Should we stay for the revolution? If it’s even possible?
I’ve seen some on the internet (mainly TikTok and twitter, sue me) say that moving to another country to escape your problems (this is mostly directed to those in the US and Canada) is a form of colonialism and you would contribute to gentrifying the country you leave to. Do you agree?
I’ve mentioned on here a few times my disdain for living in Canada and how I am happy to leave when I am able, I’ve even had some comrades encourage me to do so if I can, so for a time I was sure that moving was an okay thing to do but now I don’t know. I don’t want to gentrify another nation and I don’t want to abandon people here who aren’t afforded the same privileges as me. I figured maybe I could help from a distance, or at the very least “visiting”to help but not living here, does that make sense?
Anyway, I really wanted to move away but now I’m not so sure and I may be causing more damage by leaving. I don’t want to colonize another place, I’m already a settler in Canada and I wasn’t planning on moving to Portugal either (locals can barely afford to live there themselves). I know I shouldn’t be taking statements made on social media so seriously but I can’t help but take these criticisms into consideration.
I’ve been an immigrant all my life. Even now I don’t live in the country where I was born. My advice is: don’t leave. I left with my family when I was too young to make a choice, the choice was made for me. Most people are racist. Not racist in the “arrgg I’ll kill you if you look different” but more in the they’ll never include outsiders into their inner group. This happens regardless if you can speak the same language, if you look similar (even though you’ll always look different than the “natives” and stand out), or attempt to integrate.
You’ll live fine in the country though, you’ll get a job, friends (some or most could even be locals), you’ll socialise and enjoy the country to the full extent of the law. But that’s as far as you’ll go. First generation immigrants are almost never accepted in the country where they move to. You can surround yourself with the libbiest liberals in any country and you might find a bubble where you don’t feel like an outsider, but as soon as you step out of that tiny bubble, you will feel like a foreigner again.
I am making plans to return to my home country in the next few years, it’s just money is tight and there’s like no opportunities there. But I decided that I’d rather be poor and be among people who won’t treat me like an alien, than better off but feel like I don’t belong.