Temas de Capa

A new chapter

Most of us know the difficulties involved when packing one’s bags and moving to another place.  When this ‘other place’ is in another part of the country where you already reside, these difficulties are more of the more common variety such as logistics and costs.  Moving to another country is altogether different, and when it’s to a place where cultures and languages are different from ours, then, as we well know, the challenges are compounded.  What drives human beings want to leave their place of origin and seek other places to live their lives?  

Many of those who read this publication have first-hand experience in the matter, driven by some of the greatest motivators; lack of many prospects, little, or no money, and the stories told of other lands where there existed jobs and a promise of a better life. A few Luso-Canadians even fled possible persecution by the dictatorship, and some parents even did it to protect their sons from deployment to Africa.  A great many of us are at least descendants of those who were forced to start anew, following the natural disasters in the Azores.  Poor living conditions, scant work, war.  To some degree, much the same reasons that millions of people are attempting to migrate around the world.  It’s arguably the most “hot button” issue on the planet.  There has been so much constant upheaval in certain parts of the world that people are fleeing, at any cost, the situation they find themselves in.  The south of Europe and the southern coast of the United States, (not to mention the Mexican border), receive thousands of people every day.  People lose their lives daily, trying to start fresh, something that clearly, they cannot find at home.  We’ve been over the politics of this.

  When we emigrated back in the day, we found work, lodging, and everything else we might need.  Life wasn’t easy at first, but there was hope.  For the people arriving in strange lands today, it’s a different place than the one we found.  Everything is more scarce.  The work, the lodging and the money.  Also, we were, (more or less), welcomed, whereas today’s newcomer might feel a bit intimidated, seeing as social media has managed to polarize the many people, and not always with the truth.  We’re all more opinionated today.  It’s a big thing now, and this can sometimes lead to instability among neighbours.  And obviously, many of those who emigrate carry with them the longing to return home someday, like all of our ancestors did when they departed.  In most cases, loyalties ended up divided, with time, as we carved out a life for ourselves and our families, families that eventually had their own youngsters.  Over time, our hearts can’t help but be divided between where it all started and where it ended up.  

  It’s not easy.  These times are very difficult, but we need to hold on to our empathy and compassion.  These two are less and less seen these days, and we’ll never be the same if we lose them.  The people that govern us have plenty of help to go around, it just isn’t getting channeled correctly, it keeps going to those who don’t need it.  In our day, there was no trouble with immigrants because most people were reasonably content.  Today, it’s a brave new world.

Fiquem bem,

Raul Freitas/MS

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