Letter to all the Immigrants

Open letter to all the immigrants residing in developed countries

Dear Immigrants,

I am a US citizen, born in Nepal and migrated to the US. Living in the US for over 20 years, I have seen and experienced both sides of the story. Life as an immigrant is already hard, to be on your own, without a parental nest, working and balancing family life. In retrospect, some things crossed my mind, and I needed to bring it to the light for everyone that might resonate.

1. Do not send money to your country of birth –

Your immediate reaction might be: "I care for my family, and my family needs my help." I do not deny this statement. Suppose you have retired parents with limited resources or family members who have special needs or other unavoidable life circumstances, then, yes, I strongly encourage you to help. But at the same time, I would like to highlight those circumstances which?do not?require your financial assistance. For example, young family members, extended relatives in good health, and others in the society whom you care about and want to express affection by sending money. In these circumstances, you are harming them by providing financial support. Healthy family members must obtain formal education, work hard towards their goals, compete in the job market, and be self-sufficient. Middle-aged people, if they do not have a college education, can still do other creative projects, save some funds, and open small businesses or look for other sources of income. In this way, they leave their house, pursue jobs, work, and invest in their country. I am not a financial expert, nor do I have a business background, but I know that helps cash flow in their own country. When family and friends receive money from foreign lands at regular intervals, why would they feel the need to go out and work? As a result, they become dull and quiescent. They become dependent on external sources. They need to utilize their talents, skills and not rely on external sources.

I encourage immigrants not to feel pressured by false presentations in the social medias. Parents in the country of birth, tend to expect too much from their children living in developed countries because of an illusive image of the developed world created by the society. Immigrants should not feel obligated to build mansions for their parents in their country of birth just because it looks good from societal framework.

2. Do not buy land in your country of birth-

Immigrants have strong ties and love towards their birth country. Almost everyone has had at least one dream of returning to their birth country, building a beautiful house in a vast land, and living a comfortable retired life. In this regard, some people like to buy land early on and preserve it for retirement. If they can afford it, I have seen some people buy multiple lands and not use them for years and years. But by doing so, people do not realize that those barren lands?are stuck?under their names who are foreigners and may or may not return for retirement. Local people could have used these lands for multiple purposes, like building their homes, businesses, hospitals, schools, etc.

Therefore, I request all immigrants living in developed countries to be more vigilant about piling up lands for themselves and harming the growth of developing countries, which local people could have better utilized in their ways.

Recommendations to all the immigrants who have migrated to developed countries:?

• Do not overwork, compromising your health and family time to send financial assistance to your country of birth.
• Restrict financial assistance if not critically required.
• If desired, I would suggest to build a home and have someone use that home instead of buying an empty land.??
• Avoid buying multiple empty lands for the sole purpose of self-gratification. You are restricting growth and development of your country of birth by doing so.
• Create some industries which can generate job opportunities for the locals.
• Communicate, network, and develop interventions involving the local people in the developing countries. In this way, these interventions are aligned with the needs of the local people and will prove useful.

Overall, I conclude by saying, "Help them to fish, don't buy them a fish." People are smart and talented in the developing countries, we just need to help them in the right way.