If you haven't seen it, it is a movie written and directed by Kenneth Branaugh about his childhood in Belfast as an Ulster Protestant just as the Troubles were starting. Buddy is the name of the character modelled on Branaugh. Buddy's father (Pa in the movie) had a job in England and he was traveling back and forth while Buddy, his mom, brother, and grandparents stay in Belfast. Pa gets a promotion and an even better opportunity for work in England. This happens right as the 1969 riots that started "The Troubles" break out. The last scene of the movie is Buddy and his immediate family leaving on a bus for the ferry to take them to England while the grandmother (played by Judi Dench), who refused to move at her age, looks on and says "Just go and don't look back."
My niece is graduating college this next spring and planning on going to graduate school. She has been looking at schools in Canada and other countries. If she gets in one, I will be the one standing at the airport saying to her "just go and don't ever look back." In addition, my nephew who is also graduating next spring, just married a British man. I now want them so badly to move back to England and never look back. I need to stick around for my parents but they are young and can get out for a better country.
