American Dream or Illusion? – What we have Here vs. What we could have Back Home

American dream or illusion

On October 14, 2020, it was reported that 86 Cameroonians were deported from the United States, effectively ending their pursuit for “a better life” for themselves and the loved ones they rejoin back home. They came so close to having a first-hand experience of the proverbial illusion(s) of American streets littered with money, jobs easy to come by, well-paid work, a nice house, a car, you name it. The American Dream.

For most who are fortunate to still be here, these illusions and ideas quickly fade once we get engulfed in the requirements for “success” in the diaspora. The definition of success here is relative as each person has a unique set of yardsticks by which they measure it.

MOST of us, once overseas, had to overcome, are still overcoming, and will need to overcome certain fundamental challenges in order to build the foundation needed to attain “success”, regardless of the definition we ascribe to it.

What are these? I am glad you asked.

For a majority already in the diaspora, I know I am preaching to the choir here. The following points innumerate some of the hurdles that need to be cleared in order for “bushfallers” (immigrants) to finally settle in abroad:

  • Legal status – Not much else needs to be said about this! Such things are only learned through experience. Traveling and living abroad for an extended period of time requires regularizing ones’ legal status. For some (a few, I might add), this is a short and seamless process when they arrive their destination. But for a majority, this process might take a lifetime.
  • Employment and Credential recognition challenges – Who is not familiar with SpanTran and the other transcription evaluation services? How much time and money is spent to evaluate various credentials from home? Did most of us even ever get to use them?
  • Child care & Accessing essential services – Do you have children?  Most of us do. And if you do, how many? Don’t bother answering, you only need one child for this to apply.  Based on your legal status, are you eligible to receive childcare assistance? If not, do you have childcare money? I think most of us get the picture. Truth be told, for a wide majority, there’s no family, neighbor or community here in the diaspora to help with the kids like when you were growing up. It’s pay-as-you-go.
  • Language problems – Bottom of the list for obvious reasons. Other than our exotic accent(s), most of us from English-speaking countries do not see this as an issue. It is, however, an Achilles heel for some of our non-native English-speaking brothers and sisters.

The above list is by no means exhaustive, but I can bet a cross section of us have had to face at least one of these barriers.

Regardless of which part of the diaspora we find ourselves in, the questions of: How long does it take, should it take, or will it take, to get some of these fundamentals secured and a solid foundation built, leads to the realization that there is no science to it. There is only a process which, if we are being honest, requires at least five to ten years, everything being equal, to withstand the gestation period needed to have finally “fallen bush”.

Needless to say, in the course of regularizing all the above, most are still providing for the family they have here (abroad), if that applies, and supporting the family they left back home. Slowly but surely, for some, the goals to return home and contribute to improving the community they grew up in begin to seem unattainable or farfetched. At this point, it is tempting to throw in the towel, be content with what we “have” here in the diaspora, and continue complaining about what we “could” have back at home.

You see, these are truths that are either not being told accurately and clearly enough, or the message often falls on “deaf ears”.

A question for YOU back home, now that you see the entire picture, are you still considering leaving your job, selling your home, auctioning off your assets, and borrowing money in order to secure a visa and plane ticket to relocate abroad? I am sure you will say, “Hell yes!” I would too. But experience is the best teacher!

Through all this hustle and bustle, empirical evidence abounds to support this, WE (African immigrants) are known to excel and succeed wherever we find ourselves. WE are acclaimed among the most educated of immigrants. WE are often applauded and commended for the richness in our culture, and OUR sense of “family”, “community”, “support”, and “unity”.

WE are an asset, as a people. WE should contribute rather than compete among ourselves. WE can rewrite the proverbial narrative of “African brain drain”, learn a thing or two from the successes of our sister countries Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda, and TOGETHER embark on OUR own movement, “Cameroonian brain recall”.

Are you a healthcare professional, IT professional, agricultural or mechanical or electrical engineer, philanthropist, community organizer, social welfare professional, media professional and above all, a son and daughter of the soil? How can you contribute? The time to start sowing seeds is now!

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar

 

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