Generation X-odus

June 6th, 2008 • Related • Filed Under

It’s one of those words like palimpsest that I can never remember the meaning of. Every time there is a museum exhibit entitled something like “African Diaspora: a narrative of humanity” I always enter the hushed space expecting some colorful hand made textiles or a collection of amphorae and earthenware goddesses.

Before we dropped out almost two years ago we read myriad articles about “retiring to Mexico” and often used “expatriate” as a search term. My 7 am alarm reminds me daily that I punch a clock and the notion that we made the leap from citizen to foreigner so that we could be subversive and louche is laughable and outdated.

It isn’t imperialism, it isn’t vacation; I am ready to call this stint down south by it’s true name and nature: it’s emigration. We arrived on these shores with not much more than the clothes on our backs and a desire to build a better life for ourselves. Our parents’ America is only there in pastoral corners or explicit in the rhetoric of politicians.

This move was borne of many factors including restlessness and torpor but I am finally convinced that we’re here for a reason more necessary than noble. Opportunities and optimism, a little luck and a lot of hard work make for an interesting quotidian life and the possibility of one day going home with sufficient resources to “breathe free” and prosper.

And we are not the only ones.

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There Are 4 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Nancy on 6 June 2008:

    I have thought a lot about what is “home” for me. Is it the country I was born or the one that I’ve adopted?

    I’ve decided it is here, with me, wherever I am.

  2. Comment by Angela on 6 June 2008:

    Be Here Now. Thats all you need to remember.

  3. Comment by mom on 6 June 2008:

    You’re calling to me, and I’m listening.

  4. Comment by Mexpat on 16 June 2008:

    Here, Here! It only took us three days back in the US before we remembered exactly why we wanted to leave. It’s more an indescribable feeling than anything else. Here we don’t have near the number of pressures and the weather is lovely, too! Now if the housing market will only improve so we can sell and be out of the US property ownership game…

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