They won’t let me vote!

Last year when I moved part of my life to Amsterdam, I meet some other American Moms, and they didn’t think I was so “American.” Okay, fair enough I haven’t lived in the States for 27 years, I speak three languages and have changed. But somehow these little comments sparked an identity crisis within me. Who am I? Where do I belong? I am a global nomad wandering this beautiful planet and learning and somehow I have gotten lost along the way, or at least it feels that way.

I usually don’t write about current events but today I will. The election is coming up at lightening speed and I went to vote in my home state and was refused unless “I lied” and said I had plans to come back soon. Utah will also not allow my almost 21-year-old daughter to vote even though she is a U.S. citizen with the majority of her family living in the U.S. and in Utah.  I was dumbfounded and shocked, and here I stand, again in a full-blown identity crisis.

If you are an expat and think this is wrong, SHARE THIS! If you are American and think this is wrong, SHARE THIS! If you just plain think this is wrong whatever your nationality SHARE THIS! Today, I feel like I have been kicked in the gut. I have contacted the embassy and they are looking into the matter. I hope I do get to vote. I know a lot of people think my life just sounds glamorous, and it is great, but being told you don’t belong always is painful.

—Allison Ochs