The Electoral College, Gerrymandering, Medicaid, and other American terms I pretend I understand

Redlining

and swing states 

and gun debates 

and the electoral college

and voter suppression 

and Medicaid 

and all of a sudden my foreign brain feels like it’s about to explode.

Converting to fahrenheit and the imperial system is confusing enough on its own

let alone 

trying to learn all these technical American terms.

Technically speaking, I’m only here for four years.

Only here to get my degree.

And so to some degree,

some might agree,

that the politics of this country don’t particularly concern me.

That I shouldn’t waste my time googling gerrymandering or gun control,

I should just mind my own business and stop bothering people with endless questions.

My Fellow Fellows have given me enough AP Gov lessons. 

And yet it's not that simple,

you can’t just choose to care about issues that only concern you. 

I cannot vote in this country but I sure can vocalize my opinions.

I can use my ILR education to inform and influence important community decisions.

Being open to learn and admitting that I don't understand your political system 

is the first step to understanding one another and our differences.