25 years in the US

Nicola & Kelley, May 2014, Seattle. Photo by Jennifer Durham.

Today is the 25th anniversary of me moving to this country to live with Kelley. (As opposed to the 25th anniversary of meeting and falling in love with her. Which we also celebrate. Carpe party!)

That day a quarter of a century ago was a hard one. I left my family and friends, my partner of ten years, the culture I knew and belonged to and came in on a tourist visa, good only for six months, to a country where I had no job, no health benefits, and no welcome (it was illegal to even enter the country as a lesbian). I was also ill with what was eventually diagnosed as MS and broke. Saying the move was stressful is an understatement.

But, hey, it turned out beautifully. We're married. We share a life built on shared work and love. And I'm now a dual citizen. Life is fucking good.