Transitions

I was just reading over my first blog here… all about my lofty dream.  I still have that dream, but some of the specifics have changed a bit.  I said in that entry that I wanted to run my own “Art 4 Justice” company and website.  That part has evolved into something I’m now calling Voice Is Power (VIP).  The idea is to start a non-profit organization called the Voice Is Power Foundation, which will raise money through educational programs, performances, and donations to bring more peace and justice into the world.  The Foundation will give 100% of its profit to organizations and projects that help bring people out of poverty and into lives of dignity and authentic power.  One idea of an organization I’d like to put some money into is Kiva (www.kiva.org), which changes people’s lives and helps to bring them out of poverty by giving micro-loans.

The main educational course, Voice Is Power, will be a holistic course for writing, singing, and speaking out, designed to teach people to recognize the power of their own voices, how to use their voices for healing, empowerment, justice, and peace, and to find where their passions and the world’s needs connect.  I’m working on writing the curriculum for this course now.

Right now, I’m in a transitional period in my life – looking for a job in order to save some money to move to the mainland with Susan, still working for Kids Talk Story (a creative writing program) part of the time, working on my own curriculum ideas when possible… dreaming and planning for the future.  I suppose one could argue that life itself is a bunch of transitions, because things are always changing.  But right now, I have that very strong feeling of being unsettled that usually comes with big transitions – of being simultaneously excited and scared of what will come next.

 

Maybe Massachusetts

The other day, Susan said, “What about Massachusetts?” Massachusetts has legalized gay marriage, they have the closest thing to universal healthcare there is in the U.S. (from what we can tell so far), and we wouldn’t have to go through the trouble of becoming citizens of a whole different country.

A fellow writer suggested that instead of fleeing the country, we ought to stay and try to change things in the United States.

I don’t know if wanting to move someplace – whether it’s across the country or out of the country – is like chasing a rainbow.  Maybe I’ll never be able to capture what I’m after outside of myself; maybe I can only find true peace and happiness within, and moving around (or even dreaming of it) is a convenient distraction from that.

Then again, what if moving someplace in particular would somehow facilitate the process of discovering my own inner peace?

Sometimes I wonder how to tell the difference between true desire (which leads you on your true life path) and obsession, between resistance brought on by fear and resistance brought on by honest disinterest, between what is really good for me and what isn’t.

So, for the sake of trying to look at this practically, here are some pros and cons to moving to Massachusetts…  Susan and I have been looking particularly at Northampton, MA.

Pros:

• Gay marriage and adoption are legal.
• Massachusetts has a public option for healthcare.
• Seasons (sometimes cold ones, but the change can be nice…).
• Northampton has great schools – elementary through college – which means the potential for great jobs (as Susan and I both work in the education field) and a good education for kids down the road…
• Northampton has been called the “top town for a simple life,” the “#1 small arts town in the U.S.,” and (and I quote) “Lesbianville, USA.”  Three things that are especially appealing to Susan and me: simplicity, the arts, and an acceptance of our relationship.
• Cost of living in Northampton is definitely lower than Hawai’i.  We could even buy a house at some point!
• Bike trails and parks where we can walk our dog Jake.
• More social and political activism (to get us working on making positive change within the U.S. instead of fleeing).
• Friends and family on the East Coast.
• The ability to see my sister more often, as she often goes to New York on business.

Cons:

• Well, it ain’t Hawai’i – by which I mostly mean, it gets cold! Hawai’i's also got a laidback atmosphere we enjoy.  And beautiful beaches!
• We’d miss our friends Jill & Evelyn.

I’m sure I’ll think of more pros and cons as we do more research.  Right now, however, I’m thinking that Massachusetts may be a decent compromise to getting more of what we want without having to leave the country altogether…

Shopping Around for a New Country

Susan and I have been dreaming of moving.  I know, I know:  We live in Hawai’i – one of the most beautiful places on Earth, so why would we want to move? Well, we want to live in a place where:

1. We can get married.
2. We can adopt kids.
3. We have universal healthcare.
4. The people and the Earth matter more than profits.

Yes, we’re not talking about moving to the U.S. mainland; we’re talking about leaving the country. So far, based on the above criteria, we’ve found eight countries that could work:

1. Canada. We’re leaning towards this one, just because it seems most feasible and is closest to our friends and family.  (Don’t want to break my mama’s heart!)
2. The Netherlands. The first country to legalize gay marriage, and Amsterdam is ranked the #1 most bicycle-friendly city in the world.
3. Spain. Probably the warmest of all our options (which is a consideration after living in San Diego and Hawai’i my whole life!), and we do already know a little Spanish!
4. Sweden.
   
5. Norway.
6. Belgium.
7. United Kingdom. They don’t have gay marriage, but from what we can tell, they give same-sex couples all/most of the rights of marriage and call it something else.
8. Iceland. Same as the U.K. on gay marriage rights.

There’s still time.  We’ll be in Hawai’i until at least May 2010 as Susan finishes up her PhD at the University of Hawai’i – Manoa.  But a big move and even dual citizenship could be in our future…