Many people have written these same things you write. It occurs that you're one of those who ventured to Europe and the only thing you got from Europe was degrees. You never understood Europe, you never learned Europe. You see, to succeed in most societies, you've got to learn the place and assimilate in many ways. And that's the mistake many Cameroonians do. Most people in Biya's government who so called obtained degrees from abroad did the same thing too. Nigerians have figured out the secret. But Cameroonians have yet to do so.
Anyway, back to the subject, Cameroonians are getting better in the U.S. Most Cameroonians I know in Europe who are successful doctors and professors are folks who have adapted to the European culture. This doesn't mean that they forget where they're from.
In the U.S. it's relatively easy to start a business. Many Cameroonians are understanding the need to be self-employed. That's why nowadays you see every Tom Dick and Harry starting a health agency. My negativity aside, for the most part, Cameroonians in the U.S. are doing pretty well. I reside in the DC metro area. I've only seen 2 Cameroonians in my lifetime pan-handle. In Paris alone, there are more Cameroonian panhandlers ever.
As noted, I know a lot of successful folks in Europe. All of them who are successful have blended into the European society. Blending in doesn't mean you forget your roots. Surveys from many Human Resources departments show that a number one reason why a human resources person will give someone a job is if the job applicant would culturally blend in. Most Human Resources people consider this even over degrees. For instance if a minimum degree required is a Bachelors and you come with your Phd (like many Africans) but you wont culturally blend in, the guy with the Bachelors who can culturally blend in will get the job. Many Cameroonians in the U.S. who know they can't culturally blend in strive to be self-employed - and a good percentage of them have advanced degrees. That's why it was common to find PHD cab drivers. Because they couldn't keep jobs because of the 'cultural blend in issue'. No one will physically tell you this because it is illegal to fire someone based on their cultural background. But it's for every individual to figure out. Also, private surveys of Human Resources people demonstrate this.
In short, if you or anyone else had a difficult time abroad, blame yourselves, for going in only to get your degrees and not being a cultural fit. Look at Nigerians. They've figured it out. Nigerians hold the highest positions of all blacks not just in America, but in the UK too --- and they are our brothers. Even when you go to Nigeria, you will notice that Nigerians are the number one country that copy American or British ways.
I know conditions in Europe are a little less subtle than in the U.S. so the title of your writeup should've related only to the UK or Europe where you lived. Using a U.S. lens, I must let you know that there's nothing inherently wrong with living on a paycheck and enjoying a standard of life that will earn you even if it's 10 dollars a day. The social safety net in the U.S. is currently robust. Again, you must have knowledge of the system and how to use it to your advantage. If you only come and get your degrees and nothing else, you will go back to Cameroon and write articles like yours. Even many persons in the poor category in the U.S. "have" more than the average Cameroonian. And then there's this thing about earning social security quarters before retiring to Cameroon and living on guaranteed U.S. social security on a Cameroonian living standard. I doubt that many Cameroonians in the U.S. will share your view. I don't even think most of the guys I know in Europe would.
On Friday, October 3, 2014 7:17:58 AM UTC-4, tikum Azonga wrote:
-- Anyway, back to the subject, Cameroonians are getting better in the U.S. Most Cameroonians I know in Europe who are successful doctors and professors are folks who have adapted to the European culture. This doesn't mean that they forget where they're from.
In the U.S. it's relatively easy to start a business. Many Cameroonians are understanding the need to be self-employed. That's why nowadays you see every Tom Dick and Harry starting a health agency. My negativity aside, for the most part, Cameroonians in the U.S. are doing pretty well. I reside in the DC metro area. I've only seen 2 Cameroonians in my lifetime pan-handle. In Paris alone, there are more Cameroonian panhandlers ever.
As noted, I know a lot of successful folks in Europe. All of them who are successful have blended into the European society. Blending in doesn't mean you forget your roots. Surveys from many Human Resources departments show that a number one reason why a human resources person will give someone a job is if the job applicant would culturally blend in. Most Human Resources people consider this even over degrees. For instance if a minimum degree required is a Bachelors and you come with your Phd (like many Africans) but you wont culturally blend in, the guy with the Bachelors who can culturally blend in will get the job. Many Cameroonians in the U.S. who know they can't culturally blend in strive to be self-employed - and a good percentage of them have advanced degrees. That's why it was common to find PHD cab drivers. Because they couldn't keep jobs because of the 'cultural blend in issue'. No one will physically tell you this because it is illegal to fire someone based on their cultural background. But it's for every individual to figure out. Also, private surveys of Human Resources people demonstrate this.
In short, if you or anyone else had a difficult time abroad, blame yourselves, for going in only to get your degrees and not being a cultural fit. Look at Nigerians. They've figured it out. Nigerians hold the highest positions of all blacks not just in America, but in the UK too --- and they are our brothers. Even when you go to Nigeria, you will notice that Nigerians are the number one country that copy American or British ways.
I know conditions in Europe are a little less subtle than in the U.S. so the title of your writeup should've related only to the UK or Europe where you lived. Using a U.S. lens, I must let you know that there's nothing inherently wrong with living on a paycheck and enjoying a standard of life that will earn you even if it's 10 dollars a day. The social safety net in the U.S. is currently robust. Again, you must have knowledge of the system and how to use it to your advantage. If you only come and get your degrees and nothing else, you will go back to Cameroon and write articles like yours. Even many persons in the poor category in the U.S. "have" more than the average Cameroonian. And then there's this thing about earning social security quarters before retiring to Cameroon and living on guaranteed U.S. social security on a Cameroonian living standard. I doubt that many Cameroonians in the U.S. will share your view. I don't even think most of the guys I know in Europe would.
On Friday, October 3, 2014 7:17:58 AM UTC-4, tikum Azonga wrote:
CAMEROONIANS IN THE DIASPORA AND MONEY
Some weeks ago, I published on my blog, a caricature of an imaginary
Anglophone Cameroonian parent who was boasting of having children in
Europe and America on the one hand, and an imaginary Francophone
Cameroonian parent who was boasting of having sent his own children in
professional schools within Cameroon. I did not draw any conclusions
neither did I make any inferences from that account. I left it open.
This difference in approach from the two parents is really cause for
concern. Usually, the Anglophone parent will borrow and owe heavily to
send his or her child overseas. The underlying reason usually given is
that life out there is better than at home. Another reason is that
parents want to do to their children what other parents have done to
their own children. Then, of course, there is pressure from the child
in question as well. But strictly speaking, is going abroad really
better? Before I proceed, I must point out that when I refer to
Cameroonians in the Diaspora, I include myself because, after all, I
spent twenty years or so in Europe - basically in France and later,
Britain.
What such Cameroonians do not know -and perhaps do not want to know -
is that life overseas is very hard. In fact, it is harsh. Those who
live there basically live from hand to mouth and spend their time
paying bills. Yet, in order to survive, one must find a job of some
kind. Getting one at all is a problem, let alone getting a "good" one.
That is why if you are back home in Cameroon and ask a relative
overseas to send you fifty thousand francs - for instance - as a
matter of urgency, in the week that follows, the chances are that most
of them may not be able to . . .
____________________________________________________
FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY, PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW TO THE
APPROPRIATE PAGE OF MY BLOG. IF THE LINK DOES NOT OPEN, COPY IT AND
PASTE IT IN THE ADDRESS BAR AT THE TOP OF YOUR SCREEN, THEN PRESS
"ENTER".
http://tmazonga.blogspot.com/2014/10/cameroonians-in- diaspora-and-money.html
--
TIKUM MBAH AZONGA
PhD / Doctorat (Communication de Masse), Mastaire ès Lettres
(Journalisme), PG Dip.
(French), Dip.Traducteur-Inteprète, Dip.(Prof Français Langue
Etrangère), Certifcado de Profesor de Español Lengua Extrangera
(DELE), Diplôme Chambre de Commerce de Paris, Cambidge Certificate of
Proficiency in English.
LECTURER OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION
CEO FAMBATA PUBLISHERS
P.O. Box 625 Buea
South West Region
Cameroon
TEL (237) 7322 4352 or (237) 9996 8663
(Please, text me if your calls do not get through)
EMAIL: tmaz...@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.tmazonga.blogspot.com
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