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Morocco World News
Chicago, January 6, 2012
Nowadays, it has become common for a lot of young people in Morocco to try their chance with the annual American lottery for a green card. Even those who are already engaged in their jobs do so.
Far is the difference between reality and appearance. There is no harm to get and live a new experience for a while far from the mother country. However, what I want to shed light on is that a lot of young people are just victims of being misguided. A huge percentage of these youth hold bachelor degrees, so the question is what can they do in the United States with such a certificate upon winning a green card in the US lottery?
We have to think twice that heading to another country should be accompanied with pride and dignity, and not ignorance and inferiority. What I mean is that I have met both in the US and in Canada a lot of Moroccans, who I am proud of. They first left their country and they were already well-educated or holding good positions in their homeland. They are here to develop their skills by gaining and sharing knowledge and culture. It’s true they are settling in a different environment, but they annually go back to Morocco to invest what they have acquired. They sacrifice themselves for our sake, for the sake of adding something new and of course beneficial to what we have already had.
I’ve been living in the US for a period of time and I have moved through different states and now in Canada. I have arrived to the conclusion that the Moroccan people who immigrate possessing only a low level of education always face problems and they struggle to make ends meet. However, those with higher degrees, know beforehand the answers to the questions of what to do, how to react, and where to stay. Moreover, they get much respect from the local population since the objective is not to earn money, but to gain knowledge. I pity many images I have seen in the streets. The month of celebrations, lights, greetings, and wishes for a lot of people who arrived to the US with high degrees, is at the same time a month of a very cold weather, seeking out food from the trash, and looking at the passers-by with eyes of regret for those who arrived to realize a goal that is far or never-reached.
I can say that the backbone of our Moroccan society is haunted by the American style of living, and realities in the countries are thoroughly different. I am here trying my best to represent every single aspect of Morocco. Meanwhile I suffer from junk food, cold communication, and bitter religious celebrations.
According to a website created by ‘Rapid Intelligence,’ a web technology company based in Sydney, Australia, in the recent past there have been 5,069 US visa lottery winners from Morocco. One-hundred; Let’s consider that number every year totals how many of the immigrants that have adjusted to American society, have succeeded in getting a job, especially during this period of economic crisis, and are sheltered in boxes that exceed $700 a month
In the US, life is based either on having a very good job or obtaining a higher degree for many reasons: financially, in order to afford the necessities and requirements and; socially, to gain respect and have good friends that can assist one another either in times of need and stress.
I quote and end with Khalid Chablaoui, who currently lives in the US, when he spoke to “A Moroccan Voice” and said: “Think a lot before deciding to immigrate to the USA, either by the Lottery or other means. This is my piece of advice for the Arab people who managed to get jobs in their homelands that can provide them with basic necessities in life.”
Edited by Benjamin Villanti
Jaouad Naji is a Moroccan citizen from Fez. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from The Faculty of Letters in Fez, Morocco. He graduated from the Regional pedagogical Center in Fez. He worked as high school teacher of English for 7 years and was elected as vice president of MATE, stream Fez in 2006. He is currently a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, USA teaching Arabic Language, and culture.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy
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