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A Leap Into the Unknown
Overhead of Tofol, Tofol, Micronesia Photographic Print Elk III, John Buy at AllPosters.com |
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by Augustine Kohler and Eugenia Samuel
The Trials of Travel
On the day that he left, the airport was packed with well wishers. You could easily have picked him out from among the crowd because he was dressed in his Sunday best and was adorned with layers of colorful flowers. Having just graduated from high school, he was on his way to college on the US mainland . Bidding his family farewell, he exited the terminal and boarded the plane. He sat down apprehensively, because he had never been on a plane before, but was careful not to reveal it. The flight proved uneventful, and things seemed to be going well, he thought to himself–just like in the movies.
Upon arriving at the Portland International Airport, however, he realized that there was no one there to meet him. He had neglected to make arrangements with the college he was enrolling in to be picked up at the airport. Not knowing where to go or whom to call, he approached one of the taxis parked outside and asked for directions. Smiling warmly, the cab driver told him that he would be more than happy to give him a ride to the school. He accepted and released a sigh. The ride from the airport to his destination took an hour and a half, a good 60 miles. When the time came for him to pay his fare, the driver was kind enough to settle for only $200. Even so, he had spent almost all the cash he had brought just getting out of the airport. It wasn't until weeks later that he learned that for less than $5 he could have caught the Greyhound bus to Salem, and for an additional $3 he might have taken a taxi to his final destination, Western Oregon State College in Monmouth.
Then there is the story of the man who got stranded at the Honolulu airport because he had difficulty completing the required Immigration and Customs forms. He had hopped on the plane with his wife and family to find employment in the US. The man had heard from family and friends who had traveled abroad that the US offered many employment opportunities, including jobs for persons without a great deal of education. These jobs, he was told, pay at least the U.S. minimum wage, which is nearly four times as much as he could earn on his island for similar work. This was all he needed to know. Believing that his smattering of English was sufficient to get him through, he boarded the plane bound for the land of opportunity. But when he got to Honolulu, he soon discovered that with his limited English he was unable to complete the required entry forms. Furthermore, he had no US address and so was detained by Immigration officials for more than three hours until someone from the FSM Consulate came to help him out.
Then there was the boy who had grown up on an island where there are no cars or electricity. When he found out about the jobs available to Micronesians in Florida, he decided to sign up along with some of his friends. The boy was hired and took off soon afterwards with his friends for the US. By the time they arrived in Honolulu, they found that they had missed their connecting flight. His friends were all picked up by relatives, but he found himself stranded in the airport. A cousin who was supposed to pick him up never showed up, and he didn't even know how to make a phone call. After trying 330 or 320 and the next four digits, he gave up. He tried to dial 0, since he remembered "0" is for the operator, but he couldn't understand the operator when she answered. So he gave up. He spent the rest of the night at the airport until his friends came back the next day.
It only got worse when they finally arrived in Florida. He became the butt of his friends' jokes about the mistakes he made. Since he had never used flush toilets before, he always left his mess behind for his friends to take care of. When he used the shower, he burned himself with the hot water because he never figured out how to adjust the nozzle. Once, when he was invited by his supervisor to go and eat at a restaurant, he had to take his plate from the table and put it on his lap to shield it from others in the restaurant. Since he had never used a fork before, he picked his food up with his fingers as he used to back home.
Countless stories like these, about the adventures or misadventures of Micronesians traveling overseas for the first time, have made their rounds in the islands. Ask any islander who has been abroad and he'll certainly have a tale or two to tell. While most of these stories are humorous and may make good conversation pieces, they point to a problem that needs to be addressed: the total lack of preparation of some people for the great leap they are making when they move abroad.
The Dream of a Better Life
There is no denying that migrating to the US is a dream harbored by many Micronesians today. And as they migrate overseas, whether intending to resettle or as temporary residents, they will either easily adjust into their new environments or they will find the adjustment period a difficult and painful experience. Among these are those few who either end up in jail or prison, or worse yet, are deported. As the above stories indicate, we are at times unprepared for such journeys.
How then can we best assist other Micronesians thinking of leaving for the US from avoiding such pitfalls? Certainly we could provide them with an idea of what to expect and what is expected of them once they are there. It's not enough that we trust solely on the experiences of our family and friends to help guide us through. Each trip is, in a sense, unique and brings circumstances and challenges of its own. Above all, preparations are the key to a smoother transition. Not unlike voyagers in seagoing canoes who must painstakingly ensure that all the necessary provisions are provided for before venturing out to sea, those traveling abroad are well advised to ascertain that the necessary arrangements and precautions are taken before embarking on their trips. Fortune may indeed favor the brave, but it certainly frowns upon those who are ill prepared for such journeys.
Micronesians began settling in the United States and its territories even before the signing of the Compact of Free Association between the US and the Freely Associated States–Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau–but the outflow was sporadic and the numbers small. Palau, the first of the island groups to send out people in any significant numbers, had an emigration stream to Guam of perhaps 40 or 50 persons a year as early as 1950. Twenty years later, over 200 persons a year were leaving Palau to take up permanent residence in other places. In the FSM and the Marshalls emigration began much later. The first significant emigration from these tiny islands began in the years following the implementation of the Compact, for the Compact permitted, among other things, free entry for Micronesians into the US and its possessions. Hundreds of FSM citizens left for Guam and Saipan, while the Marshallese streamed into Hawaii and the US mainland. About 2,000 people a year have been emigrating from the islands to live abroad. At present an estimated 30,000 Micronesians, or one out of every seven, is now living overseas, most of them in pursuit of the jobs that they cannot find in their own islands.
What You Need Before You Leave
A few basic steps, if followed, may well help for a smooth transition. Before leaving, for instance, familiarize yourself with where you are going. Obtain a map before getting on the plane to find out exactly how far from the airport your house is. You can avoid spending $300 or $400 cab rides to your destination, as others have done because they had no idea of the distances in the US.
Double-check before departure that your portfolio is complete. Among other things, you should have a valid passport, a social security card, police clearance, and a health certificate. You should also have on you the contact numbers and addresses of people who can help you out once you get there. These should include friends and family, and also the phone number of your nearest consular office or embassy. If you fail to do so, you'll be sitting around idly, when you ought to be earning money to support yourself. We have for instance, the story of a recent migrant who, shortly after joining the "Voluntary Early Retirement" program, sold his home and took his wife and five children with him to the US mainland. After arriving in the US, he started searching for schools in which to enroll his children. Unfortunately, in his haste to leave the islands, he failed to ensure that all the necessary school transcripts and birth certificates were available. So he had to write back home and ask for his relative's help in obtaining the transcripts and birth certificates, without which they couldn't apply for US social security cards. It took about a month just to get a response back from the islands. In the meantime, while awaiting the papers to be processed, he had spent nearly half his early retirement fund on food, clothing, housing, and a used car he had bought.
The importance of having some cash to fall back on, especially for the first few months, cannot be stressed enough. You are not guaranteed a job upon arrival, and it may be weeks or even months before you are gainfully employed. The sun, not unlike on the islands, doesn't always shine so it's best to always be prepared for that rainy day. By law, FSM citizens are required to file an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). You will need a valid EAD card prior to employment and so it is recommended for those who are intending to live and work in the US, to apply for the EAD as soon as possible after arrival.
Eye-Popping Salaries and Hidden Costs
One migrant to the US left his job as an elementary teacher because his salary of $350 monthly was not enough to build himself a new house. When he checked in with his boss at his arrival in the US, he learned that he would have to rent an apartment of his own. He had expected that the company would provide free housing for its employees. He and a friend of his were assigned to janitorial duties and outdoors maintenance work, even though the weather had turned cold and neither of the Micronesians had winter clothing. The boss advanced them some money to cover these needs, but the man still had to pay for utilities, health insurance, and payments on the loan from their boss, to say nothing of food and other expenses. Before he knew it, his salary of $1000 a month looked very meager. Even if it was three times what his salary back home was, he found that he was saving more in the islands than he was in the US.
Certainly the allure of higher wages is incentive enough for most Micronesians to just get up and leave for the US. But as attractive as US salaries may seem, at least by Micronesian standards, they can be deceptive. True, wages are higher, but the salary has to go a long way in covering lots of unanticipated expenses. Food for instance, is cheap compared to store-bought food on the islands. But at the same time, of course, one cannot just walk about picking anything of trees or dig in the fields or fish in the streams. All food that is needed will have to be purchased.
Health insurance is another necessary expense. Even the most basic of services will cost you. Expect to pay up to $50 or more for a doctors visit in the US, instead of the $3 you are normally charged at local hospitals. And prescriptions have to be paid outright. Unlike our relatively cheap and accessible hospitals, US hospitals or clinics may demand proof of coverage before treatment. Although by law US hospitals and clinics are required to provide treatment, without proper medical and dental insurance, you will only be given the minimum or basic services. Furthermore, you will still be billed for services rendered, and failing to fulfill these financial obligations will effect your credit. If you're planning to move to the US, be sure to budget for health insurance, which can cost $200 a month or more.
Continued A Leap into the Unknown, page 2
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