The beginning of the end (perhaps in more ways than one)
I’m starting this blog as an American currently living in political exile in Scandinavia, albeit an exile that is, at the moment, self-imposed out of fear of political persecution by the Trump regime. The self-imposed nature of my exile could change in the near future as the attacks and political targeting of my people continue to escalate. Meaning, my exile may soon be less of a choice than it currently is. Although, the extent to which it’s even currently really a choice to return to the U.S. is debatable, given how impractical it would be to return without just ending up homeless—and then possibly ending up in a jail cell given the increasing criminalization of homelessness—given everything that is going on (lack of jobs, exploding poverty, vanishing safety net, economic collapse, etc.). As such, I’m writing from a very precarious situation (both economically and in terms of foreign residence), where my current temporary residence permit in my host country will expire in a few months, at which point I will have to leave. Right now, I am not sure where I’ll end up when that happens, though it will not be the United States.
I came to this country to do my master’s degree. I finished my studies a year ago and have been searching for work since. However, my host country is currently in a severe recession, unemployment is incredibly high (twice as high for non-citizens), and there is—as is the case in many places—growing xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment. My dwindling savings will not last, and I do not know what will come of me when that runs out. I will continue to try to write, document what is happening in the U.S. (along with my own thoughts and insights), and try to grow this blog if possible and for as long as I’m still around.
The aim of this blog is to provide an (non-exhaustive) overview of some of the latest news and events happening in the U.S. and around the world. The goal here is to also try to connect it to the human (my own humanity and that of others), to at least touch on some of the implications or possible implications of what’s going on, and to provide perspective from, and insight into, my own positionality as a chronicler of events and who is currently in exile and in a precarious position. As this blog continues to grow, if you like what you’re reading and would like to support it (and me), you are welcome to do so via donation, which will be setup in the coming days or weeks.