Leaving Trinidad for good...

[TheBoostLord]

As someone who actually lives in the United States and is not 'ketching dey ass', I implore each and every one of you to think long and hard before you relocate here. Indian or Black, racism in this country runs through all sectors of society, and unless you know how to play the game, you may not only remain at the bottom of this society, but get killed for it.

I am still navigating the jungle that is the United States, but I have no intentions of prolonging my stay here or wasting the remainder of my working days slaving on the plantation. The US, UK and Canada are no longer the frontier of success and wealth. Neither is UAE. Do your research, my friends.

You say that those places are "no longer the frontier of success" but to be real, most people just want somewhere 'better' and those places do have a lot more to offer than Trinidad & Tobago, both good things and bad. If you can deal with it then its better, if you can't then it seems worse. Something to consider.

You also made that statement but provide no facts other than do your own research. Surely you can provide some sort of report or evidence to backup those words. We can all benefit from such eye opening wisdom.

Ask yourself this, why do doctors from all those African nations and even India find themselves to those seemingly less than perfect places? its not because they are perfect but that they offer much more than what was available in their home country. Many of them even come to Trinidad, but after their contract only a fraction stay. They go on to bigger and 'better' places until they find somewhere that suits them: About a decade ago i knew a lot of the foreign doctors by name, i never even had a minute wait in the public health system due to that unfair advantage. However most are now in the US or UK simply because they were offered a higher standard of living.

[AbstractPoetic]

As someone who actually lives in the United States and is not 'ketching dey ass', I implore each and every one of you to think long and hard before you relocate here. Indian or Black, racism in this country runs through all sectors of society, and unless you know how to play the game, you may not only remain at the bottom of this society, but get killed for it.

I am still navigating the jungle that is the United States, but I have no intentions of prolonging my stay here or wasting the remainder of my working days slaving on the plantation. The US, UK and Canada are no longer the frontier of success and wealth. Neither is UAE. Do your research, my friends.

You say that those places are "no longer the frontier of success" but to be real, most people just want somewhere 'better' and those places do have a lot more to offer than Trinidad & Tobago, both good things and bad. If you can deal with it then its better, if you can't then it seems worse. Something to consider.

You also made that statement but provide no facts other than do your own research. Surely you can provide some sort of report or evidence to backup those words. We can all benefit from such eye opening wisdom.

I can speak on what to expect for the average immigrant who has little to no financial means looking to build success or wealth. And I can speak from the perspective of living on the East Coast of the United States.

Expect to be viewed and treated no differently than someone with a secondary school education even if you have a university degree. While UWI is more widely recognized than say, COSTAATT or SBCS, employers here treat it more or less the same - as a "third world" inferior education. There may be exceptions in places like Amazon that hire many immigrants and sponsor H1-B visas, but those type of immigrants are usually coming with an MBA or similar degree from their country with some solid experience locally. But overall, expect to accept less pay to just get into a door to build that resume and experience.

For those without that type of education, expect to start from the bottom up. Many TT nationals go into the health field for this very reason - certified nurse assistants, home health aides, phlebotomy/EKG assistants, medical assistants, etc., and still some type of licensure is required that can take anywhere from a few months to a 2-year associate degrees. If I was trying to get a job and fast, the medical field is the easiest and most in demand here. Some start out this way, and once enough monies is saved they branch out to their profession of choice, usually working their job part time, while going to school full-time or part-time. That said, expect to pay out of pocket for schooling - federal-aid (student loans) isn't always immediately offered to those with a work visa and tend to go to those with permanent residency cards or citizenship.

Other options including construction, taxi driver services and warehouse associate jobs (Amazon, FedEx, UPS, etc.). Most pay minimum wage (anywhere from $12- $20USD/hour with room for overtime (anything over 40 hours) but expect sweatshop type of environment.

Some have also become self-employed offering trade services (plumbing, masonry, home improvement contractor, etc.), but again, all of this requires licensure. Once a license is obtained its about advertising services and fighting with other foreign nationals (ie Guyanese) to get a contract. The Guyanese community tend to stick together and amongst each other especially in Queens. Trinidadians - not so much.

I haven't even touched on cost of living here (upward of paying $3K USD a month on a small apartment in NYC) or, if you're okay with it - living like cockroaches in a smaller space with shared bathroom/kitchen facilities. It helps to have family that can take you in, but do prepare for those same family members to start demanding monies after a few months (or weeks) of no work.

I can't forget taxes - at least in NYC you pay a tax to live there, state tax (ie New York state -separate from NYC tax), and separate from taxes to the government, social security taxes (ie old-age pension benefits), and Medicare (old-age medical benefits). So that $700USD a week salary whittles down to $450 or so, and that does not take into consideration savings for health insurance, retirement savings, food, clothes, cell phone, personal expenses, etc..

Which leads me to the killer of them all: medical coverage. You cannot afford to get sick in this country unless you have a decent stash AND excellent health coverage. Many jobs still do not offer medical insurance coverage to employees, and this is most certainly an issue for immigrant populations. You ARE required to have some type of medical coverage in this country, so expect to pay a monthly fee. Some medical insurance require you pay upfront (deductible) before they cover any remaining balance. That deductible can be anywhere from $0 to several thousand of dollars. And medical insurance is separate from prescription costs, medical facility costs if you ever need to go to a hospital/emergency room and surgery costs. Many large insurance companies have literally killed people in this country because they refuse to approve paying for services. Michael Moore's documentary "Sicko" provides more insight on the horrendous state of medical coverage in one of the richest countries in the world.

Credit. Americans live off of credit. They don't hardly own what they profess to own. Mortgage, car loans, credit card debt, student loans. Expect to take out hundreds of thousands of dollars and live the remainder of your years trying to pay it off. That's the American dream.

And lastly - racism. It exists, especially against Black men and women. There is protocol on what to do if stopped or frisked by the police for the simple reason of driving while Black. Dashboard cameras are important in the event you end up killed because they thought your phone was a deadly weapon. They also kill you in the comfort of your home, and can get away with it.

Expect to be treated differently at work or deal with their racist and insensitive comments while taking it with a smile for the simple fact that you need to keep that job. Expect other persons that look like you to not be for you. You must always be four steps ahead in everything you do, especially your work environment. Never ever reveal and tell everyone your plans for the future or share your brilliant ideas, which can be used against you. Save all email communications as others can flip and say they never told you this or that to try and get you fired. Expect jealousy. Expect gerrymandering, where you look great on paper for a beautiful home in an upscale neighborhood but you're not quite the right shade to be approved. Words cannot explain the layers of how deep those goes. You have to experience it.

In summary, its NOT the land of milk and honey. TT may have its horrendous ways and crime and political buffoonery, but goodness gracious I would take that any day of the week over the explicit racism, implicit bias and daily hustle that drains you mentally, physically and emotionally.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[Redress10]

^^^^

And that folks is why the 1% and those of the lighter hue always threaten to "pack it up and leave" but never quite do. The reality is the vast majority of them wouldn't survive in those countries because they themselves will also face racism and discrimination. Instead they push the narrative that life in TT is hell to keep the people hopeless and despondent. The more that migrate the less competition their children have for resources etc.

[AbstractPoetic]

^^^^

And that folks is why the 1% and those of the lighter hue always threaten to "pack it up and leave" but never quite do. The reality is the vast majority of them wouldn't survive in those countries because they themselves will also face racism and discrimination. Instead they push the narrative that life in TT is hell to keep the people hopeless and despondent. The more that migrate the less competition their children have for resources etc.

x100000! Well said, sir.

[TheBoostLord]

As someone who actually lives in the United States and is not 'ketching dey ass', I implore each and every one of you to think long and hard before you relocate here. Indian or Black, racism in this country runs through all sectors of society, and unless you know how to play the game, you may not only remain at the bottom of this society, but get killed for it.

I am still navigating the jungle that is the United States, but I have no intentions of prolonging my stay here or wasting the remainder of my working days slaving on the plantation. The US, UK and Canada are no longer the frontier of success and wealth. Neither is UAE. Do your research, my friends.

You say that those places are "no longer the frontier of success" but to be real, most people just want somewhere 'better' and those places do have a lot more to offer than Trinidad & Tobago, both good things and bad. If you can deal with it then its better, if you can't then it seems worse. Something to consider.

You also made that statement but provide no facts other than do your own research. Surely you can provide some sort of report or evidence to backup those words. We can all benefit from such eye opening wisdom.

I can speak on what to expect for the average immigrant who has little to no financial means looking to build success or wealth. And I can speak from the perspective of living on the East Coast of the United States.

Expect to be viewed and treated no differently than someone with a secondary school education even if you have a university degree. While UWI is more widely recognized than say, COSTAATT or SBCS, employers here treat it more or less the same - as a "third world" inferior education. There may be exceptions in places like Amazon that hire many immigrants and sponsor H1-B visas, but those type of immigrants are usually coming with an MBA or similar degree from their country with some solid experience locally. But overall, expect to accept less pay to just get into a door to build that resume and experience.

For those without that type of education, expect to start from the bottom up. Many TT nationals go into the health field for this very reason - certified nurse assistants, home health aides, phlebotomy/EKG assistants, medical assistants, etc., and still some type of licensure is required that can take anywhere from a few months to a 2-year associate degrees. If I was trying to get a job and fast, the medical field is the easiest and most in demand here. Some start out this way, and once enough monies is saved they branch out to their profession of choice, usually working their job part time, while going to school full-time or part-time. That said, expect to pay out of pocket for schooling - federal-aid (student loans) isn't always immediately offered to those with a work visa and tend to go to those with permanent residency cards or citizenship.

Other options including construction, taxi driver services and warehouse associate jobs (Amazon, FedEx, UPS, etc.). Most pay minimum wage (anywhere from $12- $20USD/hour with room for overtime (anything over 40 hours) but expect sweatshop type of environment.

Some have also become self-employed offering trade services (plumbing, masonry, home improvement contractor, etc.), but again, all of this requires licensure. Once a license is obtained its about advertising services and fighting with other foreign nationals (ie Guyanese) to get a contract. The Guyanese community tend to stick together and amongst each other especially in Queens. Trinidadians - not so much.

I haven't even touched on cost of living here (upward of paying $3K USD a month on a small apartment in NYC) or, if you're okay with it - living like cockroaches in a smaller space with shared bathroom/kitchen facilities. It helps to have family that can take you in, but do prepare for those same family members to start demanding monies after a few months (or weeks) of no work.

I can't forget taxes - at least in NYC you pay a tax to live there, separate from taxes to the government, social security taxes (ie old-age pension benefits), and Medicare (old-age medical benefits). So that $700USD a week salary whittles down to $450 or so, and that does not take into consideration savings for health insurance or retirement savings.

Which leads me to the killer of them all: medical coverage. You cannot afford to get sick in this country unless you have a decent stash AND excellent health coverage. Many jobs still do not offer medical insurance coverage to employees, and this is most certainly an issue for immigrant populations. You ARE required to have some type of medical coverage in this country, so expect to pay a monthly fee. Some medical insurance require you pay upfront (deductible) before they cover any remaining balance. That deductible can be anywhere from $0 to several thousand of dollars. And medical insurance is separate from prescription costs, medical facility costs if you ever need to go to a hospital/emergency room and surgery costs. Many large insurance companies have literally killed people in this country because they refuse to approve paying for services. Michael Moore's documentary "Sicko" provides more insight on the horrendous state of medical coverage in one of the richest countries in the world.

Credit. Americans live off of credit. They don't hardly own what they profess to own. Mortgage, car loans, credit card debt, student loans. Expect to take out hundreds of thousands of dollars and live the remainder of your years trying to pay it off. That's the American dream.

And lastly - racism. It exists, especially against Black men and women. There is protocol on what to do if stopped or frisked by the police for the simple reason of driving while Black. Dashboard cameras are important in the event you end up killed because they thought your phone was a deadly weapon. They also kill you in the comfort of your home, and can get away with it.

Expect to be treated differently at work or deal with their racist and insensitive comments while taking it with a smile for the simple fact that you need to keep that job. Expect other persons that look like you to not be for you. You must always be four steps ahead in everything you do, especially your work environment. Never ever reveal and tell everyone your plans for the future or share your brilliant ideas, which can be used against you. Save all email communications as others can flip and say they never told you this or that to try and get you fired. Expect jealousy. Expect gerrymandering, where you look great on paper for a beautiful home in an upscale neighborhood but you're not quite the right shade to be approved. Words cannot explain the layers of how deep those goes. You have to experience it.

In summary, its NOT the land of milk and honey. TT may have its horrendous ways and crime and political buffoonery, but goodness gracious I would take that any day of the week over the explicit racism, implicit bias and daily hustle that drains you mentally, physically and emotionally.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Thanks for your sincere response. I've lived in a few places including NY so i can def agree with what you are saying. NY especially is a cut throat kina environment. However ny is a very very tiny area of the usa. Its funny how trinis tends to sitck close by each other but are hardly ever for each other, that blows my mind all the time. Wherever you go there will be a struggle simply because you are not native to that land. There are many places that you can prosper outside the state of New York. I cant guarantee you wont run into a racist ignorant a$$hole at some point, but many places the majority of the population dont condone that kina thing. I would encourage ppl to seek out the other states and see what life has to offer, dont just stick to new york or miami. In fact in not going to either of those states.

You mention you would rather be in trini and face certain challenges than what you had to deal with, but last i was aware of you were single(unmarried) without kids. idk if thats changed but if not then you have no idea what it feels like to be walking down the street in constant fear of something happening to you or your child. At least in many states you can be armed. You can dial 911 and get a response. You can get proper medical assistance even if it means you pay for that for years to come without insurance. When taking a walk on the sidewalk on miami beach i feel as though ive freed up 20% of my brainpower without having to worry so much about things. That goes a longggg way in putting up with BS people and systems and becoming productive towards a real chance at having wealth.

[TheBoostLord]

^^^^

And that folks is why the 1% and those of the lighter hue always threaten to "pack it up and leave" but never quite do. The reality is the vast majority of them wouldn't survive in those countries because they themselves will also face racism and discrimination. Instead they push the narrative that life in TT is hell to keep the people hopeless and despondent. The more that migrate the less competition their children have for resources etc.

I'd agree with some of this. They wont leave cus they are big fishes in little ponds yes, and out there they are nobodys. However, they can very easily fly out and life very comfortably every day without having to work a single day with what they have acquired. Their kids dont really face any competition as they will either be absorbed into whatever industry or field they desire(since they own everything anyway) or go live in some other country doing whatever they like. They simply are here because they can afford it, and they can gain from it. If venezuela took over trinidad tomorrow they could get the means to leave and live in an instant. Many have yachts ready in the event of the worst.

[widdyphuck]

I can't see how any one in their right mind would leave a first world country to come to a third world country.
No logic in that move at all.

[SuperiorMan]

I can't see how any one in their right mind would leave a first world country to come to a third world country.
No logic in that move at all.

lol

[bluefete]

I can't see how any one in their right mind would leave a first world country to come to a third world country.
No logic in that move at all.

lol

I came back to help build my country. And that I have done!

[Kickstart]

I can't see how any one in their right mind would leave a first world country to come to a third world country.
No logic in that move at all.

They do it cause they can get away with crimes.

There are Carricom countries that sell passports for proceeds of crime. Prime Minister are involved in the selling of passports via middle men

Watch Vid

https://youtu.be/qCTMRfKShDI

[SuperiorMan]

I can't see how any one in their right mind would leave a first world country to come to a third world country.
No logic in that move at all.

lol

I came back to help build my country. And that I have done!

good for you.

[widdyphuck]

I can't see how any one in their right mind would leave a first world country to come to a third world country.
No logic in that move at all.

lol

I came back to help build my country. And that I have done!

What did you build thus far?

[bluefete]

I can't see how any one in their right mind would leave a first world country to come to a third world country.
No logic in that move at all.

lol

I came back to help build my country. And that I have done!

What did you build thus far?

Minds!

[widdyphuck]

I can't see how any one in their right mind would leave a first world country to come to a third world country.
No logic in that move at all.

lol

I came back to help build my country. And that I have done!

What did you build thus far?

Minds!

You could have stayed abroad and paved a way for your kids and grandchildren. Why return to suffer.

[DMan7]

I can't see how any one in their right mind would leave a first world country to come to a third world country.
No logic in that move at all.

lol

I came back to help build my country. And that I have done!

What did you build thus far?

Minds!

Teacher?

[RedVEVO]

^^

Yes young people with families or relatives in foreign places ..

Leave T&T and educated yourself - see other cultures and learn to be wise and productive .

Live your life to the fullest !

[toyota2nr]

If the people who run to the US and Canada put the same effort here that they do up there , there would be no need to run.

But the system / government prevents you from making that effort

[MaxPower]

If the people who run to the US and Canada put the same effort here that they do up there , there would be no need to run.

But the system / government prevents you from making that effort

Lol yep

Blame the system/government.

[RedVEVO]

If the people who run to the US and Canada put the same effort here that they do up there , there would be no need to run.

But the system / government prevents you from making that effort

Lol yep

Blame the system/government.

Trinidad has limited opportunities for the young people - especially if your family or self has limited finances .

Young peeps need to travel and explore the World - see different cultures and experience life.

It is ONLY then you become truly educated in terms of ideas and current events .

You need balance in life

[ScHoolboySoloQ]

Trinidad will bounce back don't hut your head.

When you all leave, I'll be here reaping the rewards.

Just curious, not denying what you are saying but how do you see it bouncing back? I asked this here already and a lot of people were saying no.

There's always ups and downs. In 2008, they thought it would be the end of the economy. We are here today so things will get better.

[WhiteAnalyst]

Fellas who leave,

How all yuh doing?

[The Bamboo Online]

Fellas who leave,

How all yuh doing?

We Doing good...

what’s up?

[WhiteAnalyst]

Fellas who leave,

How all yuh doing?

We Doing good...

what’s up?

How things there? Where you went btw?

Good to know you doing well....hope things work out.

[The Bamboo Online]

Fellas who leave,

How all yuh doing?

We Doing good...

what’s up?

How things there? Where you went btw?

Good to know you doing well....hope things work out.

Almost back to normal no need for masks other pandemic rules almost gone.

Upstate NY aka the North Country

Thanks....Things working out pretty good especially since the pandemic began.

[Gem_in_i]

Trinidad has limited opportunities for the young people - especially if your family or self has limited finances .

Young peeps need to travel and explore the World - see different cultures and experience life.

It is ONLY then you become truly educated in terms of ideas and current events .

You need balance in life

I agree.

[RedVEVO]

Trinidad has limited opportunities for the young people - especially if your family or self has limited finances .

Young peeps need to travel and explore the World - see different cultures and experience life.

It is ONLY then you become truly educated in terms of ideas and current events .

You need balance in life

I agree.

^^

If you have children send them abroad NOW ( in foreign ) by family or relatives .

They will 100% survive and blend in - a very short time .

And whenever they go they WILL get an excellent education .

Much surprised than in T&T the Gov't does NOT support public education to immigrants .

At the end of the day you will have perfectly balanced and life loving peeps

[timelapse]

Leave Trinidad, make room for the Venes right?

[MaxPower]

Leave Trinidad, make room for the Venes right?

Timez,

Trinis don’t necessarily have to leave T&T for Venes to make room for themselves and settle nicely.

It already happening bro.

[widdyphuck]

If Venezuelans get a chance they buss out of here and go America without looking back.

[MaxPower]

If Venezuelans get a chance they buss out of here and go America without looking back.

Yep,

Plenty Trinis too.