The thought of leaving Cameroon is an idea that has ran across the minds of countless individuals who are in search for a better if not a different life. I say this because my parents came to America from Cameroon about thirty years ago in search for a better life. Although, Cameroon will always be our homeland it is in a state where one cannot prosper economically like one can in America. The reality of the situation is that I believe Cameroonian individuals who have a strong mindset towards achieving their goals and dreams in life you can do so by coming to America.
Although, America is seen as a promise land in the past currently there is no place for Cameroonians to prosper economically in America. In recent years America’s economy has been unstable as it is barely recovering from a recession as we speak. America has had countless reports of inequalities issues due to racism, which currently cause economic obstacles for African Americans trying to get a job. So the position a Cameroonian immigrants would be in would be outright horrible.
The reality of the situation is that Cameroonians do not need face such a dilemma they need to remain in Cameroon. The Cameroonian people do not have the time to be racially profiled and impoverished, when there efforts can be set forth into reforming Cameroon. Kristen McCabe stated, “African immigrants were also more likely to be recent arrivals to the United States and to live in households with an annual income below the poverty line” (p. 1). This makes it evident that there is no need for Cameroons to migrate to America because one would be playing against the odds.
Instead Cameroonians can take the time and fix Cameroon to make it a country everyone is proud of and is blessed to live in. However, I believe Cameroonians can come to America, get a good education, and follow through with achieving their dreams. According to Gordon, “Despite the economic plights many are faced with when coming to America, the Census Bureau found that a significant amount of the foreign-born population from Africa have a higher level of education than most immigrants from other countries”(p. 1).
I also state this because my father a native Cameroonian came to America achieved an education from UCLA and achieved his dream of becoming a teacher (George Usongo). My father let alone and various other Africans across Africa have shown the prosperous outcome of leaving Africa and coming to America. My fellow Cameroonians need not waste time and come to America to live a more promising life. I have had various relatives from Cameroon tell me vivid struggling stories of growing up in Cameroon, working on farms in immense heat, along with carrying water from streams miles away.
Also roughly 70% of Cameroon’s work force works in agriculture (McCabe 8). The common thing they all told me was that they wanted a different life a better life and it all started with leaving Africa and coming to America. As my Uncle Richard told me himself by coming to America he was able to ensure that his children grew up living a better life than he did in Cameroon. My father and uncle also stated that individuals in Cameroon who do not make it big usually become servants due to the lack of a promising middle class.
By coming to America Cameroonians can escape the possibility of their harsh reality. Cameroonian and other Africans who decide to logically migrate to America can prosper economically because there are a larger variety of jobs in the work field. This can be seen as evident because America has more colleges than Cameroon does and our job field is broader (George Usongo). So individuals are not as influenced in having a promising career due to the workforce environment around them.
As Gordon stated, “African-born adults were more likely than the native born to have bachelor’s degree or higher level of education”(p. 8). Thus concurring that if my Cameroonian counterparts come to America they are promising their family a better life a more educated life. Most people who do not make it big in life in Cameroon usually end up being a type of servant or they have a really poor paying job (Richard Usongo). While in America my fellow Cameroonians also have a greater possibility of living middle class seen how most Americans are in it.
This is a path can lead to endless benefits and it is a path many more Cameroonians need to follow. To my fellow Cameroonians if you have dreams that you feel cannot be attained by remaining in Cameroon it is time that you travel to America. Your future will be more promising and prosperous if one is truly determined. Coming to America is the right decision let alone the best decision that I can promise my fellow Cameroonians,