Why Immigrants Return Home
Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open tennis champ who beat Serena Williams, was born in Mississauga, Ontario. Her parents came to Canada from Romania in 1994 but returned to their birth country with their young daughter, where Bianca first played tennis.
They didn’t stay that long in Romania and came back to Canada, where Bianca has been playing tennis ever since. Why do immigrants go to Canada, Europe, the U.S. or any other country, stay for a while and decide to go back to the country of origin?
Bianca’s parents are just one example. It is all personal and is a tapestry of reasons: political, social, financial or loneliness, a longing for the old country they never thought possible.
Immigrants who left because of political upheaval go back when the country stabilizes. Others even try to run for office in the new government, only to be killed or imprisoned.
Immigrants who left for a better life, might find it in Canada, but feel very lonely because they are not important, nobody knows their name or previous social class. They find themselves in underground trains with people who used to shine their shoes.
They must stand in line at the bus stop, supermarket or drugstore. Nobody cares that they used to be army generals, mayors, professors, village heads or ministers in the old country.
Some immigrants long for that recognition, even after getting Canadian citizenship. Those that decide to go back to their roots might be disappointed because what they think they miss, is no longer there.
For example, that old stone cafe at the village square is now a McDonald’s and there are NO SMOKING signs everywhere, just like Canada.
By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.
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