Arran business owner Lizanne Zietsman was kicked out of Scotland before regaining her visa ... now she’s backing a Yes vote.
IT is quite a task putting to words experiences I have had over the last few months and summing up the emotional turmoil of an uncertain future.
Looking back shaking whilst standing at the check-in counter at Glasgow International, holding onto my husband John’s hand with tear-filled eyes dreading the separation that was upon us. Faced with the unknown, flying to South Africa, a country I have hardly spent any time in, all because it is the passport I hold. It is during these times you realise the countless flaws in a system that gives very little thought to the consequences one senseless, unjustified decision can have on a person’s life and livelihood.
While John was running our shop, The Sandwich Station, in peak season with the help of friends, a feeling of helplessness set in as you get to grips with the knowledge that you can no longer continue building the business you have worked so hard to grow. The suffocating longing you feel in those times of separation from a husband, friends, community and home is an all-consuming darkness. It is only with a support system and comfort from loved ones that you make it through the ever changing motions.
READ MORE: Arran woman made to leave Scotland by Home Office wins visa battle
After three months I finally got an envelope and once opened with trembling hands saw it contained my passport and an approved visa for the second application. The weight that had plagued me for months was finally lifted and I hastily set about arranging my flight. It was upon my return to Glasgow walking through arrivals with a Scottish flag draped over my shoulders, head held high, that I was finally reunited with John after the longest separation in a 14-year relationship. Unbeknownst to me this was to be only the start of a string of events as friends were eagerly waiting on the CalMac Ferry in Ardrossan with “Welcome home Zanni” banners draped over the railing, flag waving in the wind. Our local hotel in Corrie village was the setting for a large gathering of dearest friends that would set the tone for a momentous welcome home celebration.
Having returned to the shores of Arran and being welcomed back with such open arms and enthusiasm has had a profound effect. To once again feel a sense of belonging amongst a community that leaves behind prejudice and sees someone for who they are not where they come from shows a true strength of spirit within the Scottish people.
READ: Arran woman Lizanne Zietsman's emotional letter to supporters
It is now after having gone through the rollercoaster of emotions that I have gained a much clearer understanding and compassion for the countless others that have found themselves in similar circumstances.
My future is all but secure as in two and a half years my visa is up for renewal again. With the ever-changing environment, legislation and xenophobia festering in a society, this story could come to be applied to an endless list of people, may it be your neighbour, child’s friend, local grocer, nurse, cab driver, etc. With so much uncertainty surrounding this great country, no longer should these words fall on deaf ears. Let us open our eyes to the changes that are coming, the effect this will have, raise our voices and stand for what is just, building a Scotland with our own hands, own minds and continue demonstrating strength in compassion.
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