Ethiopian Americans and the famous DV lottery in Ethiopia.

It seems that almost every family in Ethiopia has at least one member living in America. Since the time of the repressive socialist regime which ruled the country for 17 years, many Ethiopians have fled to different parts of the developed world and most of all to a dreamland, America. Even as i am writing this article it is a great achievement for most Ethiopians to migrate to America.

I don't remember the year when the famous DV lottery started but it remained to be a God sent miracle to many as they were able to migrate to a land of dreams, America, just as a matter of luck. It is a great sensation and wonder to see an Ethiopian man or woman who happen to get the DV lottery. Age is no barrier here, i have witnessed elderly people just stuffing their luggage to go to America. So now there are many Ethiopian-Americans in the united states, but their roots still in mother land.

The biggest misconception of many who live in the developing world is that the developed world is such an easy place to earn much money. Many have paid the highest price they can pay just to migrate. They don't seem to consider that life could be hard there too. There are lots of obstacles and barriers that any Ethiopian immigrant faces when going abroad.

• Language

Language is the most frustrating factor that hinders migrants from blending in the new environment. well everyone who finishes high school back home thinks that he/she can speak English well, but the truth of the matter is so much different. They will be dumb founded when they realize that they can't communicate effectively.

• Culture

Many have been stricken by a huge culture shock after migrating. There are ways of saying and doing things that gives us comfort and we acquired that through our culture. when that culture code breaks we face threatened or may be abused. The western culture seems to lack a strong social attachment. Ethiopian live in a strong social bond with their neighbor, relatives and co-workers. In the west this is highly unlikely. An Ethiopian immigrant then finds this to be an intolerable situation.

• Color

The color of our skin shouldn't be a standard for what we can accomplish. It is a paradoxical thing anyway. Black is usually misrepresented. Some of us still believe that the devil is black. Though America has the first black president now, color is still an issue among some native citizens. I say Ethiopians are of different breed, they haven't experienced colonization as many African countries do. Though Ethiopians don't see themselves as inferior to the white race they will definitely face some kind of discrimination in a white dominated country like America.

• Help needy hands

What do you expect from a family who thinks one of their own has gone to a wonder land and is soon to send a stream of cash flow so that they may start to live a relaxed life? No wonder many expect a regular help. An Ethiopian American who is struggling to meet ends met in his new home country has to pace the ground on how to satisfy the need back home. So some prefer to just vanish, i mean no phone calls, no letters, no money transfers, no nothing.

I am not Ethiopian American, however i know many, some of them my close relatives, that just disappeared. There are few who just try to keep up but most of them have been converted to the western style of life, social isolation.

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