Over 20 years I've lived in this country. I never meant to stay longer than two years, but fell in love, got married, had children, stayed here because it was easier for my husband. No economic pressure to come or stay here, strictly for experience as a young person, to work, study and improve my language skills. Worked all the time here, never claimed benefits, paid taxes, got a STEM PhD and am now in a highly skilled job. Now I have to worry about work, breaking up my family, jeopardising my whole existence. Worst of all, I am beginning to feel really unwelcome. I just can't get over this - I never considered myself as a migrant, just an EU citizen settling down, getting on with life. Never felt like a foreigner, loved this country for its open mind and tolerant attitude.
I am finding this all very hard to comprehend.Middle-aged now, and truly screwed. No idea what will happen to me.
Brexit
What have I done to deserve this?
bestcatintheworld · 28/06/2016 20:26
So sorry but please be assured that this is a tiny minority, they are just making a lot of noise at the moment.
My son works with a lot of people from EU and they are left feeling very unwelcome. It is all so sad and shouldn't be happening.
I think that we are getting to the point where decent people are fighting it- it is so sick making.
Op I understand how you feel - I felt the same (being English born) when it looked like a Yes vote for Scottish independence.
You have put so much into the community etc and they don't want you. But rest assured 90+% of the population don't think like that -just the odd ones who do are being loud at the moment...but it won't last. The feeling will pass and you'll realise what a tiny minority it is that do feel like that (two of my Scottish friends were horrified when I told them how I felt - I was in tears in the voting booth - and I cried with relief at the result....but it was so close (like this one)that the feeling didn't go away for a good few months ...at one point I wasn't sure it ever would - but it did )
And it isn't just down to the Leave voters, I blame the remainers for some of it as well - the hysteria and accusations of all Leave voters being Xenophobic, racists etc....
I voted Leave for democratic reasons. My DP of 20+yrs is from the EU - like you he's worked and paid -had his own business so employed staff, our DCs were born here. He is not going to be deported - no one is going to be deported. We might have to make adjustments in the future - but nothing we can't deal with.
However he went to work before the final result was known (works early shift). He came home in a mess - the 'well educated' Remainers at his work had been telling him it was a disaster, he would be deported, house would be immediately worth nothing, better get our saving out the bank - it wasn't safe to keep there etc etc Worse he works with other EU citizens and they had been told the same rubbish. He came home asking what I thought the best thing to do was ...I said nothing except calm down and stop worrying - it will all be fine - they were talking a load of bollocks... which they are.
So you do have my sympathy but it will pass and all calm down and be fine...
unlucky, deported is a strong word, but how do you nothing will change? I'm guessing eventually I'll need a work permit, which I'll likely get, but what if I get sick? Retire? The point is, this is my home, my rights should remain the same as yours.
I feel like I've been in a constant panic attack since Friday. Human rights come to mind. Why has nobody from the government stepped in to guarantee to us who are settled that we will be protected? Because we can't vote for them?
to those who have expressed solidarity
I'm in the same boat, OP (only figuratively so far 
).
I wish I could be as positive as some of you, but legally the fact is that as things stand today, unless we qualify and apply for some Residence permit and citizenship etc, we are going to have no right whatsoever to live here from the day the UK leaves the EU. Unless the government puts something in place for us before the time is up, (and it's probably going to delay saying what exactly, as it will know it will annoy the Leavers who voted on immigration and have understood we are going home), that is where we are heading.
I don't know what makes us think politicians will want to be kind to the 3m of us EU citizens rather than appeal to the 10m British citizens who want us to go (and who have the right to vote them in or out of power)?
Millicent . I could cry a bit now.
Fawful, I was cross at every election that I couldn't vote, and I too joined a party to support them, but I never wanted citizenship.
no one is leaving!! We (the majority ) want you here. When i did my PhD the thing i loved most about the department was the mix of nationalities and everyone felt the same. My field was where most people would expect to go to another country for post doc experience. The department would simply failed if we only had British people in it.
Trivially it made for great fun at world cup time and gave us someone to support whenever we were knocked out. It was thing for yhose of us who don't really do football.
I know that seems really trivial but for me it made my work environment BETTER and academically it was essential
Please don't leave
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I don't think anybody will be dragged out of the country, at least I hope so, it will be just a matter of getting the right documents in place.
The feeling of not being wanted is what I struggle with mostly. But I can see why you are worried.
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