The envisioned future of a better life away from the motherland, the doors and opportunities that will open at our doorsteps once we land in the United States, Milk and Honey — the dream comes alive before our very eyes when we hear the word America.
The American dream is a statement used as a national symbol in the United States that every person has the freedom and opportunity to attain success. It has been one of the things our parents and currently some of us have been longing for.
However, is the dream still truly alive? With the global economy shifting and the high cost of living, most citizens of these countries that were once the creme de la creme of good living, have come out complaining about how they are equally unable to sustain their basic needs.
A documentary by France 24 reports that Africans make up 5% of immigrants in the US but represent the fastest-growing immigrant group, with the number rapidly growing. Individuals from different countries in the continent scramble in the pursuit of gaining a green card to secure their stay in America.
However, the question remains, does life get any better in Western countries for African migrants compared to back home and is it worth the gamble?
Many do not factor in the significant societal differences and the expectations demanded when living abroad and the negative impact it could have.
For instance, your achieved education status could be of value in your homeland but the same diploma or degree may not be of much value in other countries.
Do you know as an individual who holds a degree in medicine you cannot immediately pursue a career in the US? This is because your papers are not acceptable there. This leads to a number who migrate there to start over. The majority of people who move are seen to work in the caregiving department as nurses to the elderly as it is a job with a lot of openings.
Another undeniable factor that has to be considered in this equation is racism. Black Americans are known to go through systemic racism which makes work and their lives in general harder.
Despite this, many Africans have found success and are now living the American dream. Studying in the US is one way of giving yourself a higher chance of success owing to the availability of opportunities and institutional advancements..
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