Long distance support and protest

Saturday was a beautiful day in Lille. It was sunny and mild, temps in the 50s, really nice for the end of January. It was also the day that a group of American expats living in Lille gathered in the Place de la Liberté to hold a protest against authoritarian rule, let's just call it what it is – fascism, in the United States. It wasn't a huge group, there aren't that many of us in Lille, but probably 75-100 people turned out to stand in solidarity with likeminded people on the other side of the Atlantic and around the world. 

As always at these things, the signage was the real star of the show. 

"My grandfather fought fascists in 1944. And now it's my turn."

When people ask us why we moved to France, Trump is always part of the conversation. We have been met by universal understanding and sympathy. I always like to stress however, that even when Trump is dead and gone (the sooner the better), all the people who voted for him, or voted for those who enable him, will still be there. Those people are the reason I don't want to return. 

We can and will still vote in federal elections as Americans living abroad, and I hope that our country of origin will find its way back from the brink, but for now at least, we are happy to observe from a distance.

Today marks six months since we arrived in Lille.

This is the edge of the big open field where the dogs play.