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Reggie
Joined: Nov 14, 2001
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Province/State: Ontario
City: Peterborough
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The life of an imigrant
August 1, 2003 - 07:29 AM
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With a lot of young Zimbabweans fleeing the country for all sorts of reasons, from political to opportunity seeking, I began to wonder. Are we crippling the country by migrating out of Zimbabwe? Especially at its most dire time and need for support, would staying in Zim be the best choice or would that prove to be a brain in the drain so to speak.
I know some really great natural leaders in Zimbabwe as I assume in there are in many countries. Young intellectuals as well as athletes, who seem stuck because they are no opportunities for them. Almost 80% unemployed and living in poverty. One would think or say they are better of out of the country? I mean shouldn't we all get a fair chance in life to prove ourselves? Even the people who have jobs are poor and hungry – with no where to buy basic commodities, e.g. bread, gas or petrol what are you expected to survive on? Why should you brave it and stay?
Then again, if you migrate out, is that not causing another major blow to the country, already on its knees? Seriously a country that needs doctors should not have its doctors disappearing to greener pastures? Who will take care of the sick? Would braving it as an unemployed youth who is patriotic and fighting to be heard the best opportunity that you want? I wonder and still wonder to this day, why you should have to chose to be patriotic and you decide its time to be a little self and add to the brain drain.
Once you have made that choice to travel, and you are in fact LUCKY enough to get that VISA to go out. What do you expect to get out of the new life? I personally thought thinks where going to be a whole lot easy, I go overseas as I put it and work even 20hrs and earn enough to start a life in Peace, giving back to my country when I could (if 1.5 billion could survive on a dollar a day…what if I sent $5 each day). These where my thoughts before I actually migrated. Now all I can say is it takes time, experience and a whole lot of struggles before you can come close to that. Sometime I can’t help but try figure out why life is the way it is. Everyday is a struggle, and with a life long experience of challenge and overcoming or facing struggles, one gets used to it all. I gather it is up to the individual to overcome and defeat the struggles.
Anyway with a large if not most of the 1.5 billion people coming from developing countries, how do you keep a sane head on your responsibilities back home and in your newly chosen country? How and when do you choose to be selfish and start building your own life (which could take years)? Coming from a place where a community and a family come closer than anything else, how do your balance everything, when you have barely little to go by?
This is the life of an immigrant as I have come to notice? One thing that keeps many immigrants going is that at least they far better of struggling in their new world than before, because there is a chance for Serendipity to happen. That lucky break....in Zim the only lucky break you would seem to get is getting a visa out or am I wrong? What do you think... to stay and brave it or take a chance in foreign land?
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Luanne
Joined: Mar 21, 2001
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City: Ottawa
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Re: The life of an imigrant
August 2, 2003 - 11:16 AM
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Hi Reggie
You seem to be expressing the very thoughts that most immigrant seems to be experiencing. Torn between two separate choices,no list of pros and cons seem to make the decision any easier. Speaking as a fellow immigrant, I'll add my 2 cents.
At times, it may seem that immigrating to the land of milk and honey doesn't quite cut the dream that was expected when you boarded the plane/boat with the immigration papers. You may feel that the family you left behind is worse off now more than ever. You may feel that your struggling to stand on your own 2 feet in your new home has never been worse than now. You may feel that you might have used your potential in a much more bravado way in your home country than here where you are only a tiny fish in a big pond.
Don't lose hope. You and many of those who received the Visa saw the opportunities open up immediately. Education, freedom to think, freedom to speak, freedom to take part in all the activities available - locally and globally. With this gift of being selected to go to a land with more opportunities, one should make sure to fully use those opportunitites. To build one's knowledge, to raise one's awareness of global issues as much as possible and in doing so, building your potential to bring it back to your homeland.
There is nothing selfish with immigrating, as long as you give back in some way whether it be now or a few years from now. Just make sure to gain as much as you can in your new environment.
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Luke Cholerton
Joined: Jul 19, 2003
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Gender & Age: Male, 24
Country: Portugal
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Re: The life of an imigrant
August 2, 2003 - 12:02 PM
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Hey,
I may not be the ideal person to comment on emigration from oppression and poverty, seeing as I come from one of the richest countries on Earth, with freedom in its constitution. But, I do know several people who have migrated due to poor standards of living, and I know every single one of them feels the same way as Reggie. However, they also all know that where they are is better, and that positions them to better themselves and even better their homelands - with their newfound knowledge, opportunities and experiences. Also, think about the generations to come that were born unto immigrants; they are likely to have much higher standards of living than if they were born in their native lands. In fact, many great people and great nations were formed from emigrants looking for something better.
That's all I have to say.
Luke
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