If you told me two years ago I would leave the United States and my dream job working for a AAA studio. I would have told you that you were full of it. Seriously despite living a life struggling to realize my gender identity, finally leaving a family that would not accept me for who I am, and living what I thought was my best life in southern California, I thought I had everything I ever needed. Little did I know my life would turn upside down.

My name is Kaedi Alexandra Peacecraft. I am a 43-year old, trans woman originally from Colorado, but today, I now live in Norway. For a country I had never been to before, I have now lived here for a few months now, and it’s quickly becoming a new home for me. How did it get to this point? Why did I give up everything I thought I cherished for this opportunity? The answer is simple, because I need to make sure I survive what the future will bring and have the chance to eventually change the world for the better.

Now I am trying to make a new life, meet new friends, and explore a mystical new land that I find myself in. It feels like a high-fantasy novel sometimes, but other days I feel like a refugee. The struggles of learning a new language, watching my old home fall into darkness, wondering if I will ever earn permanent residency and maybe even citizenship. Worried that if I make a mistake, I could find myself being sent back with nothing left and risk dealing with a government that wants to erase my identity and existence. This has been the craziest thing I have ever done, and the journey is just getting started.

This is my story.