#american expat

[austinausten]

Not just in the American South - learned about the Christmas pickle at the Whitehern Historic Home tour in downtown Hamilton today.

One of my favourite Christmas traditions - shared between my country of origin and my now home country.

[emotionalsupportmanteau]

View out my window

[sweetmesquite]

hey there fellow americans, especially my fellow american expats!

CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION. DO IT.

DO IT NOW.

this morning i decided to check and discovered i've been effectively deregistered; online databases cannot find my voter information. and BONUS, because my us address is in the state of texas, i only have two months to unfuck this mess.

to my fellow texas expats especially: there is no online registration. it must be done either in person or by physical mail to your county registrar. texas does not allow same-day registration and voting; you MUST BE REGISTERED BY OCTOBER 7 TO VOTE THIS YEAR.

your vote counts. your vote matters.

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?

fvap.gov - resource to help citizens vote from overseas.

fvap texas - texas-specific dates, county registrar list, etc

apply for your mail-in ballot - texas-specific

texas secretary of state - register to vote

votetexas.gov - register to vote, but from a different website

[allthefoolmine]

For US citizens who live outside of the United States, here are some resources to help you vote:

I find vote.org the easiest and most straightforward resource to help me keep on top of my absentee / overseas registration:

It's that time again. If you are legal to vote in the United States please register to vote and if you've done that already, please check your registration several times between now and November 5.

[longreads]

What does it mean to be a citizen of the world?

In this new Longreads essay, Thomas Dai writes about a formative year he spent living and working in China in 2017-18, in an apartment complex called Manhattan 2, when US-China relations were on the cusp of unraveling.

In Chengdu, I eventually lost track of my backstory, my wants. Was I an aggrieved American sheltering abroad? A diasporic Chinese recalled to his mother ship? The reality is I was many things. . . .

I came to Chengdu not knowing that a time of cosmopolitan dreaming was coming to an end—not just for me, but for so many other navel gazing expatriates. Now that I’ve left China, and don’t know when I may return, I feel more chagrin than ever about how much I took my time there for granted. That’s the thing about cosmopolitanism: It bamboozles you into thinking the world’s interconnectedness will always win out; that borders may shut, but only for so long. And in the meantime, you never actually feel like you’re living in Chengdu, or Bangkok, or Paris, because to really be in a place, you have to recognize you might lose it.

Thomas explores the ways that expat life rarely delivers on its promises, especially for those born in between cultures. This essay is an adapted excerpt from his new book, TAKE MY NAME BUT SAY IT SLOW, published by W. W. Norton.

Read the full essay, “Letter From Manhattan 2,” on Longreads.

[resplendentoutfit]

John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925) • Portrait of Louise Pomeroy Inches • 1887 • Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Evening Dress • Unidentified Maker • American • Silk velvet with silk plain weave lining

How wonderful that such a well-preserved dress exists to enliven a famous portrait painting! This dress is one of my favorites for a couple of reasons – firstly, I love velvet and this silk velvet is the real deal – gorgeous. Secondly, I've seen the portrait many times at the MFA in Boston. The dress was in a glass case at the blockbuster Fashioned by Sargent exhibition also at the MFA.

I've read that Louise Inches was expecting her third child when she sat for this portrait and that the dress had been designed to accommodate extra panels as her figure expanded. She and Sargent got on well. Both were music lovers and accomplished musicians.

[crazycatsiren]

I've been thinking about the "it's not that autistic people don't know how to communicate, it's that we communicate differently" statement. True. Very true. 100% agreed. Absolutely and totally valid. But, hear me out: communication is also highly culture dependent.

In the USA, my being direct, literal, honest, frank, answering what I'm asked, and speaking what I'm thinking, is often considered "rude" and "mean". In Germany, it's neutral, appropriate even. In China, I'm being nice because I'm not actually insulting anyone.

Example: "Does this dress make me look fat" when it actually does.

USA: "Of course not! You look great!"

Germany: "Yes."

China: "It makes your ass look as big as the Yellow River."

Another example: "How are you?"

USA: "I'm very well, thank you!"

Germany: "I have diarrhea."

China: "I need to go shit my brains out for the eighth time, you idiot, go away."

[deanmarywinchester]

happy orville peck emcee in broadway’s cabaret announcement to all who celebrate

[thegikitiki]

Fleeing Uncertainty: Americans Seek Safety Abroad

"Reflecting the current socio-political climate, an increasing number of Americans are planning to move abroad. Recent surveys reveal that concerns over governmental policies and societal unrest are motivating many to seek more stable environments for safety and a new beginning. The prevalence of travelers equipped with robust, Samsonite luggage symbolizes this significant trend. As people invest in durable travel gear, they also embrace resilience in the face of uncertainty. For many, the decision to leave is driven not only by the desire to escape present threats but also by a profound aspiration for freedom and improved prospects.

Experts observe that this migration reflects a larger narrative—one where individuals are compelled to safeguard their liberties and well-being. These modern-day nomads, as they navigate the complexities of international relocation, signify a notable shift in American society, embodying hope and determination amid challenges. Each packed suitcase represents a journey not solely away from threats but toward the promise of new opportunities and brighter futures. This trend has also sparked a burgeoning industry of relocation services, catering to the needs of those seeking a seamless transition. From legal assistance and visa applications to cultural adaptation and housing arrangements, these services provide comprehensive support for individuals and families embarking on their new journeys. Communities abroad are evolving, growing more diverse as they embrace these new residents with open arms."

Samsonite Luggage, 1983

[darcyolsson]

watching emily in paris and there's this weird phenomenon happening to camille which i see in shows all the time these days which is technically not queerbaiting but something vaguely reminiscent of it. camille is a very important, three-dimensional character, but then when she finally gets to have a relationship with a woman (which was hinted at/joked about in earlier seasons), it's not nearly as fleshed out as the straight relationships around her. and it's not necessarily about her being queer because there's many important queer characters in the show and it's not really about it being two female characters either because at there are so many female friendships which are genuine and important, including the one between the main character and camille, which could be argued centers a man but in the end still is a real friendship which is significant to the show. so while there get to be fleshed-out queer characters who have fleshed-out relationships with people of the same gender, the second those relationships become romantic they become undeserving of the same treatment. what is that called

[vieraslaji]

minä: tahtoisin muuttaa suomeen joskus :)

valkoihoinen amerikkalainen liberaali: hahaha sama sama, mun mielestä tätä kansaa ei voi pelastaa ja meidän pitäisi paeta kun pystytään-

minä: tahdon muuttaa suomeen koska oikeasti arvostan muiden maiden kulttuurei ja jos muuttaisin amerikast nii haluaisin muuttaa positiivisista syistä, kun mua ei pakoteta minnekään eikä sua :))

valkoihoinen amerikkalainen liberaali: trump

[ineffectualdemon]

I live in England but I'm still an American Citizen so I can still vote in elections

I used to just get mailed my ballot which I would fill out and mail back

Sometime after Trump was elected things changed and got more obtuse

I had to fill out a form to prove I am still American and want to vote. But I still got mailed or emailed my ballot

Now in the year of 2024 this is how the process goes:

Get email from my electoral office saying my ballot is available through the state voter information portal

Log in

Go to my ballot information

See a message that my ballot has been mailed to me

Reread original email where it clearly states its available electronically on the portal but does not explain more

Go back to website

Spend a long time confuse

Find "request replacement ballot"

Ah! This lets me print off a replacement!

Choose "Download and Print Ballot Packet"

Download packet

Email it to my husband so he can print it off for me

The next day he tells me it's just the cover sheets and things to sign but no actual ballot

Look at the PDFs and find he's right

Go back to website and go through everything again except choose "print ballot packet"

It just brings up my ballot and nothing else

But hey it gives me the choice to download it

Download the ballot

Send actual ballot in another email

Note to self how absolutely NONE of this was explained anywhere on the website or in the email

Fume with rage

[5eyed]

another yayo just for fun :)

[agrownupgeekgirl]

I got my indefinite leave to remain approved!! I took the test back in October so have been waiting to find out.

Got the approval and my new ID within the last few days!

[allthefoolmine]

Expat voters in the US election, please use this as a reminder to check on the status of your mail ballot request!

Voting Registration is ending soon in many states.

Please register and please double check your registration.

Find out now where you are supposed to vote and make a plan to get there.