We met in 1995 in Los Angeles, California and both knew from the start we had not just found each other, we had found love. My partner Jean is from France and was working in Los Angeles as a journalist for French magazines and newspapers with a media visa. I worked as a hotel manager and we had a nice life with lots of friends and jobs we enjoyed.

Later, I decided to leave the hotel business and and work in real estate instead. About the same time my partner Jean also wanted to change careers but in his case he could not because his job as a journalist was the provider of his work visa so he kept on writing. I thought at the time wouldn\'t it be nice if he had the freedom to change careers like all American citizens do.

In early 2006 my partner Jean received news the magazine he worked for was going to close its doors knowing his work visa renewal was coming near the end of the year. We went to two immigration attorneys to ask about our options and found out we really didn\'t have any. We had two options, move to France or separate. We chose to move to France.

It was not easy to leave our friends, sell our home, leave a job I enjoyed, and move but at least we could stay together.

We chose to move to a french island in the Caribbean, Saint Martin. Knowing I would have to leave every 3 months until I received \"right to stay\", this was the most economical location being only 3 hours from Miami by air. We got Paxed (french civil union) shortly after we arrived here which allowed me to apply for right to stay one year later. I just received my Carte De Sejour (right to stay and work) last month. The time in between had me flying back to the US every 3 months $$$, we had to hire a lawyer $$$ because the locals here were making the process very difficult. I guess a same sex couple never applied for right to stay here before.

All of this process and money spent to live in a place both of us do not want to be. My partner has a job but I cannot get one because I do not speak fluent French. So we wait, and wait, hoping The Uniting American Families Act passes soon so we can move back home to the United States. (photo: personal; St. Martin, France, Jean and Allen together since: 1995)

Tags: USA, France