This question was coiled from one of my follower’s comments. A second follower also made a comment stating that “ America is not heaven “ This comment got my attention and I thought it is worth exploring further into his view of America.
Although most of my followers are pro-immigration, these two out lier comments have a point of view which is worth exploring. Make no mistake Immigrating to a foreign country is never an easy decision. If you have not watched my video on Culture shock kindly do so on immigrant business directory. However there are a myriad of reasons which lure people into making the decision to immigrate to America permanently.
The American Dreamers
First and foremost, it’s imperative to note that America is not heaven as noted earlier by a follower. However, it is well documented that America is the best nation on earth that can offer people all over the world the opportunity to realize their dreams. Take for example the story of the Nigerian born Chinedu Echeruo who migrated to the United States with his parents. Mr. Chinedu is a Tech Entrepreneur and founder of Hopstop who managed to realize his American dreams into reality.
He is just but one example among millions. For more information about immigrant millionaires and billionaires kindly read my blogs on immigrantbussinessdirectory.com. True there are many other nations that can offer even better opportunities but we have to look at data because data does not lie. America has produced the most popular dreamers in the world and therefore no need to name them, think of one yourself and the list will grow in your head.

Personal Story
Personally I arrived in the United States in August of 2003. I was 8 months pregnant with 200 dollars in my pocket. I did not know what was lying ahead of me but all I knew I was going to realize my dreams and aspirations. Before I immigrated to the United States I had a bachelor’s degree in nursing. I was working at Aga Khan Hospital Nairobi, Kenya as a bedside nurse. I worked long hours and put in my time and best efforts only to earn roughly 200 dollars per month.
Don’t get me wrong because I felt fulfilled helping patients. However it was very difficult to make ends meet with that amount of salary. I remember leaving from work early in the morning and meeting doctors and pharmacists driving to work. They were driving what I considered to be very nice cars at that time. I could not afford a car therefore I had to use public transportation. In my mind I started having a dream to one day drive a nice car just like the doctors and the pharmacists. Given my salary at the time there was no way I could have paid my bills and also bought a nice car. Even if I bought a car I could not afford gas (petrol) let alone pay for car insurance.

My American success story
To cut the long story short within 7 months of arriving in the United States I had passed my nursing license exam at which time I was allowed to work in America as a Registered Nurse.
I managed to convert 200 dollars per month into thousands of dollars per month. Roughly I made about 4000 dollars per month. My value as a nurse increased tremendously and for the first time I felt valued at work. This might seem like a small dream to some but for me it was a dream come true.
Some might say that the living standards are much higher in the United States and therefore 4000 dollars per month might not be much. I beg to differ. In all honesty the Nursing salary enabled me to drive a car of my choice and stay in a very nice looking and comfortable apartment situated in a good neighborhood. I was able to comfortably pay for my sons daycare. I was able to help my family back home and still have some money left in my pocket.
Moreover, I had very good health insurance through the employer. I was driving on very good roads. When my son got sick I was able to call the ambulance and they arrived on time and took my son to the emergency room. I was able to shop at the malls and buy the clothes I loved. I was able to go to the movies and eat out whenever I felt lazy to cook. I stopped washing my clothes by hand and used a drying machine after doing laundry. I was able to fly to different states to visit friends. My English improved and my confidence level went up. I was able to enjoy walking in the park and pay for the gym.
The list of conveniences is endless but to make matters even better, I joined the list of Americans who complain about long lines at Disneyland.
The transition into the American way of life was not easy please don’t get me wrong but the support from the Americans was tremendous. Again watch my video about culture shock.

Higher education
Close to 15 years later I have my master’s degree in Nursing from the University of California Los Angeles. I work as a Family Nurse Practitioner. I am currently enrolled into a post graduate certificate in Psychiatry at the University of Texas Rio Grande because of my passion for mental health. As we speak I am in the process of realizing even bigger American dreams.
Quite honestly my real dream is yet to be realized and my goal is to help other immigrants like me to smoothly transition into their long immigrant journey. I hope that my self-worth will not be defined by nursing alone but by the ability to make a difference in the communities I live. I strongly believe that America has and will offer bigger opportunities.
Although my story does not mean much to some who have achieved even bigger things, my story is an inspiration to others wishing to change their lives for the better.
I know my story does not represent some serious struggles but it is worth sharing. Quite honestly looking back I cannot even imagine how a new mother would go through what I went through in a foreign nation. Remember I came to America eight months pregnant with 200 dollars in my pocket. I continue to focus on the positive aspects in this country. Thankfully it all worked out and I hope this will be true for generations to come. That is why I share my story.

Conclusion
The point is that, not many nations on earth will welcome a stranger in their land and offer all the opportunities available to its own citizens. However America is one of those nations. America is not heaven but it’s truly a land of opportunity. America offers jobs to the jobless. America offers arguably the best education opportunities in regards to colleges and universities. America despite of healthcare disparities, this nation offers good health care. America despite of some social injustices this nation is still a beacon of hope to many immigrants.
In the United States if you are willing to put in the work and abide by the rules you can always realize your dreams. Some dreams are bigger than others but all that matters is to achieve our hopes and dreams, we aspire to make life better for ourselves and our families. For immigrants it means leaving our loved ones behind, giving up what we have and what we know and immigrating to foreign countries in search of a better life.
What’s is your dream? What have you achieved? What are your struggles and what is your success story? Big or small, these are all but dreams waiting to be fulfilled. If you wish to share your story kindly email us at janet@immigrantbussinessdirectory.com and we will share with those aspiring to follow your footsteps. Thank you for reading my blog and sharing your stories. Until the next blog I wish you well as you travel on your immigrant journey. Remember to keep the dream alive and have a strong desire to succeed!

Janet Rangi

Blogger and Founder of Immigrant Business Directory