Корни ностальгии

Брюс Монк, автор учебника "Happy English": The concept of родина arouses a lot of emotion in Russians. It is feminine, you regard it as your mother (родина-мать, родина-матушка). We have a different attitude to our country. We would never dream of calling it "motherland". Your people feel nostalgic during three week Oxford summer courses of English. I lived in Russia away from my country for 9 years and I didn't feel nostalgic. We are on different terms with our country.

Русские говорят - наша страна, а англичане - this country. По-русски можно сказать не наша страна, а эта страна только в резко негативном контексте "В этой стране жить невозможно".*

* цитата из книги Кочеткова. В.В. Психология межкультурных различий. М., 2002)