According to the United Nations there has been an estimated 200 million international migrants in 2005. To put it another way, one in every 35 people in the world today is an international migrant. This is three percent of the whole world’s population. This large number making up the size of a country like Brazil has surprised me. I was never aware of the vast amounts of people fleeing from their countries. I mean the number of people leaving has doubled in just 25 years. So why are these people leaving? What is making them want to stay outside of their normal country of residence? Is there a vision of a better life or are people being forced out?
I feel opportunity is a big reason for people fleeing. There could be opportunity for jobs, money, and therefore living decently. There could be opportunity for education (a privilege they may have not had in their home countries). The opportunity of being with family and reunion also comes to mind. A somewhat sad yet helpful example are women coming to Canada working as nannies. They can be sponsored and bring in an income for themselves so that one day can bring their own family to such a developed country. This dedication to leave for a few years not seeing your family is unfortunate but true, and if it means a better life for the future then so be it. Sometimes you do what you need to do. People may also leave because they are forced (i.e. sex trade) or because of an outbreak of war. They may leave for safety and security or simply because of the occurrence of a natural disaster (i.e. tsunami).
So what are the challenges to leaving? There can be much psychological, sociological, and emotional shifts. Trying to live in a new place can pose much fear and loneliness. It sometimes creates a great language barrier where there’s confusion and feelings of not belonging. Adhering to new laws and policies may be a challenge. Not being able to vote is an example. It takes time to gain citizenship and in some countries you may feel nothing without it. Migration and security has been a big issue especially after 9/11. The effects have left people living in fear, with security skyrocketing soon after. It has created hard times for people like innocent families in terms of being able to cross borders. Besides such challenges international migration has created good things as well. There are social programs because of migrants. There is a unity of language and culture where people are able to learn new things and celebrate. There have been some intelligent faces who have created economic growth: Andrew Carnegie (steel), Adolphus Busch (beer), Samuel Goldwyn (movies), and so on. These people were all migrants. It’s important to recognize the positives and negatives. Although there are many challenges with leaving, we need to recognize the good that comes with it too.
