Europe.

I feel European. If I shared any of cousin Dirk‘s talents, I’d qualify to play football for 3 countries. I grew up speaking English at home, Dutch at school, and Frisian with my friends in the playground (though I never got the hang of Sneekers). Growing up, school and music trips went to France, Belgium and Germany; I can read a news paper in French, German, Italian and Spanish. I have friends and colleagues from around half the 27 remaining Eurozone countries.

I love classical music from the continent – Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi, de Falla, Lully, Beethoven, Sweelinck. I love continental food. I love continental cities. I love continental European comics – Franquin, Hergé, Toonder.

I’ve chosen to live in the UK for the last 30 years – I love the UK too. London is an amazing city. Many of my favourite authors – Martin Amis, William Boyd, David Mitchel – are British. The BBC is amazing. Even the food is getting better.

But now, after the vote to leave the EU, it feels like I have to chose. It’s not clear what the UK’s relationship with Europe will be – but I fear the worst.