The UK is teeming with first generation migrants, and each migrant has a story as precious as mine. Being a migrant myself, I always love to hear their tales, however different it may be, the rigours they faced settling in, their tentative first steps into the unknown, what made them drift away from their cocooned existence. On my way to Heathrow last Friday, my Pakistani driver and I swap stories about our migration. He drives me in a Mercedes, his suit grey like the sky above, and when he speaks it as if English doesn’t roll from his tongue easily. So we switch to Hindi. In 12 years he had moved not one but two countries. We lived in Italy for almost ten years, a village near Milan. I am flabbergasted why would anyone move from Milan to England, no offence England is a lovely country, but the weather takes a severe wallop, I imagine the warm weather in Italy, the food, the blue beaches, the scenic beauty and I think it took a forceful drive to take the decision. My wife left Italy with swollen and blood red eyes, she didn’t want to leave Italy. We loved it there, I used to work in a construction company, the cost of living was low, and the weather was an added bonus. I can’t hold myself back, I need to know the impetus which forced him leave Italy. It is only because they were not learning any English, there was only two hr class of English spread out over a week, and that was not enough. I wanted them to have their education in English, I am not very educated myself but I want the best education for my children. And I want their options open, if they are educated in English, they can find work anywhere in the world. I wanted to say, many migrants from other countries come to England and find work even though English is not there first language but I hesitate, he is their father and he would definitely do what is best for them. He lived with his brother for a few days before getting his own house and started delivering pizza for dominos. Cost of living here is so high, I hardly save any money. But then my children have settled well and their teachers say they are doing well. I say, you have an European passport, do you get anxious thinking what will happen when Brexit is fully executed, do you fear that you will not be allowed to work here anymore? Beaming with positivity which is hard to miss
, he says, no, I don’t think so. Those who are already working will not have a problem. Migrating in future will be difficult, but for the existing ones like us I am pretty sure everything will be fine.
As I reach my destination, I feel so many people embrace risks and dive headlong into the unknown, only for a better life. It is not easy, these making foray into unknown territories and then digging their roots, yet migration will never cease as man’s quest for the better will never die.
Daily Dose of Shilpi 