Educated TZ Immigrants in US in tough Situation

[BAK]

Nyumbani ni nyumbani kweli, lakini maisha siyo lazima uishi nyumbani. Dunia ya leo ya utandawazi nyumbani panaweza kuwa kokote pale ambapo maisha yanakuendea vizuri. Tusilemae Watanzania kwamba kwa kuwa sisi ni Watanzania basi ni lazima tuishi Tanzania. Uchumi wetu ni mdogo sana na viongozi ni mafisadi hawafanyi lolote la kuinua uchumi wa Tanzania ili uweze kucreate kazi nyingi. Kama wewe ni msomi na unaweza kupata ajira popote pale duniani inayolipa mshahara hata mara 10 au zaidi ya ule ambao ungepata Tanzania, kwa nini ung'ang;anie kuishi Tanzania? Kwa sababu tu "nyumbani ni nyumbani"?

Kuna Watanzania wengi wanapata mishahara ya $100,000 kwa mwaka au hata zaidi, sasa Watanzania kama hawa tutasema wanasua sua na inabidi warudi nyumbani kwa kuwa 'nyumbani ni nyumbani'? Mwajiri gani Tanzania anaweza kuwapa Watanzania kama hawa mishahara hata nusu ya huo, jibu....HAKUNA. Ndiyo maana nikasema aliwahoji Watanzani wangapi, lini na wapi ili kufikia tamati ya hayo aliyoandika? vinginevyo ni hadithi tu ambayo haina ushahidi wowote wa kusupport kilichoandikwa

Watanzania wengi waliosoma wanafanya vizuri, msikutane na Watanzania wachache ambao elimu yao ni ya kubabatiza na kuwaona wanasuasua mkadhani Watanzania walio wengi wako katika hali kama hiyo kimaisha

 

[Kamundu]

Tatizo la marekani unaweza kuwa na uwezo mkubwa wa kutafuta kazi lakini kuna process ya kuwa legal. Kama huna makaratasi ni vigumu kupata kazi nzuri. Wasiwasi wa makaratasi unarudisha watu nyuma kwani ni vigumu hata kuanzisha familia na kusoma.

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

Tatizo la marekani unaweza kuwa na uwezo mkubwa wa kutafuta kazi lakini kuna process ya kuwa legal. Kama huna makaratasi ni vigumu kupata kazi nzuri. Wasiwasi wa makaratasi unarudisha watu nyuma kwani ni vigumu hata kuanzisha familia na kusoma.

Ukitaka kupata makaratasi kiulaini tafuta kibonge halafu umuoe....lakini kuwa mwangalifu usimtie mimba..

 

[Kithuku]

Some of our educated brothers and sisters are increasingly unhappy and openly frustrated with USA way of life. Highly educated Tanzanians are currently working in embarrassing lower paying jobs like nursing assistants, hard labor and taxi drivers. Most of them who rushed to USA just after their college graduation walk are increasingly find themselves out of touch with reality, most of them are still fantasizing how good their peers are doing back home, most of them are turn their frustration to clubs and prostitution to end pain inside. This forced me to ask myself two questions (1) why (2) what can we do to help them.

(1) Why? USA is very different from TV shows or fanatic lifestyle you all see on TV when you land in USA you are going to find out three important things (a) You must work to survive (b) Education is very expensive (c) You have a big possibility of violating US-Laws and traditional morals on the process of succeeding in U.S.A. You need to know the following in detail first.

Work to survive:

If you work without a permit is illegal, given that fact if you don’t have enough money in your pocket minimum of $1600 a month you must work. To work in USA you need personal identification number called Social Security Number, so that means you need Social Security Card for work identification. The problem you are going to face is most highly paying jobs are increasingly sensitive to illegal Social Security Cards, which are mandatory to any job. The other problem you are going to face is the fact that your USA host friends are not going to let you jobless just because of documents since everybody is doing it why not you? From beginning of your journey you are going to find yourself compromising your traditional morals and dreams you have for USA. After few months without any source of income you are going to find yourself under desperation and pressure to do something quick to make a living possible.

Social Security Number:

To work legally in USA you need Social Security Number, but due to political pressures the process of getting Social Security is more complicated than ever. For International Student to get SSN # you need to be In Status and that means to be a full time student.
.
Education:

For an international student to qualify for any benefit he/she must be in student status, that means you need to maintain 12hrs of college classes per semester and your performance status should be “good academic standings”. Together with education one of advantage of good status includes Social Security Letter, which students used to get Social Security Number. For a regular State college cost of international student for 12 hours semester is ranging from $4000-$8,000 plus or minus, One Year is two semesters. This cost is not only ridiculous but also laughable for a middle class young Tanzania to keep up with. Some Students with higher performance in GMAT or GRE may get a break of paying out of state fees, so the real cost is going to be around $2,000-$5,000. You must also consider the fact that getting scholarship is easy said than done.

What can we do to help them?

There’s no clear answer to this questions everybody think differently, however I am going to give my opinion honestly.

Social Behavior:

In my first paragraph some people may end up with conclusion that I called all Tanzanians graduate frustrated but I am not.

Background:

Young Tanzanians started a massive immigration to USA in 1996, most of them young student who completed their Advance levels. Most of them aged between 20-23 years of age. With older Tanzanians distance themselves with this young Tanzanians they learned fast how to hustle. This young group went through ups and downs just like any other young people but at the end of day they learned how to maneuver complicated life in USA. Those Tanzanians who came here after college find themselves living the past of their fellow high school classmates’ example documents hustles, boyfriends and girlfriends, clubbing. The only problem is the fact that now they have to do this at 25-27 years of age and not early 20’s. This group who went to high school together find themselves share very few things in common socially example. Those Tanzanians graduates came here with the altitude that they are smarter than their fellow high school mates because they did not make to local colleges like UD, Mzumbe or Sokoine, but their fellow mates who immigrate to USA became more matured and street smarter. This situation put many Tanzanians who graduate abroad very uncomfortable, most of them decide early they rather face problems with lack of street awareness rather than shameful asking embarrassing question or help to those who they ones consider looser’. The behavior is still common here in United States.


What is your Take on this? Stay and Hustle or Go home before is too late?

Hii mada imeanzishwa kwa ajili ya nani? Kwa nini imeandikwa kwa kiingereza? Mwandishi hajaitendea haki lugha aliyotumia, na wala hajawatendea haki walengwa!

 

[Kamundu]

(c) You have a big possibility of violating US-Laws and traditional morals on the process of succeeding in U.S.A.

 

[Kamundu]

Kithuku samahani nisingeweza kueleza vizuri kwa kiswahili baada ya miaka kumi na moja na sua sua na misamiati.

 

[Me370]

Haya wale wenye vi degree vyao wanaoota kwenda ulaya mnaona hali halisi?

 

[Kithuku]

Kithuku samahani nisingeweza kueleza vizuri kwa kiswahili baada ya miaka kumi na moja na sua sua na misamiati.

Niwie radhi ndugu, lakini kama baada ya miaka 11 kiingereza ndicho hicho, sijui hali ilikuwaje kabla ya hapo! Na pili, unapoandika mada kama hii kwa kiingereza, unawafaidisha wasiohusika na kuwahatarisha wale unaokusudia kuwasaidia kwa habari hiyo.

 

[Kamundu]

Kama unamawazo yatoe hii mada si kwasababu yangu na watu wanachangia. Kama huipendi hii mada basi nenda kasome mada zingine

 

[Me370]

Niwie radhi ndugu, lakini kama baada ya miaka 11 kiingereza ndicho hicho, sijui hali ilikuwaje kabla ya hapo! Na pili, unapoandika mada kama hii kwa kiingereza, unawafaidisha wasiohusika na kuwahatarisha wale unaokusudia kuwasaidia kwa habari hiyo.

Kwani hii mada inamhusu nani haswa? Kama ni watanzania walioko marekani basi kingereza wanajua. Sioni choice ya lugha ni issue. Ingawa ingependeza kama ingeandikwa kwa kiswahili.

 

[Mtanganyika]

Hii mada ni muhimu sana. Kwanza kabla sijaanza kuchangia nataka nikuulize wewe muandikaji, jee upo US au una ndugu aliyekuwepo US? Mimi nimekaa US almost 10 years, rules and regulations changed every now and then.

Kuja US bila kufahamu hii nchi imejengwa kwa misingi gani is total wrong. Kama unakuja kusoma second degree (graduate school), i advise ufanye GMAT, GRE, MCAT, PCAT nchini kwako. Kama utapata score za maana then unaweza kuja hapa ukapata scholarship and other misaada. Tatizo kubwa tulilonalo watanzania ni kudharau Elimu ya Marekani kwa sababu zetu za kijamaa na kishenzi.

Zamani wakati tunakuja SSN ulikuwa unapewa kwa kutumia DL yako, lakini sababu ya wahamiaji kuabuse system then ndio maana priority ikanyanganywa.

Swala la kurudi Tanzania, mimi binafsi sitaki hata kulisikia, there is more than million reasons that i can defend maamuzi yangu. Nchi inaliwa na watu wachache, uchumi is down into the toilet. Watanzania wengi nilio maliza nao, ambao ni top 10% ya form six 2008 wanakimbilia nchi za EU and North America, reason ni kwamba Tanzania hakuna ngazi ya kwenda juu.

 

[Kamundu]

Mtanganyika mwaga mawazo yako mazuri sana

 

[Masanja]

Kamundu maada uliyoweka imetulia na utaona michango mingi humu yenye mwelekeo tofauti kwa sababu hili swala ni "core" linawagusa wengi walio TZ na nje.

Wanaokubishia na kukwambia sijui ulimhoji nani, ulitoa statistics gani...mi naona ni ma-apologetics wanaokwepa ukweli. Ni dhahiri kabisa kwamba watanzania wengi/waafrica walio USA na Western Europe maisha yamekuwa magumu siku baada ya siku. Competition ya kazi imekuwa kubwa sana.

Kuna anayesema kwamba kuna watanzania wamesoma wanapata 100K, lakini huyo mtanzania muulize anampa uncle Sam kiasi gani na akilipa Bill anabaki na nini-na wako wangapi wa aina hiyo! Na for sure watanzania wa namna hiyo wapo wachache sana. We all know bana, kwamba naishi Msewe I have been there I have seen it and felt it. Hapa ni kupeana mawazo especially kwa wadogo zetu walio hapa bongo ambao wanaona USA na Europe kama Meccah. No way, things are tough than you expect.

Shida nyingine kubwa ni status! makaratasi. ni ukweli kwamba wengi walienda marekani kwa gia ya kusoma! wamefika huko, either shule waliacha (kwa sababu zilizo juu ya uwezo wao -kwa kukosa karo...maana wengi wetu tunadanganya tukienda ubalozini..oohh my uncle will sponsor me, na mambo kibao..kumbe ni HOT AIR TUU..) wanaishia kuingia mtaani na kujilipua kwa bibi/babu wa kizungu wapate status...well hakuna cha ajabu hapa ni katika harakati za kutafuta!

Lakini kikubwa what should we do? hapa swala ni gumu, kwa sababu alternatives ni worse. Nyumbani ni nyumbani lakini ukweli ni kwamba the situation is tough kama hauna shule ya kueleweka na connection za maana (hapa naongelea mtu kupata kazi ya kukuwezesha kuishi maisha decent Tanzania bila MKATO AU RUSHWA..!) Ukitaka uishi maisha clean yasiyo na rushwa hapa bongo kwa kweli you have to think twice-BUT IT IS POSSIBLE! Ni ukweli ingawa unauma.

Bongo things have changed I agree maana Iam here, BUT we still reward incompetence and corruption at the expense of honesty and intergrity. Baado jina la mtu linaply part kubwa ya ajira yako. USA unaweza kubeba box...ukalipa bills zako, maisha yakaenda...kifupi Tanzania hatujafika level ya kuthamini kwamba kila kazi inaheshima.

Kurudi nyumbani ni muhimu: Ila kama ungeniuliza mimi personally nikupe ushauri gani, siwezi kukupa ushauri wa siasa za Karl Max....rather..WORK HARD WHERE YOU ARE, IRRESPECTIVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING, INVEST HOME (BUILD A HOUSE, START SOME PROJECTS ETC..), FUNGUA ACCOUNT UWE UNAWEKA $$ KIDOGO KIDOGO NA JITAHIDI KUPIGA HATA HIZI EVENING CLASSES. MDA UKIFIKA, UTARUDI NA UKIRUDI HUTAENDA KUPANGA UTAFIKIA KWAKO HATA KAMA NI CHUMBA KIMOJA..NA UKIWA NA AKIBA..HEWALA, UTAKUWA NA PA KUANZIA. THIS IS NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL and it is not easy-noty easy at all..maana hata hiyo $$ ya kusave ni ngoma nzito.....ITS A DIVERSE TOPIC WENGI TUNA MAWAZO TOFAUTI...

 

[Kuhani]

Mimi nadhani idadi ya watu ambao hawakusoma Marekani ni kubwa kuliko ya wale ambao wamesoma. Hivyo naomba nichangie kuhusu ambao hawakusoma, japokuwa naona hii mada inahusu zaidi ambao wamesoma, au imewekwa kana kwamba wengi, ama wote, wamesoma.

Mtu ambae hajasoma nadhani ana uwezekano mdogo zaidi wa 'kuitoa' Tanzania kuliko Marekani. Kwa hiyo, nadhani ni bora kuchakalika Marekani uchume ka mtaji ka kuja kuwekeza huku Bongo, ikiwa ni pamoja na vitu kama kujenga nyumba.

Na wale ambao wamepata bahati ya makaratasi lakini hawakupata bahati ya kusoma ni vizuri wakajaribu mambo mengine zaidi ya kazi za watu wengine. Wanaweza wakapata mafanikio katika biashara kama wakiweza kujikokota kuzianzisha.

 

[Ngurudoto]

Hii mada ni nzuri sana, sijakaa Marekani zaidi ya watu wote waliotoa mada ila naweza kusema mategemeo ya watu waliokuwa wamekuja Marekani, wengi wamekumbana na ukweli ambao hawakuambiwa au kuonywa na ndugu zao wakati wanapanga safari yao ya kimaisha...

Kweli wimbi la massive migration ya vijana wa Tanzania limeanza mwaka 1992, na kuchukua kasi sana 1996 mpaka 2000...Tulipata vijana waliokuja hapa kwa njia tofauti, I-20 to F-1 visa za wanafunzi ambao ilikuwa ukiingia shule tu, unaomba Social Security namba, kwa wanaoishi US wanajua ndio kiini cha kupata kazi..

Miaka ya 1997-2001, vijana waliomaliza Form 4, hasa form 6 Tanzania wakaja kama Scout, wengine Summer camp, kutorokea mitaani na kutafuta ndugu jamaa na marafiki..hawa walipata shida kupata social security namba..wengine walitumia namba za marafiki kufanya kazi, shule ilikuwa ngumu labda kwa wachache wenye uwezo waliomba status ibadilishwe INS (wakati huo ilikuwa rahisi)wakafanikiwa..

Baada ya Sept 2001, Migration ya Vijana na ndugu zetu yakawa magumu na sheria hata za kupata social security namba zikawa ngumu sana, sheria nyingi za uhamiaji zilibadilika baada ya ugaidi wa Al-Queda Sept 11...Nakumbuka kuna miaka ilifuata hapo, Watanzania kadhaa waliingia Marekani kupitia mji wa Miami kama wacheza ngoma kikundi cha Ngoma ambacho chote kilitikitia mitaani katika majimbo mbalimbali kuanza maisha yao Marekani..

Kwa Mtazamo wangu, wengi walikimbia Tanzania miaka hiyo kwa sababu ya ugumu wa maisha ya Tanzania..lakini Ugumu wa Marekani unasababishwa na mambo matatu makuu, na moja dogo la niongeza

1.Elimu--Elimu ya Marekani, tofauti na watu wakitoka Tanzania, hufikiri ni rahisi, lakini inakuwa na Homework za kila siku, kwa hiyo discipline ya Kusoma na kujituma ni kubwa tofauti na kusomea mithihani nyumbani..Elimu ni Ghali na scholarship sio rahisi.Wengi huingia na kuacha, na hakuna atakayekukumbusha kurudi shule kama huna discpline

2.Upotevu wa Status: hili hutokea miaka au mwaka wa kwanza wa vijana wengi kuja Marekani..Baada ya kuacha shule au kutoroka hizo Summer camp, kwa ufupi, umeingia katika hili, hapo hauna Status na Mkataba uliopewa umevunjika, bila kupewa ukazi wa kudumu, inabidi urudi Tanzania kuomba visa upya na linanlotisha ni kujibu kwanini upewe wakati umekiuka mkataba wa kwanza..sasa utatuzi wa hili ni kitendawili ambacho kinawasumbua ndugu na wadogo zetu kwa muda mrefu, wengine hata miaka kumi bila ufumbuzi..hapa hulazimika aidha kuoa au kupata mdhamini wa kazi..Tatizo hapa ni information ambazo si sahihi, muda mwingine hupeleka watanzania kwenye Matatizo makubwa, hata kurudishwa nyumbani bila dhamira yao..Ndoa na Mmarekani inaweza kumpa mtu Green Card, lakini ndoa hizi zimepeleka watu kwenye kuanzisha familia bila matarajio, au matatizo mengine na waume na wake zao, au upotevu mkubwa wa pesa.

3. Credit--hili, labda sababu watanzania wengi hatupati,au hupata elimu ya utunzaji wa pesa wakiwa watu wazima..Hili somo ni muhimu kwa maisha ya Marekani..Ukishapata kazi au ukiwa tu na miaka 18, Mashirika ya Fedha na Mabenki yatajituma kukupa mkopo kwa chochote..Hapa wengine huishi maisha kimakosa au kimatumizi bila ufahamu wa matatizo ambayo hela za mikopo huweza kukufikisha na kujikuta na madeni mengi kuliko malipo ya kazi..Ukiweza kutunza huu uwezo wa udhamini (credit), maisha ya Marekani yatakuwa ni Mazuri.

4.Sherehe, Tafrija, Starehe na Party-- Utamaduni ambao umepungua nguvu miaka ya hivi karibuni wa Party za Mwezi tano jimbo la Ohio na Mwezi wa Tisa mji mkuu Washington, Dc, hivi sasa ziko Atlanta, New York, na Dallas wakati wa Sikukuu mbalimbali zilikuwa njia nzuri watanzania kukutana lakini nayo ilichangia vijana wengi ambao waliona ndio nafasi yao kujitutumua na kujikweza kuwa hali yao kiuchumi ni nzuri..ni sherehe ya siku tatu, kwa hiyo vijana wenye matatizo mbalimbali hukutana, sio wote, ila hukutana kutoka majimbo mbalimbali..Dhumuni ilikuwa ni ndugu jamaa na marafiki kukutana, lakini wengine waliamua kutumia hizi tafrija kujigamba, wengine mpaka ugomvi wa wanawake waliokuwa nao wakiwa Tanzania, hata miaka 5-7 iliyopita..zilipungua umaarufu sababu ya matukio kama hayo..Marekani ni kama Bara, hizi shughuli zilikuwa zinasaidia kukutanisha watu wanaoishi mbali kukutana kituo kimoja, kupunguza gharama.

In conclusion, Marekani bado ni Taifa lenye nguvu, na kuna watu, Watanzania wengi wamesoma na wanaishi vizuri, hawana matatizo niliyotaja juu ila hawapendi kujishirikisha na Watanzania sababu kama mambo ya ufisadi kila siku magazeti ya nyumbani, watanzania wa ughaibuni wana maneno, majungu hukatisha tamaa kaka zao kupewa ushauri..Mafunzo ya huku yanasaidia ila Nyumbani napo pameendelea..ushauri ni kujitahidi kupata angalau Elimu, Watanzania wa US huzidi wa Nyumbani kwa Lugha ya Kiingereza na hand-on experience, ambacho ni zawadi nzuri kwa mtu anayerudi ingawa wengi ni waoga sana kufanya uamuzi huo..Ila ushauri watanzania wakirudi wasishangae wenzao waliobaki Tanzania wakikuta wanamaendeleo zaidi yao baada ya kuachana miaka mingi toka kumaliza shule..sababu uamuzi wa kurudi nyumbani huwa ni jambo linatokea baadae sana kwa walioishi US..Ushauri wa Bure kwa ndugu zangu,Wasiliana na Nyumbani, soma magazeti mjue nyumbani kukoje na endeleza kwenu--Kijiji chako ni jukumu lako, sio la Serikali..Tunasema : Nyumbani Nyumbani..

 

[Mzee Mwanakijiji]

Excuse me sire.. hivi Wamarekani wenyewe wanaishi kwa raha kiasi gani?

 

[Allah's Slave]

Mbongo halisi nimeingia. Wazee wahuko natafuta Trucks (International), niambieni waheshmiwa bei ya gari ya 2000-2004. 6X2 semi trailer.
Nipeni site basi au info.
Alafu msirudi Bongo huku choka mbaya. Mhasibu wa kampuni yangu ana degree na mimi boss wake nimechoka. Sasa fikiria hali yake kimaisha ikoje.

 

[Masanja]

Excuse me sire.. hivi Wamarekani wenyewe wanaishi kwa raha kiasi gani?

Mkuu,

How Americans live is non of our business. Sisi hapa tunaongelea immigrants ambao ni ndugu zetu, ni vipi wanaweza kuchuma na kukumbuka tulikotoka. Labda wewe sijui..lakini wengi wetu unakuta ukoo mzima umesoma wewe..sasa ukienda ukapotelea huko ughaibuni, ni kwamba wewe ni msaliti!

Ni hayo tuu.

 

[Mutu]

You talk about how Educated TZ Immigrants struggle in USA!and you use the words"Educated TZ Immigrants in US in tough Situation" This is my advice on this matter;

For those who you call them educated they should go and do accridetation for their cerfificates so as to be recognized in USA ,then they can be employed at that level of their education if and if only they're competent enough and show that through resume format cause is first thing to meet employer before you do!and perfomance in interview.
To be in safe side it is better if your undergraduate to do graduate studies in USA ,although you should be courage enough to do this cause you need to work and go to school.
But no pain no gain and there is no short-cut on this as most people,who do not used to work and manage their time well could find this as hard .But look here ordinary American kids they go to work (part time job) after school ,these kids I'm talking about are those from junior ,high school and colleges.So this is how life goes on down in America.
No experience less chance to get job no matter your american or immigrant that happen also here in USA although in Bongo we used to complain about this but that's what up!.So how to survive before getting job of your profesional?the answers is to never choose what kind of job first because no body will give you single dollar huku kwenye ubepari uliokomaa and no uncle no whatever all you have to do is work work(otherwise people they gona make you their sex-girl freind duh).At the same time be willing to work as volunteer(they will give something) for kind of job in your field of study for a while so that can help you to get real job of your profesional since you have experience.
And for all this to happen you must be legal immigrant otherwise it will be a lot of mess on you.
About going to club,sexing hookers and stuff like that I dont see point if that is because toughness of life they facing or frustration.Because you need money to do all of this,it is just kind of life individual choose to live or may be because their so free and far from family.
What I can say is that if you were not hard worker from back home "bongo" also you will find USA tough and this is what happening to most of people who claim they come to study in USA but not hard workers, can't save money ending up loosing school cause they can't afford Tution fees Otherwise your from fisadi family hahaaaa I'm kidding not those with money all fisadi but most of them are.
I think you didn't talk about those who never been to school,right? cause if they're carrying boxes in USA they could do the same back home so for them same thing is just hallo!.
But are gotta question for you brother,do they (those in USA) in kind of tough sitiation more than back home,if that is the case what do you think are they waiting to go back home.
My advice don't live illegal go back home there nothing special telling people your in USA while you suffer or you could save more money in Bongo than here.
So its all on you,its up to individul see what is best for him/her

 

[DMussa]

Duh...
Siwezi changia much as i know nothing about American life!!