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Why did you leave your motherland?
In 1998, my husband and I struggled to buy a home for our family in Zimbabwe. We were young and ambitious and we were looking for a way to live the life of our dreams.
Having grown up in the colonial era and also being exposed to so much western television programs, which glamourized the life that Caucasian people led in the west, we assumed that our dream life would be attainable by leaving our country and settling overseas. At that point the Zimbabwean economy was in freefall and our prospects of purchasing a home were next to none.
So we made a plan and started scouting foreign embassies of countries where English was the first language. The list included South Africa, USA, Australia and England. America and Australia needed one to have money in the bank before you could even attempt the visa application. We assumed that South Africa\’s currency exchange rate would not allow us to get rich quick . So the only country we aimed for was England as at the time Zimbabwe was in the Commonwealth and it was relatively easier to visit to scout for opportunities.
Our plan was a success and within a year, all four of us were settled in the land of the Queen. However, now looking back I feel that we could have planned our lives better as we sooner realised that money was not as easy to save in England as some people who had emigrated before us made it seem.
The childcare was not cheap and the wages were so low compared to the wages back home. The only way to sustain childcare at some point was for my husband to work night shifts so that he was available to drop off and pick up the children from school. The money left over from our wages was not enough to save for a deposit to purchase a house.
Life experiences and tips
Research the immigration laws of the land
One thing I have since learned is that some people always seem to have answers for all immigration questions. Take into account that every case is unique and you do not always have to pay solicitors. Learn to research from the official Government immigration websites, before consulting \’street\’ immigration advisors. Read books that can enlighten you on the various aspects of immigration. For instance, when applying to be naturalised in the UK there is a requirement to sit the Life in the UK test. Also ensure that the information that you acquire is the most current as some countries tend to change their laws often.
Research on Job or Business Prospects.
One thing that shocked me on arrival in the UK was that Not all professional jobs pay well. Having been misled into thinking that UK salaries were good, it turned out that the British pound seemed to be more valuable to the Zimbabwe dollar upon conversion. Always calculate the cost of living and include all investments that you intend to fund in your home country or any projects that you are sponsoring in your home land. Even though the money seems more, the cost of leaving can be higher and all the money that you earn may not even be enough to cover your day to day expenses.
Always find out the job or Business prospects in the country that you intend to settle in. If possible, educate yourself on the right jobs that will give you the lifestyle that you wish to enjoy. I found that most people who settled in the UK gravitated towards studying health care courses as these increased job prospects. Some of these people later on changed their professions after being able to settle.
I also admired those people who managed to take advantage of immigrants craving for foods from back home and went on to set up businesses that sell foods from Zimbabwe. Some opened butchers to sell meat that is processed the way Zimbabwe butchers process meat e.g. meat on the bone, tripe, offals etc.
Make a plan FOR the life you want to lead in the country you emigrate to.
Have the discipline to say no to impromptu financial requests as this can be another reason that you can find yourself living above your means. Leading you to end up working too many hours and neglecting your children and also your health. There are some people who work all shifts under the sun but have nothing to show for it because all the money they make is funding other projects that are not even making their lives any better. Know your priorities and if you want give to charity, make sure you are also taking care of your immediate loved ones.
If your plan is to retire in your home country, make a plan from day one.
Be comfortable in the country that you emigrate to unless you have a set plan to be there for a limited period of time, then returning home to enjoy the fruits of your labour. I have known people who live in squalor in the UK, and they have built mansions back home that they visit once a year. They end up not even returning to their homeland in retirement because they have not invested in the resources to ensure they can afford to retire in their country of origin. Furthermore they are not in good enough health to be able to move to a country without a good health care system.
Always find other ways to make money
As immigrants, we tend to have the \’employee mentality\’ and at times do not consider that we could try running a business as a side hustle. Now that my husband and I are considering early retirement, we have just realised that we could have found other ways of making money earlier, and the opportunities were there.
Research on other ways to make money besides paid employment as this can empower you in making certain decisions on the type of employment that you choose to take up. Giving you more flexibility to pursue other avenues of improving your life, without the pressure of employment.
Be prepared to learn other dialects and accents of the region you settle in.
Coming from a former British colony, we all assumed that everyone spoke English with the same accent as the Queen. When I arrived in England, I first settled in Yorkshire for the first few months. I found it difficult to understand conversation due to the Yorkshire accent.
Upon moving to Birmingham, I realised that there was a different dialect of English there and that I would have to learn the different dialect. What you find is that your children will also start speaking the dialect, so it makes sense for you to also understand the dialect.
Find other families who speak your language if possible or families of with a similar background.
During our stint of self isolation, one day my little one told me that she wanted us to be normal. I asked her what she meant and she said she wanted us to only speak English within the home and not speak Shona or Ndebele. She said that there are other brown families who only speak English and that is what normal is for her. On reflection, we are probably the only parents who speak to our children in our native language. If your culture is important for you, it would be a good idea to network with other families that speak your language. We are blessed because we have extended family around us. This can also help your children to be able to learn from other children who can relate to them.
Other families can also help with settling and sharing experiences and also simple things as finding where African foods can be sourced from locally. At times it can be as simple as getting playdates with people who share your values or finding out where the hairdressers and Barbour who can tend to your hair type.
The population demographic in the area you settle in is important, so that your child does not feel too different. I have had to be firm when my little one says that she wants her hair to be blond and wants to be white. Tell your children that they are beautiful and that they do not have to change to be beautiful. Instil a strong sense of identity as this will go a long way when they mingle with children of other races who may be the majority.
Integrate but do not lose your values
The bible says \’ When you come into the land which God has given you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations\'(Deuteronomy 18v9) This verse made me realise that at times we watch TV, and our children see the children on the TV slamming doors and talking back to their parents. This made me realise that even as we integrate, we should should still maintain good manners and instil these in our children. We can take on good tendencies like saying \’please and thank you\’ etc.
Not all schools are are good
With school, as someone who grew up partly in colonial Rhodesia then in Zimbabwe post-independence, the assumption was that all schools in the UK were good and produced high-achieving pupils given that schools run by Caucasians in Zimbabwe were deemed to be the best.
Looking back now, it may have been because the \’colonial masters\’ had built better facilities compared to schools for their off-spring. So, upon arrival in the UK, I was fortunate enough to have friends who were aware of the how to identify the best schools and how to enrol children in the best schools.
So when you intend to emigrate, always research on the education system of your destination and do not assume that all schools are good. Therefore ensure that the school that you enrol your children in will bring out the best in them. Read books that will enlighten you on other ways to prepare your children for school.