Martha McDevitt-Pugh
My blogs
| Gender | Female |
|---|---|
| Industry | Banking |
| Location | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Introduction | I was born in San Francisco, California and have lived in Amsterdam, the Netherlands since March 2000. I became a dual national (Dutch-American citizenship) because my country doesn't recognize my marriage and won't grant residency to my wife Lin. I work as a professional writer, live in the city, and in the summer get away every weekend to our caravan in the woods. In 2002, I realized that no matter how good my life was -- and I have a home, family, marriage, and career that I love -- I am still angry that my own country refuses to treat me as a first-class citizen. I realized I was an exile. What was remarkable was that I had been blind to this -- I knew that I moved to the Netherlands because I couldn't sponsor Lin as my partner, but I didn't know how angry I was. Anger can be a good thing. Once I saw it, I realized I had a choice: to become bitter about my lack of choice, or to be inspired by the other exiles around me, and work to make a difference. That is why I started the Love Exiles Foundation. |
| Interests | Cycling, Writing, Having great conversations, Being a contribution to others |
| Favorite Movies | Muriel's Wedding |
| Favorite Books | Anything by Isabel Allende |