Though I now live outside the USA, I didn't leave for political reasons. I'm not seeing any good reasons to return currently, though there are certainly downsides to my present location. Medical care is very cheap where I'm at (though you get what you pay for to a certain extent) so socialized medicine is no draw.
Not sure what the future holds for us, but I'm not sure it includes living long-term in my country of citizenship (USA).
Not really "TOTALLY off topic..." And, you and Deacon Blues make good points.
I have family that have just hit stateside for the holidays. They've lived in Asia for years and Europe before that. The kids basically grew up abroad, though with frequent trips back to us and other family in the U.S.
At 3:30 this morning (local time) two of the teens were immediately on Facebook. Facebook isn't available through their Internet connection in Asia. Both were shouting out to friends and family... "Woo Hoo! Back in the U.S.A. ..." and so forth. At 3:30 in the morning!
The feelings I get right about now concerning BO and the economy is Déjà vu from 1976 - 1980. That whole malaise thing. I was convinced then that the world was coming to an end, obsessed with the idea. But then, it was "Morning in America" and things took off. I wasted a lot of my youth wrapped up in the "Game Over, Man!" routine only to be amazed at how a country heals.
Right now, I am looking forward to weathering this storm, just like a trusty old frigate that's seen many a storm before. The pendulum swings back and forth. We've just got to keep our heads and our eyes on the greater prize.
Meanwhile, over the holidays my cramped little cabin will be crowded with refugees from other teeming shores. A young soldier is to arrive in a few days on holiday after his first deployment. Three nieces from East Asia will be here in a couple of days as well. I've got a 15 year old's birthday party and "sleep" over tonight with an upgraded gaming screen (yeah, "sleep" - right!).
And then after the holidays we send the young soldier back and also say "Adieu!" to a grizzled old vet who is on (I think?) his third or fourth deployment. And, the nieces go back over the pole to China.
Lot's of folks "leaving." But they all can't wait to get back.
What a great post! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
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In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity. Augustine
WARNING: This is TOTALLY off the subject-
Reading this made me think of a situation in our house. My 16 year-old heard the Billy Joel song, "We Didn't Start The Fire" somewhere and he stated playing it, and asking about the lyrics, such as "Mom what are Children of Thalidomide?". It was an amazing history lesson (we found a website, because even I didn't know all this information!!)
So in the spirit of my friend Scott, I will include the link-
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People who are always looking for fault,can find it easily all they have to do,is look into their mirror.
There they can find plenty of fault.
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Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
"You will be hated for my sake-Just remember that it should be for MY sake and not YOURS-
Do NOT act in such a way as to be offensive, and then blame it on me"
There's a comparatively large ex-pat American community there. There's also a lot of condo and retirement communities aimed toward American consumers.
Costa Rica is forbidden by its own constitution to have an army, so the military problem that exists in much of Latin America is nonexistent there. They claim to have had over 100 years of uninterrupted democracy. They are a stable oasis in what has been a desert of despotism and civil war.
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