Many people have too many beautiful fantasies about the United States; When I came to the United States, I found that this is also the dust of life. Immigration is surging and jobs are scarce; Work hard to make money, competition is everywhere......
In just a few sentences, it summarizes the plight faced by Chinese immigrants who are working hard in the United States today. As a country of immigrants, the United States is undoubtedly a fertile ground for outsiders. But its immigration policy has also put countless dreamers in a dilemma. Today, let's follow an ordinary Chinese immigrant and get a glimpse of their survival portrayal in this dream land.
The tortuous road of a wage earner chasing his dreams
Xiaoma is a post-90s migrant worker who used to be from Shanghai. A few years ago, he came to the United States with the help of family and friends, hoping to earn a lot of money by working part-time and realize his dream of immigration as soon as possible.
"At that time, I heard that as long as I ate and lived in a Chinese restaurant, I could easily earn 4,000 US dollars a month. Pony said that that number really made him fascinated, because it is difficult to earn even this number in China.
However, when he actually started working in the United States, the harsh reality completely distorted his initial dream. He found that whether he was working in a restaurant or a general worker in a factory, his income was far lower than he had previously hoped.
"Now, restaurateurs don't give that much money. Pony said helplessly, "Because there is no shortage of people here, everyone is rushing to do these jobs." "
This is a typical "involution" situation. The influx of excess labor has led to frenzied internal competition for limited jobs. In the end, it is the ordinary employees who lose the pricing power.
Pony has found that the current situation is that unless there is a skilled player, the average monthly salary is between $2,000 and $3,000. And in big cities, this figure is almost equal to food and clothing.
"Anyway, it doesn't make much sense to make more money now, because inflation is so bad. Pony lamented that the most painful thing is the decline in real living standards caused by soaring prices.
The dilemma of language and cultural barriers
The pony's experience is not unique. Over the years, in pursuit of the "American dream", countless Chinese have flocked to the city in hopes of a piece of the pie. But the reality is not optimistic, the reason is not only the employment problem, but also the language and cultural barrier.
"In fact, the people we usually come into contact with the most are Chinese. Pony says that unless you speak very good English, it's hard to really fit in. Even ordinary police and medical treatment have to rely on the help of English-speaking friends.
Pony admits that due to differences in language and living habits, it is basically difficult for them to enter the social circle of Americans. This is also an important reason why various Chinatowns are formed.
"Our habits are completely different. Pony said helplessly, "In addition to making money, most Chinese people don't care much about traditional Chinese festivals, not even the Spring Festival." "
Once upon a time, the most proud and proud thing for Chinese immigrants was that they could continue to improve themselves and maintain oriental cultural customs in a foreign land. Now, however, it is gradually carried away by assimilation and dollar culture.
From the experience of the pony, it can be seen that the language and cultural barriers not only affect their integration with the mainstream society, but also hinder them from gaining more opportunities for survival and development to a certain extent.
Think about the gains and losses of immigration policy
Although what happened to Xiaoma is only a microcosm of the immigrant community, it reflects a deeper social problem - what are the gains and losses of immigration policy?
Today, the United States has publicly stated that it will continue to "turn a blind eye" to illegal immigration. It is also intended to alleviate the current labor crisis in the United States.
Perhaps from the perspective of economic growth, this policy will have the effect of temporary relief. However, in the long run, if left unchecked, excessive immigration will only exacerbate distortions such as social class differentiation and employment involution.
The statistics of more than 8 million illegal immigrants have already caused considerable controversy. For people like Pony who lack legal status, this undoubtedly exacerbates the pressure on employment and survival.
So what is the right way out for immigration policy? Is it relaxation or control? Perhaps we should think about it the other way around, if there are no dreamers who support the bottom service industry of the whole society, where will the United States go today?
The adjustment of immigration policy needs to be carefully balanced, and it should not go to any extreme. While migration flows can breathe new life into society, they can also be catastrophic if left unchecked.
Cherish dreams and pursue rationally
Whether at home or abroad, every ordinary person has had a vision for a better life and has made efforts to realize their dreams.
Ponies are one of them. Years of hard work have made him experience the hardships of a foreign country, and also made him realize that dreams are not as simple as he imagined.
Every era has its own development model, and every dream should be based on rational judgment. The pony's helplessness and experience also show that we should no longer over-glorify and be obsessed with the so-called "American dream". Instead, there is a sober understanding of the real state of existence, and a wise plan for the future path of life.
Perhaps, as Pony advised, unless you have skills and identity, you should not go abroad to work hard for the time being. For most people, the pursuit of a better life based on the country may be more pragmatic and controllable.
People are destined to have unsatisfactory things in this life, but only by bravely facing the reality and the future can we truly realize the fullness and happiness of life. The story of the pony teaches us a lot, and may all dreamers be able to see the pearls with their eyes, keep their heads clear in the midst of chaos, and finally live their best life.