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Lonely Place to Be
The Tale of a Migrant
Setting and Background
The novel is set in contemporary Europe. It brings to focus the often complex and turbulent experience of people who leave home for other parts unfamiliar to them. A young Modern Languages graduate of his country's University, left the true, steadfast and reassuring love of his dedicated family in the West Coast of Africa for faraway Europe. He left home in pursuit of the much-spoken-about good life in the West of Europe. It in simple terms means; assured prosperity or freedom from poverty. This fantasy was rife and sustained in his community and other parts of the developing world, namely: most of the continent of Africa, Asia, and some parts of the Middle East. These are ravaged by acts of wars and mismanagement by those in position of power and authority.
The Migration Journey and Initial Challenges
His migration journey was relatively uneventful, but he heard true account of sordid stories of hardship, exploitation, abuse, and widespread loss of lives on the wide open seas en-route to migration. Reality dawned on him, when he was greeted with instant dislike and rejection from his so-called hosts. He was alone and unwanted whatever he did. Shortly, he met some acquaintances who felt the same like him. Then he was sure he was not over-sensitive or overreacting to his new environment. He discovered that the much-sought-after prosperity would elude him no matter how much he persevered, his high level of education failed to afford him a meaningful job. For the largest number of the ethnic population, he was Persona non grata: (an unwelcome or unwanted person). It was apparent that in England and the wider Europe, there was no mythical dream like in the so-called beloved New World.
Discrimination and Social Rejection
Sometimes the hatred of the migrants as they are pejoratively renamed, escalates to death or near death proportion precipitating a migrant hunt in immigration vans. Sadly, almost everyone is in it (in varying degrees). Fellow workers at the menial job he did (the infamous 3D jobs) for lack of anything better, do not hide their disaffection and rejection. His neighbour appeared not to stand the sight of him. Many in the neighbourhood are compulsively resistant to anyone from a non-identical race or background. Fellow migrants avoid each other for self-preservation. Many laboured to ingratiate themselves with the hosts at the expense of other migrants. It was an open secret that the so-called migrants are part of the political football, and the law-makers do not hesitate to focus on the dislike of the migrant to impress the voters. The migrant hunt was ongoing in the white vans: (obviously threatening to catch and deport them). He felt trapped. Indeed, it was hard to choose to leave or stay.
Advice and Reflection
He spared a short time to offer a simplistic advice to the youths at his home, and any would-be migrant: Please do not leave home at all costs (in spite of everything he stressed), Europe may not be worth it after all, he concluded.
