Permanent Residency at a time such as this

I remember all too clearly, on a visceral level, the alarms that were going off in my head and my heart and my soul during the time that I was deciding to leave the US and during the year that we were making it happen.

I remember all too clearly the feeling of "This is not right" This is not normal" "This is not sustainable" "This will not end"

I remember the clarity of mind that told me exactly what I must do for myself and my family.

I remember how suffocated I felt amidst the constant attacks on my humanity, my profession, my expertise and the safety of my children.

And that was during an America that was arguably less toxic, less hostile, less dangerous than it has become since I left. My husband told me yesterday that if we were still there now, I would be beside myself. He is right.

Today I got the notification that after 2 years of being under our initial Residency Visas, (which comes with some restrictions about how long we can be out of the country) that we'd been granted our Permanent Visas. This means that we can stay indefinitely in this country, we can make unlimited trips out of the country for as short or long as we'd like and still retain our legal status here. We already were able to vote- citizenship is not a prerequisite here. It also means that in a few years, we are eligible for citizenship.

At a time such as this when safety and security seems elusive, and not having all one's very expensive eggs in one basket is a must, I am grateful that we are able to plant roots here in New Zealand.

Every country should be in a constant practice of introspection. Not just its leaders, but the people who inhabit it. What effect do we want to have on the world? How do we want our people to feel? I made the decision to go where I am valued and I can honestly say that New Zealand has provided that for me. I pray that it continues to satisfy that goal for me and in return I will continue to do my part to contribute to the well-being and prosperity of this country.

We should not migrate to a place only paying attention to what that place can do for us, but, as President John F Kennedy encouraged, we should ask what we can do for our country.