elections

I am back in time to vote. I need to study NZ politics as some boundaries have changed. I don't imagine the NZ elections will have the oratory of the winning and losing speeches I watched last night. The drama will be there though, this election is going to be interesting.

I wasn't going to vote, I felt too disconnected. But then it felt irresponsible not voting. I have three choices. I can choose not to vote, claiming that I am too far removed to make an educated vote. I can vote in my old electorate, which has had boundary changes, or I could change my electoral place and vote where my cottage is. My task this morning is to watch the (recorded) leaders' debate, and do some other research via the media and conversations with friends.

My home is Italy, I feel that Lazio is my turangawaewae at least for now. As we flew into Auckland I heard a man with an Indian accent say "look, I can see my home from here". It made me feel OK about saying Italy, not New Zealand, is now my home.

This time when I re-entered New Zealand I had to fill out the entry card differently. It felt strange but not wrong when I noticed that I was now officially returning for a short time, no longer a resident coming home. But in customs, after checking my passport and entry card, the man looked up, smiled, and said "Welcome home, Jocelyn". The welcome from an official was warm, as though to him any other place away from here had to be some kind of exile.

I don't feel torn between two countries, just torn between far-flung people. We teach our children to fly, so must celebrate when they do. Home is not so much an empty nest but a tree with many branches. When the distances seem great I remind myself that many of my childhood playtime hours were spent climbing trees, testing out those far reaching branches. Now I move more slowly, less lightly, but the will to climb and to reach out remains.

I have elected where I wish to be resident. Now I must choose for elections here. My two worlds are far apart but for me they sit side by side.
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