immigrant life

Vote Yes. Please

I am tired. I am very tired.

I’m tired because I don’t remember the last time I had an evening off or a good night’s sleep. I’m tired because I’m not eating properly, or exercising, or taking care of myself, and my body is feeling that. I’m tired because I work a physically and emotionally demanding job. But mostly, I’m tired of asking people to give women the right to make their own decisions. I’m tired of asking people to vote Yes on Friday.

But I’m still doing it. So, for one last time, please vote YES in the referendum this Friday.

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May 24, 2018 1

Register. Then Vote. Please.

In November 2016 while living in Seattle, I wrote a (very) short blog post asking people to vote, particularly for those who are disenfranchised but have to live with the consequences of that vote. Now, nearly 18 months later and back in Ireland, I find myself once again asking for people to make sure they’re registered in time to vote on an issue that massively affects me but that I have no control over.

I’m talking, of course, about the upcoming referendum on the 8th Amendment.

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May 3, 2018 0

Say hello, wave goodbye

2016 is – thankfully – nearly over. It has been a hell of a year to be an immigrant in the US. When I moved here three years ago, I never thought for a moment that they would be inaugurating President Trump in 2017.

I swear I was leaving anyway.

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December 15, 2016 0

Vote. Please.

I have written and rewritten this post a few times now; I’m giving up on trying to say anything coherent. Election years are always somewhat bombastic over here – and this has been a particularly turbulent one. I have a lot of feelings about this election, and I don’t seem to be able to verbalise any of them adequately.

So I’m just going to say that this is an important election – not least for my fellow immigrants, many of whom are not as fortunate as I am.

So for those of us who can’t, and who will live with the consequences, vote.

November 7, 2016 1

Immigrant woes

I have half a post waiting to be written. It’s about trains, and my love of Amtrak and the National Parks Service. But that’s going to have to wait.

Today, I had an appointment with a USCIS (US citizenship and immigration service) about my employment authorisation document (EAD). This is the little – but oh so important – card that says I’m allowed to work in the USA. I’ve mentioned my troubles with this before; as my application had been pending for more than 90 days, I was advised by the immigration lawyers that I could make an appointment in person, and plead my case for expedited processing. It was a long shot, they said – but I had nothing to lose.

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July 25, 2016 0