I am really in need of support today/tonight.

[foreigncorrespondent]

Well I have just arrived home from taking Sapphocrat to Melbourne airport for her return flight to the USA. The month has gone far too quick, in fact a month together isn't enough.

Right now I am really down. I cried all the way home from the airport (an hour and a half drive), and it was really difficult to drive through all the tears.

So I do want to share the emotions I am currently experiencing with our (Sappho's and my) supporters here on DU, and for others to get an idea of what it is like to be forced to live 8,000 miles apart from your lover, with no knowledge of when you will be back in each others arms again.

To refresh your minds, Sappho was heading down under to see me after an anonymous benefactor paid for her trip etc, and would be here for the entire month of September. Prior to that, we hadn't seen each other this yar at all. The last time we had seen each other was last year. That forced separation lasted a total of ten months.

Now we are begining yet another forced separation with no idea of when we will see each other again. From were it looks right now, we probably won't be seeing each other again until some time next year.

For those who don't realize or know yet, Sapphocrat and I are a binational lesbian couple. She is a United States citizen, born and bred, I am an Australian citizen born and bred. Due to unfair and rather discriminating immigration laws with in the United States, Sappho cannot sponsor me, her chosen life partner (we have been together for three and a half years) for immigration into the USA.

I can sponsor her to come here, and when I am feeling like I am right now I just want to tell her to sell up everything look for a job here in Melbourne, and move here, so we can begin our life together properly, without the bloody 8,000 miles between us, but I can't.

Sappho has family ties to the USA (she is taking care of her 82 year old mother) and is unable to move interstate, let alone overseas at this time, or any time with in the near future, so our only hope for happiness is for me to move to the USA, otherwise we will be living like this, for some time to come.

You all know that there are no jobs in the USA for American's, (Sappho is one of the Silicon Valley victims from the dot com crash of 2000, and hasn't been able to land a job since), so I have no hope of securing a job sponsorship anytime soon.

Sappho's and my ONLY hope is for the permanent partners immigration act (see: http://capwiz.com/hrc/issues/bills/?bill=1730251) so on behalf of Sappho and myself I am begging you all to find out if your rep is a cosponsor of this bill, if not, then please take 5 minutes out of your day or evening and drop them a letter asking them to come on board with this bill.

Sappho and I are not the only couples affected by the current immigration laws, but we are two people you have gotten to know over the years here on DU. Even though our situation doesn't affect your personally, please do consider contacting your rep.

As for my emotions. Right now I am just really very numb. This time yesterday I was with Sappho, and today I am sitting here at my computer, watching to see when her flight will land in Sydney, and then watching her next flight, to see when she will be on her way back home.

I am on the verge of tears again, but am trying to fight them back. Sappho and I only got 4 hours sleep last night, so I am drained, and crying will only drain me more. While sleep would be good, I don't want to go to sleep, because I don't want to fall into a depresive episode where all I want to do is sleep to make the days go by faster.

Thanks for the ear everyone.

FC

(For Sappho, I know you will most likely search out any posts I make over the next X amount of hours before you are home so I just wanted to tell you I love you, and am really missing you. AMLFYA xoxoxoxo)