Once an Immigrant, forever an Immigrant

I arrived in France from Senegal when I was three years old. I did not have the choice in the matter as my parents were the decision maker. For them it was the best decision they made, as their only thoughts were to give me and my futur brothers and sisters a better life and a good education.

I grow up in France and assimilated well although in the eyes of a lot of French people I am still a Senegalese immigrant. I don't know my birth country very well but I still cherish it as much as I cherish my new one.

When I was about ten years old, I decided to find out more about my origins so I travelled to my dream country with my little sister. That's when the nightmare started. My own people were cursing, abusing and telling us to go back to our country with the "whity".

The end of my trip comes and I am back home in France and face the same situation again, I can ear them shouting "go back to your country bloody black" but I couldn't care more about what they were saying as I was all ready use to those comments.

The only thing I could do during those moments was to go forward and forget about those ignorants haters.

I am a culture' orphan and nobody want to accept me. So I choose to keep my head high and socialise with the people who accept me for who I am.

I left France for a bit and To try my luck in London. London cosmopolitan city, capitol of diversity. Why? For a better future, and a better integration I hope!

My conclusion is that when you are an immigrant, you will be one for ever no matter how long and how assimilated you are.

I am not saying that as a bad thing or as if it was a burden but on the contrary, for me I have two different culture which is a wealth whether people like it or not. And I know that if I was to loose one of them I wouldn't be able to go forward in life.

Some people around me make a choice between those two cultures, hopping a better acceptance from the society. My choice is to be proud and promote my cultural heritage so that I can understand more about life and be more open minded.

The fact that we immigrant face, stupidity, ignorance or racisms shouldn't make us step back, depress, scare or violent.

On the contrary, we should fight it in a pacifistic and diplomatic way. We have a say in French "on ne peut pas plaire a tous le monde" and "les goûts et les couleures sont dans la nature", it means "we can't be loved by everybody" and "all taste and colours are in nature". So I choose to follow those says and enjoy life to the fullest with the one who don't have all those misconceptions.

I dare hope that one day will come when skin colour, religion and cultural differences, wont be a barrier in this world.

For me the best way to fight racism is education et cultural diversity promotion.

As for me I have decided to keep smiling and show the world that I won't let that hold me back and share my differences with the willing ones and let the others in their stupidity because I'd rather go forward with my head held high.

After all aren't we all immigrants? I think we are even thou some may deny it or disagree.