The summer of 2020 was a turning point. A woman watched from her parents' home as the U. S. was divided. Half the nation protested the murder of George Floyd, while the other half seemed to support it. Donald Trump was running for re-election, despite being impeached. COVID-19 was raging, with over half a million deaths globally. The woman felt a deep sense of horror and disillusionment.

One day, she saw a group of children protesting Floyd's murder. They were alone, with only one adult nearby, seemingly indifferent. This sight broke her heart. She honked in support but sobbed soon after, realizing the depth of the country's divisions. The woman felt she had no choice but to leave. She boarded a flight to Spain with her dog and two suitcases, leaving behind a country that no longer felt like home.

Life in Spain was different. She had more autonomy as a woman. Birth control was easily accessible and affordable. Gynecological care was free and readily available. She had the right to paid parental leave if she chose to have a child. The contrast with the U. S. was stark. She felt a sense of guilt for leaving behind women who shared her despair but had no way out.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade broke her heart. She remembered her struggles with birth control and the care she received from Planned Parenthood after a violent rape. She feared for the next generation of women in the U. S. The idea of Trump winning another term seemed unfathomable, but she was wrong. She saw American women supporting an administration that intended to suppress their rights. It was a stark reminder of the U. S. 's bubble of misinformation and nationalism.

The woman realized the U. S. was a foreign country to her now. She feared for her safety and financial security whenever she visited. She saw the anguish in her friends' voices as they joked about leaving with her. The U. S. had changed, and she had changed with it. She had found freedom in Spain, but she couldn't forget the women she left behind.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON US

The U. S. Exodus: A Woman's Journey to Freedom

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