create a space to showcase Mixed Heritage and Multicultural creatives and their works. Althought I don’t know how to culturally identify, I find my tribe amongst those continually seeking to expand their horizons.