Wow! thank you all for your wellcome.
I was reinstated to the JW cult one week ago. so I am paranoid because I am not planning to go to a meeeting again, which makes me think that I will be under the radar for a while. so, I will try not to give specific details about myself.
long story short (I'll try, a last), spent first twenty something years of my life in the cult, fully immersed in it, judgedamental little snot. my father had the wisdom to encourage me to continue my education, which I did, and that made me a pariah in the eyes of many. but thanks to that, once I got my degree I fled to USA ( I was already DF) and started working in an internationally known institution which the WT quotes a lot, specially in the Awake magazine. The elders at my old congo were spitting lava about that. they had refused to reinstate me after I requested it,and since I was no longer under their control once I left my country, they charged against my parents, but that's another story.
I met Gerard at work, in the break room. He had spent so many years speaking english that all the attemps he made of speaking in our mother language were not very graceful. I am glad he was persistent, though ;)! We started dating, and fell in love. Gerry found out info, which I would not read at first, eventually did, and the rest is history. I have to add, I was a mess then. Fears, confusion, guilt and more fears. but here we are, and I feel oblied to say thank you to the free thinking community that has done so much for us.
Gary, all I know about my home country is that JWs are proliferating like mushrooms after the rain. and I agree with one of my favorites pieces of your wisdom: being reinstated sucks, because now they can talk to you.
Folks I love you all and truly respect you!
Rowan