Last night I went to bed a member of the EU, this morning I awoke as a non-member. I have lost my EU citizenship, and I feel bereft, not to mention annoyed. Annoyed because British citizens living in the EU were denied the right to vote in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Annoyed because some of the referendum claims, as touted by the EU Leave campaigners, were false and/or misleading.

What was so awful about being a European Union member? Was it that bad?? Geez, when you think of all the countries clamouring to join the EU …

I have two passports: Canadian, because I was born and lived half my life there, and British because my parents were English. Up until last night, having a British passport allowed me to live and work anywhere in the European Union, in my case in France. No longer. Right now, I’m feeling strangely disenfranchised. Steps need to be taken, steps have been taken on my behalf – extremely onerous, burdensome and expensive steps – to secure my legal rights to continue living and working in this country. But I haven’t received a response yet, so I’m in limbo.

The thing is, no one has a crystal ball. Maybe it won’t be bad. Maybe it’ll turn out alright for everyone – British and non-British alike – in the end. Maybe we’re blowing this all out of proportion. Only time will tell.

As for right now on this gloomy morning, a Frenchwoman summed it up pretty well in a newspaper article:

“This is obviously a momentous day, a terribly sad day; you’re abandoning this European project after nearly 50 years,” said Natalie Delassalle, 47, a public relations executive who takes the Eurostar twice a month for meetings in London. “Honestly, I can’t see why you’re doing it. I don’t understand. I don’t envy you – and not just the passport hassle. You’re on your own now, and the world feels like quite a hostile place. Good luck.”

Here’s a pessimistic article written by author, Ian McEwan; he sees nothing but damage and diminishment for the U.K. (I don’t believe it) –

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/feb/01/brexit-pointless-masochistic-ambition-history-done