UK leaves the EU: an issue hot enough to burn a polar bear’s butt!

We thought we\’d take a small break from our usual updates because we need to digest the news.

Democracy, very much like a bear, can be a difficult beast. It looks beautiful and powerful, but when it turns against you, suddenly it has a set of scary teeth and claws. 48.11% of the EU referendum voters have been left angry and bemused, as have the millions of EU citizens that live, work or study in the UK.  

We stopped at a cafe on our way back from a two-day excursion to Kenai River. As Bert was reading the terrifying news aloud, slowly the realisations started to settle in. Will Bert be able to move back to Greece with me? Will I still be able to do the PhD I have been dreaming of, planning and talking to people about? Will the fees increase for the now \’international\’ students to a point that will prohibit my admission to an UK uni? How will this affect the everyday people?

As far as a referendum for leaving the EU goes, Greece is no newbie. At a different time, in a struggling country, under a different set of circumstances, many Greeks campaigned to leave the EU. Only in our case, we didn\’t have the power to stay in and make the necessary changes for the benefit of both Greece and the EU. In our case the campaign to leave didn\’t start because of the political ambitions of a few power hungry men. It seems that people on both sides of the Brexit debate have been poorly represented and misinformed, causing some of them to become confused and vote in an atmosphere of fear, instead of just saying:

As I am hearing Bert read the news, I am checking my emails that have been piling up over the last few days. While the UK was deciding whether to leave or stay in the EU, I graduated with a first class degree. It also turns out I am on the Dean\’s List due to my excellent academic performance. Oh, the irony… Somewhere behind the feeling of pride and joy for this achievement I worked my butt off for, I make a wish that other Greeks, Spanish, Croatians (…) will have the chance to do the same and that this referendum didn\’t screw things up for the young and passionate. And that this doesn\’t mean that my PhD is a no-go.

But, hey, if the UK doesn\’t want to play with the EU, I will find another place to do my PhD. It\’s not the end of the world, it\’s just sad.

On a more serious note, Bert and I are more worried about the restrictions on an EU citizen living in the UK or a UK citizen living in Greece. Time will tell and for now we can only wait…

But if all fails, look forward to receiving our wedding invitations. We\’ve already decided on the picture that we believe aptly fits the circumstances: