This post appeared as recommended in my feed. Unlike the typical immigration stories, mine was driven by the looming prospect of conscription if I go back to my home country and the expiration of my US Visa with a home residency requirement. Choosing a country I’d never been to, I navigated paperwork comparatively easy thanks to my passport. Grateful for a friend who offered two weeks in his apartment, I secured a job and my own place. If given the opportunity, I wouldn’t have chosen this path, I’ve never experienced such stress before.