Is “The Good Life” really a good life? by Gladys Mwakitawa

Have you ever thought of living overseas? Living in a country of your choice; be it the United Kingdom, United States of America, Netherlands or Germany? Thinking about it triggers a feeling of excitement. Well, let’s admit, at least at one point in our lives we have dreamt, fantasized better yet wished to be in these foreign countries. To some fortunately their wishful thinking becomes a reality.

There isn’t a valid reason for this yearning but we can relate it to the mentality we have of these countries. In spite of this, there are a couple of reasons as to why people go there. These are: to look for greener pastures, visit family, Education, business, change of environment and of course its “majuu” I mean life is meaningfully good there.

This brings me to my bottom line question, is life overseas really what many people think it is, “the good life?” I have never been to these foreign countries. One of the reasons simply being my excitement goes down every time I get a chance to chat with the people who have been there.

From a few people I have heard, this majuu place life is all about struggling to make ends meet. The many articles written on this issue also depict pure struggle especially for foreigners who go there to search for greener pastures.

For instance, I have an aunt who left her job as a banker and went to England. She was happy and all ready to satisfy her curiosity of the majuu life. Well, yes she got to satisfy her curiosity but again it left a negative impact on her. She barely finished a year and decided to take the walk of shame back home.

Her reasons were several.  They ranged from hard hustles of life to having no social life.

Talking about social life, you know how you spend your social life. It may be with friends, relatives, family to in a restaurant, your home, place of work, nightclubs and many other recreational places. On some occasions, you might not need money to have good time. You invite friends over to your place, chit chat and you get to have your day well spent.

Rarely does this happen in majuu. Being an African, community life is part of life. You have been nurtured knowing your neighbor is more like a brother or sister. Then what happens when you go to a foreign land and realize that is not the case? Where everyone is independent. No community life. Being social means removing some substantial amount of money.

It is one thing to search for greener pastures in these foreign lands and it is another thing to sacrifice your happiness. Before making any decisions on this, have an overview of your expectations. Maybe with this, you can have “the good life.”

⃰Majuu- overseas