[WS:] I do not think it has much to do with the US reality, and everything to do with social status in third world countries from which those people come. Living in the US is a status symbol in many of these countries - even though making that living means doing menial jobs.
My ex used to work as union organizer with Polish immigrants in MA. Many of these people left better living conditions in the old country and worked crappy poorly paid jobs here. When she asked why they stayed instead of going back - nearly all replies hinted social status at home. For these people, their reference group was still their social circles in their old country. Many of them were sending home pictures of their "American dream come true" - posing in front of other people's homes and cars, and bragging about their fictitious "fabulous jobs." Coming back, especially empty handed would expose them to ridicule.
What is more many women cited old country sexism as a reason for wanting to stay here. They worked crappy jobs, but no man told them what to do with their money and their lives - which would have been the case in the old country.
Wojtek
On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 8:48 AM, shag carpet bomb <shag at cleandraws.com>wrote:
> why do people want to come to the u.s. so badly? not poor folks, that I
> understand. and I sort of understand why folks want to come to the u.s. if
> they're programmers. but why do they end up wanting to stay? yesterday, I
> was having lunch with a friend who I worked with three years ago. He's since
> gone on the live elsewhere. I asked some of his mates at the table, "are you
> programmers too?" To which one replied, "Better to ask Indians if they are
> not programmers," and everyone laughed. (although this doesn't comport with
> my experience, actually. It's more like 50%)
>
> From everything they say, they come from fairly well-off families at home.
> of course, this could be bragging. My one friend's father is an attorney.
> One brother is running a factory. And yet all of them are or want to be in
> the u.s. Even my close friend, k, who I watched transition from his first
> days in the u.s. to now, three years later, has married and is going through
> the green card process. I recall him being ecstatic once to learn that my
> kid called, asked for money and i responded, "sure, i'm transferring it
> online right now." K was ecstatic because this meant I had, to him, Indian
> values, not u.s. values. there are a ton of things about u.s. culture he
> doesn't appreciate compared to other Indian friends who have lots of great
> things to say about u.s. culture and why they don't want to live in India.
>
> what is so great about being here. just the money? sold a bill of goods
> about opportunity?
>
>
>
> At 02:03 PM 3/26/2010, Sandy Harris wrote:
>
>> On 3/27/10, Chris Doss <lookoverhere1 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> > This sounds really dubious? If you have that kind of money
>> > lying around, you're probably doing pretty well where you are.
>>
>> Sounds believable to me.
>>
>> I'm a Canadian male in China, was in my mid-50s when I
>> came. I've had several women, all attractive and in their
>> 30s, suggest marriage. Some of them offered to pay me.
>> It's definitely not my fortune or looks, and I doubt I am
>> that charming. Could a visa be the attraction?
>>
>> I'm in the area where most illegal immigrants come from.
>> It is big business. I'm told the going rate to be smuggled
>> into the US is a few hundred thousand RMB, $40-70K.
>>
>
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