Facing Realities

I always admire the strength of character of migrants because it will always be difficult to start a life in a new environment, especially if issues such as race and ethnicity are still deeply embedded in society. For more than a month now, I am auditing a class that discusses the hardships being faced byAsian immigrants--particularly Chinese--in New Zealand, particularly the early settlers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Oh what a hard time they had back then! The Chinese were indeed the most discriminated and maligned race in this country. They were the only ethnic race whose people were required to pay the so-called "poll tax" in order to gain entry into the territory. But through hard work and perseverance--which most scholars interpret as their way of showing this racist society that they could also excel and rise above the social and economic ladder--they were able to overcome those difficult periods and through the years, the Chinese ethnic community has grown to be one of the most successful groups in New Zealand. Despite this, however, discrimination still exists. In a silent way. But one could still feel it. Yes, there has been a lot of improvement as many would say, but the different ethnic communities are in agreement that discrimination is still alive. Many migrants, old and new, tell stories of how they would have difficulty finding a job because they are not native English speakers or they were not educated here. New Zealand is one country where labour policies are quite restrictive. They give premium to local experience. And you are also lucky if you are of Anglo-Western origin or if you come from the developed regions of this world. But if you're from a developing country, even if you have already been practicing your profession as a doctor or a nurse in your home country or overseas for some time, when you come here you have to take some sort of a 'bridging program' and pass it to be able to practice.

Since I arrived here in May, I have applied to more than 20 employers for part-time work (as I am allowed to do so up to 20 hours per week) and up to now, not a single one has offered me a chance. In two instances, I reached the interview level, but beyond that, I still have no luck. Even my supervisor who promised that she will involve me in one of her projects or recommend me to her associate no longer mentioned the offer when we last met. I must admit that many time, I would feel discouraged. Back home, finding work has never been a problem for me. Besides having a stable job, I have occasional--but well-paying--on-the-side assignments from reputable organisations. Here, I can't even find a part-time job--even as a receptionist!