It was fun to catch up, talk about how neither of us regret coming to Brazil one bit, how our friends who are in the same situation I was in should come, and overall what I always say in this blog... how Brazil is SO much better than the US, despite all its downfalls, for us in particular. Note I said "us" as in the two of "us." No need to get all frantic bashing Brazil in the comments, mmkay? ;-)
Discussing her position working with ex-pats it was funny to think about how there are really so many ex-pats all over the world. What's even more funny is how "ex-pat," refers to a skilled worker whereas "unskilled worker," or in Portuguese (I HATE this word), "sub-empregado" (meaning you're "sub-employed," ugh, doesn't it sound so degrading?)... I have nothing to say about that yet, but it's something to think about for your comments on this post or an upcoming post.
As much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE living here, I've come to one barrier. I have a degree from the US. In order for me to get a masters in Brazil, it needs to be approved by MEC which is the federal department of education here. I've considered getting it approved here, but just to go through the process of POSSIBLY having it approved, I need to pay a lot of money with translations, and still need documentation from my college and the Brazilian consulate in Boston. One option I was considering was to get a masters in Europe. Whenever I mention this, I'm either given a response along the lines of, "DO IT!!!" or "Ugh, there goes another qualified worker and intellectual mind to leave Brazil..." Which makes me sick. Who's to say I'm not coming back? And even more, what does that say about the people who will be left here and minds that will be enlightened by the masters programs here?! That there's a limit to qualified workers and minds in this country?
I've never had a backed up argument for this until I read a GREAT article in Foreign Policy today (it's lengthy, but a worthy read). They give every reason for skilled emigration being a BENEFIT to both the receiving and originating country. The arguments are endless ranging from the fact that oftentimes emmigrants are skilled workers the country has too many of, to high levels of remittances, and my favorite - PEOPLE DO COME BACK!!!
I would love to travel the world. Live in at least another handful of countries. But one thing I've learned over the past two years... there's no place like home. And home is where you're accepted, not discriminated, where you are considered a citizen not by merit, but by birth and/or cultural afinity, and especially where you're not considered an "ex-pat." So sitting where I am now.... I think I'll find it hard to "settle," anywhere else but here.
3 comments:
That might be the case for Papua New Guinea and Tonga but I am sceptical about returning migrants."20% have firm commitments"? That doesn't mean they will go back for sure.What about other 80%?
Countries like Australia and the UK(recently) have points system so that they will only take skilled people.
Educating someone is not cheap.Poorer countries are paying for that only for richer countries to take skilled people that are badly needed in those countries.While that is perfectly legal in my opinion is morally wrong.So the answer to your question is - good for receiving country,bad for donor country.
@Anonymous: So it would be good for Brazil to trap skilled and talented people there who wished to leave Brazil? It's unclear to me that turning Brazil into a prison for anyone, including the author of this blog, is "good for the donor country".
Or maybe what you mean isn't that skilled migration itself is bad for Brazil, but rather that the things that make skilled people choose to leave Brazil are bad for Brazil. That would make more sense, but in that case it would be wrong to say that migration itself is "bad" for Brazil. In that case the things that are bad for Brazil are the profound problems of economic development, which are not solved by trapping anyone anywhere.
Michael
I wasn't thinking just of Brazil,but of all developing countries,as this is universal problem.I don't want any country to be like Soviet Union and not allow people to leave the country.
What I meant was that developed countries are always moaning about immigrants coming into their country,taking their jobs and so on when actually migrant workers are essential for USA,UK and western European countries.1.5 million Mexican farmers lost their jobs because of USA policies and then they complain about Mexicans coming to USA?
Second point is that skilled people from developing countries are crucial for those countries and they have to find the way to keep them if they want to develop further.Of course,that's not easy and I don't have a magic solution, but what's going to happen if all educated people leave?
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