I've lived in London for the best part of 20 years and i have never felt a part of it. Which for London says that i sort of belong. Stupidly or not.
Sounds like you were on the loveless receiving end of non-acceptance, which is surely an attitude we'd not look to mirror, isn't it?
Bewildering and not well thought out, and reduced greatly as time has matured me. I just don't want to be the sort of person that draws borders everywhere and creates hierarchies of need based on length of membership or most likely to earn riches. I am not clever enough to explain or invent any...
I don't really have that THEM AND US mentality. Or if i do then it's a rich and average/poor thing really. How long does someone have to be somewhere to become a part of it?