Having parent(s) in Germany DOES NOT equal success

Why do we have a need to belittle and dismiss others’ accomplishments and hardwork? When I first came to Germany, the Kenyans I met told me it was impossible for Kenyans to study in Germany. Now years later after proving it is possible, in comes the doubting Thomases with, “You were only able to do so, because your parents live here”.

By German law, you can only bring a child to Germany with the Family Reunion visa when they are below 16yrs of age. Above 16, any foreigners coming to Germany are all treated equal. You get a visa based on what you want to do in Germany and if you aren’t doing it, you are sent back to where you came from regardless of whether or not your parents live in Germany. (I bet you didn’t know that did you.)

I’m very lucky to have my parents living in Germany and I wouldn’t disregard that fact. I thank God above all, because I have very supportive parents who are my number one fans and number one critics. And may I add, my mum makes the best chapatis.

As Kenyans we have a tendency to perpetuate lies for so long until we begin to pretend they are truths. Having parent(s) in Germany DOES NOT equal success. There are many successful foreigners and in this case Kenyans who didn’t have their parents here, while we have many Kenyans with parents here who didn’t go far. Or do you know anyone who slept through their Ausbildung or Uni and are now heading some company in Germany because their parent(s) was/were in Germany? …..Thought so.

Reports show that, 75% of foreign children in Germany drop out of school without any formal qualification; 5% get to University and another 5% do an ausbildung while the 15% just give up after they get the Hauptschulabschluss. Don’t these kids have their parents here?

Look at the Kenyan community as well. Some of these veterans who advice the newcomers gave their children the same advice. Be honest with yourself and look around the Kenyans who were brought here by their parents, for those that came below 16yrs, how many went to Uni? How many have an ausbildung? How many own their own businesses?

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie once said, “We are always too quick to celebrate and hide the issues we have under the table”. Although she referred to Nigerians in her statement, I think it applies to Kenyans as well. Just because you know 2 people who are here with their parents and are successful, you want to pretend that that is the norm.

The city I live in, you only have your student visa extended if you have enough credit points. If you miss classes and don’t write your exams, you have less points and no visa extension, your parent’s location doesn’t matter. I’m yet to see a University program, ausbildung, scholarship, internship or job that gives your parent(s) location as a requirement to get it.

How many Kenyans do we know, brought by their parents then:

• Abandoned?
• Taken by their mothers to pubs, and pushed to prostitution in the name of makara?
• Deported despite their parent having a German passport?
• Left to raise themselves because their parents were too busy running after makara or drowning their sorrows in alcohol?
• Get into drug addiction?
• Sent to seek asylum? (Did you know the Kenyan asylum seeker who died of hypothermia last winter had been brought to Germany by his mother?)

When you walk into a hotel and they refuse to serve you because of your colour, they don’t take a minute to ask you where your parents are before they discriminate you. When a bus driver refuses to stop when you’re the only one at the stop waiting, they don’t ask where your parents are before driving off. When you take a test, your grade isn’t given on whether your parent(s) are in Germany.

Truth is, in Germany discrimination is alive and well. You’re judged by your colour, nationality and name but mostly by colour. When you send in an application with your picture and they aren’t interested in a black applicant, your CV is dismissed without a care of whether your parents live in Germany or Angela Merkel is your neighbour.

I have the best parents in the world, nasiringi. My parents have supported me, through this madness called living in Germany. I believe, if your parents are supportive of your efforts they will hold you up regardless of their location.

The first road to failure is to think success is reserved for others based on silly superficial standards like tribe, their parents’ location or religion. To succeed you have to work and struggle day and night.

There are over 700million active websites today, with such a huge variety of choice, please don’t let this single site cause you sleepless nights. I appreciate ALL those that visit my site, but if you can’t find anything helpful on my site, do yourself a favour and go browse elsewhere for what interests you. Time is a precious commodity that can never be recovered, please don’t come and waste it here.

Kenyans aren’t stupid, we’re just lazy and love quick fixes. Truth is, Germany is one of the few countries that demands education qualifications for most jobs and makes it possible for foreigners to access those opportunities. Ask any Kenyan in the US or UK or Australia, without a degree you are stuck doing odd jobs and sometimes even with the degree. In Germany, even with your KCPE Certificate, you can still go back to school and get an Ausbildung or a degree. Wake up and stop lying to others.

You and I are equal. You can accomplish much more than even you have ever dreamed of, you just have to be willing to go out and fight for it. Or you can sit back and watch others then complain it was handed to them.