What sort of people are we?

verbalresistance:

The American dream is not all it is cut out to be and some Africans are turning their backs on life in the US.

Sammy Maina says the ten years he spent in the US would have been more profitable at home in Africa.

Frustrated by tough economic times in the United States, Sammy Maina is packed, ready and waiting to return to Kenya.

“I’m fed up and finished with the US,” declares Mr Maina, 33, owner of a prepaid calling card firm, Myaatel, and a money transfer company, Doubles Xpress, that caters for African immigrants.

But with money scarce because of the recession, fewer and fewer immigrants can afford to purchase his international phone cards or pay to use his money transfer services.

“People here don’t have money any more,” complains Mr Maina, who says the “American Dream” of a big house, flashy car and piles of money was unrealistic.

Instead he found long hours, little pay and limited joy.

Life in America is so demanding, says Mr Maina, that it has cost several of his African friends their marriages and even led some to commit suicide.

“It is very difficult right now and so many people are packing and going back to Kenya in big, big numbers.”

‘Little Senegal’

There are an estimated one million Africans in the US.

According to the homeland security department, 130,000 Africans migrate legally to the US each year.

It is impossible to say how many returnees there are, as the evidence is anecdotal but representatives of African community associations in New York, Atlanta and Boston all say they know of large numbers of expatriates making plans to leave the US.

The reason: they cannot find jobs and have become desperate about their future here.

New York’s Association of Senegalese in America has been inundated with requests from expatriates who have lost their jobs, are facing homelessness, and who want financial help to return home.

Dame Sy, a volunteer with the association, says members donate money to buy aeroplane tickets to send home Senegalese who are down on their luck in New York…

Read More: BBC News