World Refugee Day
On June 15th, I participated in World Refugee Day celebration in Jacksonville – though World Refugee Day is observed on June 20th.
I work with refugees (and parolees and asylees), we are part of the chain that helps them settle in the United States. Once they have been here a year, they can apply for the green card and we help them with some of the paperwork and put them in contact with Legal Aid.
As an immigrant, I have a small idea of what difficulties are ahead of them, but I cannot mesure what they left behind and the circumstances. People here think everyone dreams of living in the United States (some people think I married A. because I wanted a green card) and it doesn’t occur to them the horrors the refugees are fleeing. Yes, for them, the United States are a promise of a better life… or simply an opportunity to stay alive. They are brave, resilient people.
The fact that I speak French was certainly what landed me that job, and it’s so special to me when some of the refugees smile up to their ears because someone understands their language.
Sadly, politics had put a stop to a lot of arrivals, and we have been so slow that I started working in another department.
I’m glad I was still invited to that special day, and could listen to their stories, and even see some traditional dances. Please, be welcoming and patient when you meet some of them!
2017
Sweet Undertone
With my new US bank account, I was able to re-open my Etsy shop. I actually had to open a new one because Etsy Payments doesn’t handle moving to another country.
My new shop is Sweet Undertone.
It has its own Facebook page and Instagram too 🙂
The wedding! (by Alan)
No wedding is without a bit of chaos, we know first hand now. 🙂
I never like to see you so tense and stressed but if it means we’re together I want to see your lowest and worst points in life, I don’t want to miss a thing. […]
You know I like to think of every (current) day as the most important, I can’t help but to catalog and revisit many of the days of ours and this day is truly special to me. […] I spent the majority of this day reveling in the moment, the fact I’d soon be legally bound to the incredibly amazing woman of my dreams and of my life. I really cherished all these moments – as I do always – when your personality or your prominent traits were/are most apparent, for instance, how sweet you are to me even when I’m feeling undeserving of any kindness, these seemingly private feelings I have must be obvious to you because you manage to always pour affection on me so hard whenever I think for a second that I’m ruining your life… […]
Your fearlessness was on display this day! I didn’t misspeak, the fact that you were able to stand in a room full of people and to say such sweet things, revealing yourself and your inner most precious emotions, promising to spend and devote your life with/to another human in the face of all your fears, that’s fearlessness! I was so in awe of the whole situation that the size of it overwhelmed me. […] You’ll think this is silly but I’m always fantasising of rescuing you and I thought today would be the day that I’d catch your fainting body or help you navigate through a mental breakdown – this one looked promising for a few minutes :p – but you’re such a badass! I’ll probably never stop these silly fantasies, even knowing you don’t need saving from anyone for anything. I have the best wife!
As you were saying your vows I felt invincible, I felt safe, I felt loved. I don’t think I will ever forget this moment.
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