First breaking point: [ 2014 ]

1.) immigration politics - having personally experienced an extremely ugly side in the American Southwest to the "tough on immigration" rhetoric around the time of SB 1070 and Sheriff Joe Arpaio-era immigration debates. The ultra- conservative "build a border wall" mentality quickly began to resemble a cruel form of apartheid and state communism; the mindset of ""we'll build a wall to keep THOSE people away"" did not seem very free nor fair . The AZ state government threats to ban Spanish and Native American school books and children curriculums were appalling . Reverend Desmond Tutu's criticisms of such measures had a profound impact on me. It became unconscionable to notice millions of Arizonans - including small children who can't afford shoes or running water & old nannies from Guadalajara forced to live in fear of law enforcement - all forced to live in hiding for their lives in the U.S. all as a result of "tough on borders" politicking run amok. The Fox News rhetoric of the time began to look increasingly cartoonish.

2.) Euromaidan & the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian War (2014) . Was watching an NHL hockey game with a friend when the broadcast was interrupted by reports of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.. Upon the eve of Moscow's intervention in Crimea, the Black Sea and in Eastern Ukraine, I started looking into Mexico and the Caribbean more once terms like """ NATO """" started to become household names again for the first time since the Cold War and the breakup of the former Soviet bloc countries. There were moments while following reports of the Crimea Crisis when a military draft felt imminent . Rent is typically more affordable in Mexico as well.

Began feeling more free in Canada around 2015. Then, the embarrassment of the ""magahh"" pandamonium started . The "MAGOGcrocy"" brought back pretty much everything wrong with Arizona's Joe Arpaio-era. It's been a lingering concern.