| Piggybacking here because you stated a sentiment that really resonates with me. I left the UK in 2014 for a “1-2yr Max!” Period as my girlfriend was getting her masters degree in Sweden. The echoes of the Ivestigatory Powers Act and the threat of a looming referendum gave me a little pause on my desire to return, but we both thought it was political posturing so we put aside our worries and continued the plans to return, albeit more apprehensively. After the result was announced I was upset, a whole bloc was going to close to me, the ruling party (whom I fundamentally disagree with) was going to remove a lot of the checks which kept it accountable, lots of uncertainty- my family suddenly became openly racist (that’s just anecdotal though, certainly not all those who chose leave are racist but my family apparently was) — which is ironic as my mother and I have polish surnames from my great-grandfather who fought in the war and was exiled from Poland for it. The longer I stayed away the more “detached” I became, the more coldly I looked at the situation and dispassionately assessed statistics and debates. You can’t know from the inside how farcical this whole thing looks. I naturalised to become a Swedish citizen as soon as the option was available to me, I have no personal stake in the future of my home country anymore. I’m still “pro-remain” but only because I still think it’s best for the country. I don’t really care that much any longer. |