Election
day in Spain. I am unable to vote because I do not have Spanish nationality. Neither
can I vote in UK because I have been out of the country for too long. If Brexit
goes through I will not be able to vote in the municipal or European elections
either.
I could
always get dual nationality, I have all the requisites. Yet I am reluctant. Not
only because of the daunting prospect of going through Spanish bureaucracy. Nor
because of the fact that once completed there is an inexplicable two and a half
year wait for it to come into effect.
No, I am
loathe to do all this because it seems to me like a booby prize. I had high
hopes, hopes for a European passport, European nationality. I had hoped that
maybe, just maybe, we could drop all this nonsense about borders nations and
reach a sensible agreement.
When I
first arrived here I had to apply for a work visa, which took almost eight
months to receive. My contract was for nine months. It was a pointless and
tiring task, traipsing from one department to another to get duplicate stamps
and hand in documents they already had.
Now we are
heading back down that road. And I will be forced to jump through the hoops
once more.
So if you
can, get out and vote. This situation may not last forever.
