No turning back on Brexit

I was invited to take part in a live BBC Radio programme on Brexit on the day Teresa May triggered Article 50.

Here's my part of the programme, which took place during a large media event on Parliament Square in London.

It is hard, you see... apart from all the obvious political and economic uncertainty Brexit brings, for EU expats in the UK this new reality can feel like someone's just pulled the rug right under your feet. People are, understandably, upset.

We are all here completely legally and have been building our lives in the UK, contributing to the economy, diversity and culture. As humans we only have a limited period of time to make our mark on history and society and to put our life's efforts at risk, on the scale in which the current events have, is unfair to put it mildly.

However my experience of living in different countries has taught me that when you fall, you need to get up, keep your chin up and carry on. Moving to another country can be one of the most exciting and fulfilling experiences in a person's life but it does come with numerous risks and uncertainties. The EU has removed some of these uncertainties but hey, life still comes with no guarantees.

This interview has left a few of my friends, who know how emotional, direct and opinionated I can be at times, a bit surprised about how positive I am about my life here. And when I was first invited to take part in the show, I considered bringing up the topic of what Brexit can potentially mean to artists and the art world, which has not been discussed enough in my opinion. However, this is too complex a topic to cover in the few minutes a programme like this allows for.

So here's the truth - life in the UK has been good for my family and I guess also for most other EU nationals who want to stay here. If that weren't the case, I would have already packed my bags and moved somewhere else. Brexit is a hurdle, which has the potential of having catastrophic proportions, but it is a hurdle I hope we can overcome.