We have classes for them so they can get their GED. You basically can't get a job without a GED. And they should study to take their voting test so they can become a citizen. Maybe take other classes if they're interested, either through the Gileadite education stuff or at a community college. Try out going to therapy so they have someone to talk to about all of their shit, although no worries if it's not for them. Meet people, see if there are any jobs they'd be good at. Try out lots of things-- like, I don't know if they'd like drugs or sex or having a tattoo or watching secular movies or crossdressing or being a pagan but there's probably something like that that sounds terrifying and also great and they should try it and see if they like it. Spend a lot of time curled up on the bed crying and watching stupid movies with lots of explosions, this seems to be an important part of the process. 

I think they've still got the social work paperwork about GEDs. And support groups.

...and thank you for the advice.

...also, I can become a citizen???

They could also hang out with me. If they wanted to.

And Asher but he's a lot. Rose might be easier. 

OF COURSE YOU CAN BECOME A CITIZEN

Lev, I very much enjoy your company, but you cannot be the whole of my social life. You have, like, a job. 

? Citizenship is something you are born with?

I don't want to make assumptions that you enjoy my company!

Anyone who passes the Cascadian citizenship test and wants to be a citizen is a Cascadian citizen. Or anyone born in Cascadia or to at least one Cascadian parent and who has turned 18. 

You are very good company! Assume away!

...and the citizenship you gain is not considered different to the kind you are born with?

No!!!! That would be horrible!!!!!

I would say 'but that's usually how it works?'  but my citizenship knowledge is 1300 years out date, apparently

If someone wants to be Cascadian and understands what that means they should be able to. 

A lot has changed, huh

This cannot be how it works, and yet...?

there are all kinds of rational reasons you can come up with for this, like, there's a baby shortage it doesn't do anyone good to turn down immigrants

but tbh the reason I feel strongly about this is that people died after the bombings

and they didn't have to

we just didn't have the resources to treat them

and some of them got to the border with Canada and got turned away

because they were expensive to treat, because Canada didn't want to cause problems with Gilead, because they needed to take care of their own people first

and fuck that

Cascadia takes care of Cascadians first but anyone can be a Cascadian if they want to be

we're not going to leave kids sick or hungry or dying and begging to be let in because their parents were born in the wrong place

Cascadia is so idealistic

...that is the *worst way* to phrase that

Cascadia has ideals and it *tries to live up to them*

A random foreigner fell on you and you gave him a house and instructions on how not to be a foreigner.

the house is obviously a good idea, it turns out that actually homeless people are more expensive than giving anyone who wants one a free apartment

because otherwise they wind up in jail or the hospital both of which are more expensive

That doesn't show that you aren't idealistic.

You have to be idealistic for that to be a *problem you have.*

'Homeless people are medically expensive' requires the expense to be *your problem*

We didn't do that. And we *couldn't* do that (see also: citizenship). But you try.

We're also just richer. Idealism is easy when you're rich.

On the other hand, unlike gileadites, we point our idealism in directions that aren't stupid.

it is, really.

but it's not just that. Democracy cannot be that expensive? Unless it is and I am making bad assumptions. And you aren't considering me becoming a citizen to be putting you at risk for an invasion, and you are doing the same for citizens from GILEAD

let them fucking try to invade us

our schools have a special afterschool activity where everyone who attends learns how to do sabotage and make improvised explosives

it's very popular

nothing preteens love more than improvised explosives

you are. teaching random people. how to make explosives.

...I can see how you ended up as a democracy!

we have significantly more guns than people

[a brief pause, like someone is looking up a timeline on Wikipedia]

guns are a thing you put explosives in and then it shoots small metal pellets at people and kills them 

I hate to ask if most of those guns are in the military.

lmao no of course not

you do have to pass a test before you can have a gun so you don't accidentally kill anyone with it

[another pause]

lmao means laughing my ass off

But you teach children how to make explosives!

...which is easier, getting a gun, or getting citizenship?

well yeah but they don't normally make them, if you have a gun permit it's because you're going to use it

getting a gun is easier

I honestly don't know which answer I would have preferred

Cascadia is weird.

To be clear I say this with a LOT of affection, I very much appreciate not starving to death in the woods, but ????