Question for 1st / 2nd Generation Brehs

[mbewane]

would you consider returning to/ living in your home country/parent's country?
Split time between there and whoever you are (US, Canada, UK, Australia, wherever you nikkas live, etc.)?

Retire there?

Why or why not ?

Me personally, I want to buy property in Aruba but Idk if I'd live there full time. When I retire I'd love to be there during the winter time tho
@Luken @MansaMusa @Raul @CashmereEsquire @charmander @September @CinnamonTequila @CinnaSlim @@zoegod @Intruder v3.0 @mbewane @Cynic @Yehuda @horse. kills

Hard for me to answer since technically, I have two "home" countries (Belgium, where I was born and where my mom was from, and Central African Republic, where I spent 8 years as a kid and where my pops is from), and spent a lot of time growing up in the US (5 years, until I was 8 years old, first memories, but not a citizen) and in France (first got here when I was 15, finished HS, went to college, but not a citizen either).

But I guess you mean "non-Western" home, so CAR. I personnaly don't know if I'll ever go back to live there (haven't even been there for the past 14 years). Various reasons : I don't speak the language, whole different level of poverty, on and off rebeliions/civil war for a long time, don't really know the family, close family that I do know is dead, most people I know left, comfort level (I can talk about Africa this and Africa that, but the truth is that after 20+ years living in Europe I'm used to teh comfort. Basically, I'm a Westerner). Plus I have a personnal family story that somewhat makes it "hard" for me to just go back, at least that's how I feel about it.

So I really doubt I'll ever go "back" long term. Or buy property there, it's the kind of country you have to be there yourself or have VERY VERY CLOSE family members look out for your stuff. And you never know when the next rebellion/coup will be. I'm actually low-key envious of people who have a more "normal" "home" country, and a serene relationship wih it.

 

[Mojo Jojo Morpheus]

Do you speak Dutch

My grandfather is from Paramaribo

I speak Dutch, English (duh), and Aukaans.

I peeped you said you're Jamaican earlier, plus your gramps is from country?
Akan-set running deep on theColi.

 

[BigMan]

Hard for me to answer since technically, I have two "home" countries (Belgium, where I was born and where my mom was from, and Central African Republic, where I spent 8 years as a kid and where my pops is from), and spent a lot of time growing up in the US (5 years, until I was 8 years old, first memories, but not a citizen) and in France (first got here when I was 15, finished HS, went to college, but not a citizen either).

But I guess you mean "non-Western" home, so CAR. I personnaly don't know if I'll ever go back to live there (haven't even been there for the past 14 years). Various reasons : I don't speak the language, whole different level of poverty, on and off rebeliions/civil war for a long time, don't really know the family, close family that I do know is dead, most people I know left, comfort level (I can talk about Africa this and Africa that, but the truth is that after 20+ years living in Europe I'm used to teh comfort. Basically, I'm a Westerner). Plus I have a personnal family story that somewhat makes it "hard" for me to just go back, at least that's how I feel about it.

So I really doubt I'll ever go "back" long term. Or buy property there, it's the kind of country you have to be there yourself or have VERY VERY CLOSE family members look out for your stuff. And you never know when the next rebellion/coup will be. I'm actually low-key envious of people who have a more "normal" "home" country, and a serene relationship wih it.

Props bruh

Didn't know you lived in the states

What's the main language besides French in CAR and why is it hard to learn (difficulty, lack of resources, time etc.)

I'm personally learning my mothers language but it's hard at times because of how few people speak it

 

[BigMan]

I speak Dutch, English (duh), and Aukaans.

I peeped you said you're Jamaican earlier, plus your gramps is from country?
Akan-set running deep on theColi.

Afro-Atlantic 002: Jamaica and the Akan

 

[Kitsch]

Moving to Nigeria in the next 2 years.

 

[mbewane]

Props bruh

Didn't know you lived in the states

What's the main language besides French in CAR and why is it hard to learn (difficulty, lack of resources, time etc.)

I'm personally learning my mothers language but it's hard at times because of how few people speak it

Yeah from ages 3 to 8, in New Rochelle (close to NY).

The main local language is Sango, and my father's original language is Gbaya (he speaks both, as well as french).

The main thing is lack of resources, as well as lack of demand (most Central Africans, even abroad, speak it)...also there's few of us (4 million overall) so we don't have a big diaspora, as opposed to say Senegal, Cameroun, etc. Also I have a "conflictual" relationship with it (and the country) in the sense that having lived there 8 years I should speak it (as opposed to people born and raised abroad, who have a legit reason to not speak it), so I've always been ashamed I don't. TBH was kind of traumatised when I realized in France that I didn't speak it : it was when I went to this friend's house and everyone was happy to be able to speak the language, I was happy to be there but realized I couldn't participate..kind of turn my back on the community after that, not because I didn't like them or whatever but becase here were "my people" and I can't even really communicate with them. That hurt, especially as a teenager abroad without my family I was looking for some support and even with "my people" I wasn't really part of it. Also being mixed doesn't help. Also don't want to go into detail but let's just say that my name is somewhat known so it's even more strange for people that I don't speak the language. There's kind of a added pressure. I've heard it all, "fake centralafrican", "white", "unworthy son", etc. So yeah, it's kind of a heavilly emotionnally charged issue for me.

 

[TheArchitect]

Probably buy property or whatever....

Not that Belize isn't a nice place, it's just there isn't much for me to do as far as the "career" that I want....

 

[BigMan]

Moving to Nigeria in the next 2 years.

Why, where, are you British?

 

[BigMan]

Yeah from ages 3 to 8, in New Rochelle (close to NY).

The main local language is Sango, and my father's original language is Gbaya (he speaks both, as well as french).

The main thing is lack of resources, as well as lack of demand (most Central Africans, even abroad, speak it)...also there's few of us (4 million overall) so we don't have a big diaspora, as opposed to say Senegal, Cameroun, etc. Also I have a "conflictual" relationship with it (and the country) in the sense that having lived there 8 years I should speak it (as opposed to people born and raised abroad, who have a legit reason to not speak it), so I've always been ashamed I don't. TBH was kind of traumatised when I realized in France that I didn't speak it : it was when I went to this friend's house and everyone was happy to be able to speak the language, I was happy to be there but realized I couldn't participate..kind of turn my back on the community after that, not because I didn't like them or whatever but becase here were "my people" and I can't even really communicate with them. That hurt, especially as a teenager abroad without my family I was looking for some support and even with "my people" I wasn't really part of it. Also being mixed doesn't help. Also don't want to go into detail but let's just say that my name is somewhat known so it's even more strange for people that I don't speak the language. There's kind of a added pressure. I've heard it all, "fake centralafrican", "white", "unworthy son", etc. So yeah, it's kind of a heavilly emotionnally charged issue for me.

I live in Nj so new Rochelle is not too far away

Why there tho

Real shyt you dropped there

I have mixed cousins in Europe that like you were born abroad but don't speak the language so I wonder if they have similar thoughts

They speak English tho so it's all good

 

[Kitsch]

Why, where, are you British?

My Dad's based there and it's something I've always wanted to do. Just saving for some property right now and I'll be off. I was born in America but I've spent more time in England than I did in America. So I guess I'd say I'm culturally British.

 

[mbewane]

I live in Nj so new Rochelle is not too far away

Why there tho

Real shyt you dropped there

I have mixed cousins in Europe that like you were born abroad but don't speak the language so I wonder if they have similar thoughts

They speak English tho so it's all good

Followed my parents who went there for job opportunities. Yeah maybe your cousins have similar thoughts, it all depends on where they feel from. I've lived 20+ years in Europe, in 3 countries, speak 4 euro languages and feel "home", but at the same time there's a distance that will always be there. Same back in CAR actually. So i'm somehow stuck between two non-homes

 

[the bossman]

Followed my parents who went there for job opportunities. Yeah maybe your cousins have similar thoughts, it all depends on where they feel from. I've lived 20+ years in Europe, in 3 countries, speak 4 euro languages and feel "home", but at the same time there's a distance that will always be there. Same back in CAR actually. So i'm somehow stuck between two non-homes

The good ol 1st generation identity conundrum. In the place where you were actually born and grew up, everybody including your friends consider you African but then when you visit your parents homeland or talk with the elders they all consider you American or whatever western country.

Why nobody want us man

 

[BigMan]

Followed my parents who went there for job opportunities. Yeah maybe your cousins have similar thoughts, it all depends on where they feel from. I've lived 20+ years in Europe, in 3 countries, speak 4 euro languages and feel "home", but at the same time there's a distance that will always be there. Same back in CAR actually. So i'm somehow stuck between two non-homes

Immigrant kids problems

 

[Apollo Creed]

The good ol 1st generation identity conundrum. In the place where you were actually born and grew up, everybody including your friends consider you African but then when you visit your parents homeland or talk with the elders they all consider you American or whatever western country.

Why nobody want us man

Eh, most these countries are made up by white people anyways.

Regardless of nationality, ethnic traditions will always carry on.

I dont consider myself Liberian because my tribe existed before the concept of Liberia existed.

 

[BigMan]

Even though I wouldn't be there all year I wonder how cheap land is in Jamaica