Pressure Cooker
An Immigrant's Journey
by
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A young man leaves his country with a plan of seeking further education in the United States of America and then working hard after completing his education so that he could return home to a better job and prosperous future. The unfortunate circumstances which hastened his departure were of his making. Despite that, he was very happy for the opportunity and optimistic about his plan. Going to school in America was the easy part. His parents provided financial support, and being from an English-speaking country, he had very few problems with the language. Additionally, the educational system of his home country had prepared him well and he was able to acquire a number of degrees in a few years. He realized after getting these degrees that it was rather getting a job, consistent with one’s education, which was more difficult in this country. In his home country, the government paid for your education and hired you if other local companies or agencies did not. In the United States, you were mostly on your own, especially with respect to job search. To survive, this young man had to shelve his upper class status and accept positions he would never have considered in his home country. He took what he could get in order to survive. One position he held, on and off, for a total of three years, exposed him to life on the streets and the underbelly of American society; other jobs reminded him of the servants who worked for his family in Africa. His first “professional” job in America was as a social service position in an area feared by most with knowledge of its existence. His friends discouraged him from accepting that position because of the crime rate around that development and the low socio-economic status of the residents. He ignored that advice, rationalizing it was more dangerous driving a cab. He worked in that capacity for 3 years and got along well with the residents. They never bothered him; his co-workers did, leading to his resignation. Later, he got a job as a program analyst in another non-profit agency, but was laid-off in a re-organization of that agency in anticipation of expected cuts in government funding which never materialized. The difficulty in getting and keeping a job made this young man decide to return home, but he returned to the United States a few years because of unexpected events. Before leaving for the United States, he told his friends and anyone who would listen that he was very afraid of returning to the pressure cooker called America, because of his past difficulties with job search and placement. He was right. It took 5 years for him to land an entry-level “professional” job. He worked for that agency till he retired at age 65. This book highlights some of the problems encountered by some qualified immigrants in their quest for suitable employment in the United States. In some cases, returning home does not work out and they have no choice but to return to the pressure cooker.
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About the Book
This story deals with the interesting experiences of an American immigrant in his home country and in the United States. Raised in an upper class family and college-educated in his home country, he accepts a government job in the capital city. He marries his girlfriend and is soon transferred to a rural part of the country as head of a district office. He performs his duties well, but because of his lifestyle serious charges are filed against him. He pays a hefty price to settle this case out of court, resigns from his job, and leaves for the United States to pursue further studies which would qualify him for a better job in the capital city on his return. In the United States, he studies up to graduate level and decides to work for some years before returning home. Getting a good job proves to be very difficult. His marriage fails. He takes a second wife, an American, and that marriage also fails. He stays in the United States longer than planned. He gets two half-way decent jobs, but he resigns from one and is laid off from the other. He decides to return home after being offered a senior level government job. Back home he performs his duties with distinction and marries for the third time. Unexpected developments result in the murder of his wife, the loss of his job, and his arraignment before a commission of inquiry on suspected corruption charges. On being found not guilty, he returns to the United States and marries for the fourth time. He works in low level positions for five years before finally obtaining an entry level professional job. He works for that agency for eleven years before retiring at age 65.
About the Author
Koff Mensane is the pen name of the author. Born and educated in a foreign country, he worked for the government before coming to the United States for further education and better economic opportunities. Recently retired, he was employed in the non-profit and public sectors with specialization in program compliance. He has always been fascinated by stories of foreigners who end up staying in the United States after initially planning to return to their home countries.