Ask Lemmy

I uprooted my life and left. It's far too dangerous for me. I'm a trans latina. I grieve over the friends and community I left behind daily

Thing is I uprooted my family to move to the US 15 years ago and loved it here, and still do. I hate the current everything of course, Ikbut 'm still a bit idealistic and still believe the country will right itself. How long it will take, I don't know, but I still believe it.

(... ok back to the job search, yay layoffs)

I’m fine. I live in a dark blue state that is fighting, ignoring, offering sanctuary as they can. Depending on your assumptions we have the highest quality of life in the us. We’re trying to hold to our environmental commitments despite the federal government reneging on commitments to power transmission, power generation, transit upgrades, and ending the California waiver that let other states set higher air quality standards. We’re holding to health coverage for all despite the federal government ending funding. We’re holding to public health standards by leading a regional cooperate for fact-based vaccination standards. I’m proud of the number of my fellow citizens participating in “No Kings” and similar protests. I’m proud of colleges and corporations holding to standards for education, diversity, equity and inclusion.

Things are getting even more expensive here, due to the policy chaos and federal rejection of anything that might look to the future or to care to people, but we’re holding together. It certainly helps that I make a good income here.

However this is the first time I really worry about the future my college kids will live in. I keep telling myself history will reassert itself, our current situation is an outlier. I tell myself this is a national version of a mental breakdown: we will recover and spend the rest of our lives fixing the damage. There is hope

If I had to move somewhere, Canada would be the obvious choice. Ive visited so many times and it’s always been great. Canada has always been a great neighbor, putting up with our bullshit. Realistically from my interests and job, I’d be most interested in Vancouver or Toronto areas. Toronto is closer to my family, and my company has an office there, so it would be an easy transition

Short answer is nope.

If you mean for political reasons, no, because unless Trump succeeded in creating dynasty that many people are talking about then there is hope that someone will step in and force the government back in the right direction. So this will be a temporary setback.

Now when I mean set it back in the right direction I don't mean back to the far left either, I mean I hope for a reasonable rational leader willing to work to a better future for all Americans. Both sides have lost what it means to work for all Americans as the president of the USA and not just their party extremists.

As an average low middle class American, life isn't terrible but economic insecurity and living costs are becoming a major issue that is directly connected to Trump. Cost is up 30% in the last year, privacy is under attack again, consumer protections are being stripped away, environmental protections are being removed, general infrastructure investments are being defunded, public relief and assistance being removed, AI is out of control, and there are fewer jobs being created. While Trump lies and tries to cover it up, he is actually firing people in the government or refusing to release negative data to the public in an effort to cover it up. He is actively silencing people which goes against a core American belief that this country was founded on.

There are multiple reasons why most people don't shift countries willy-nilly.

Moving, even within the same state is a difficult, stressful, and expensive prospect. Moving to a different country is even more so, and that assumes you have a job lined up when you get there or substantial monetary reserves. Then there are the legal hurdles, which depending on the destination country can be downright daunting. In many countries unless you are a top earner with an in-demand skill-set you are likely to experience significant legal challenges to even achieve temporary residency. And then there are language and cultural differences that can make life difficult once you get there. Unless you have friends/family already in the destination country and/or know the language you can expect it to be rough going for quite a while.

All this would be compounded if you have a family. Not to mention the added difficulty and expense involved with visiting or supporting extended family members or friends back in your original home country after leaving.

Simply put, most people simply can't move countries whenever the political situation in their home country gets dicey. It's only after the fighting starts do you see people doing that in significant numbers and at that point they are refugees.

I have family here, I have a house here. I’ve built a life here.

Canada’s great but cold. Europe would require me to rebuild everything in my life. Plus, Europe is dealing with their own problems at the moment - its own rise of the right; the threat of Russia. In Australia, everything wants to kill you or cause you great pain, even the plants. South America seems enticing, but the US affords more opportunity for now, so maybe when I retire.

Everywhere you look, the deeper you look, you realize that everywhere has their own problems. Times change, seasons change. Right now we’re in a conservative phase. We’ve been here before. So instead, I’ll stand my ground and weather it out with the allies I have around me. I’d much prefer to be part of the resistance anyway.

It must be nice to have the privilage to immigrate to wherever you want lol.

I mean I wasn't even supposed to be here. It's only pure chance that my family had relatives in the US. Less than 5% of Chinese live abroad, so... like imagine you ask a question like: "How many of you are actually fine with living in China"

I mean the wording implies that people living there are automatically supportative of the government or something.

Moving is hard, pal.

I had the advantage of being a child and learning English; now as an adult, I'd struggle learning French, German, or Norweigian.

This question is asked as if there is an obvious destination. Where do I move? Europe/UK isn't exactly killing it lately, so that's out. That leaves Australia and NZ for English-speajing countries, but I know nothing about them. I could move to Japan since I know some Japanese, but the Japanese are not well-known to be accepting of foreigners. The PM is literally trying to limit immigration. So where should I be moving as an American?

If I can afford to I'd love to leave the USA at some point.

I've read a lot of novels set in Germany/Europe in the Hitler Era.

I always used to be amazed at the people who would see what was going on, and who stayed.

One of my favorite series is the Bernie Gunther [Berlin Noir] novels by the late Phillip Kerr.

Bernie stays in Germany because he's a German. He was born and raised in Berlin and it's his home. No strong family ties, he just stays because he can't imagine living anywhere else.

I do like living in the USA. There is generally a reliability and safety that I haven't seen in many other places. There are big problems for sure, and being married to an immigrant is worrying at times. We absolutely have backup plans but so far we have not seriously considered leaving.

Are you going to help me immigrate out of here? Will anyone on Lemmy?

For all the political posturing and holier than thou attitude I see on Lemmy not a single one of you would do anything to help me.

If the opportunity presents itself, then maybe.