This articles connects most of the central themes in this class. The Caribbean community, as stated in the article, personifies transnationalism, which can be defined as forming a community, usually constructed by family networks, internationally. Transnationalism is a product of globalization, the movement of people and goods/services ‘freely’ across borders. Transnationalism has social, political, and economic aspects, all of which are facilitated through the use of technology. First, the social aspect contains changing identities and keeping connecting with family. When families move to new places, they are combatted with belonging to a new home, while trying to maintain cultural ties or identity. These families of the diaspora often form niches in new societies to interact/ assist with people of similar background and issues; however, these niches are not isolated and usually correspond with the new society’s people of similar socio-economic- racial class. Families who can afford to travel back to the homeland often do so to keep their identity and freshen ties with family. Family stay connected with distant relatives through the use of phone, internet, or mail, somewhat closing the otherwise substantial distance. A major factor that motivates people to leave the Caribbean is the lack of opportunity. People travel globally in order to support their families throughout the diaspora. The type of financial support is called remittance.This support network is called a trust network because it is less formal of a business transaction and mostly between friends and family. People maintain strong bonds to cement social bonds, as well as have a financial, or potential financial support system. Politically, transnationalism raises many questions. It raises the question of citizenship, as many Caribbean people live outside of the Caribbean but still have economic, political, and social standing. In new societies, as well, where the Caribbean population is usually a small but growing faction, amassing political leverage where they settle. Also, as globalism progresses, people move more but there is this after effect in which people become more nationalistic and borders become more rigid. People want to feel like own or belong to something as a sense of home or sense of stability in the future seem to dissipate.

This week’s article discussed Trinidadian immigrants who returned to Trinidad after living out of the island for multiple years. Specifically, this article focuses on one of the biggest topics of this class: Transnationalism. Firstly, the article analyzes how family influences migrants to maintain ties with their home and thus form a transnational identity. Family ties back in the homeland can be formed due to child rearing, where a family member is caring for an migrant’s children. Many times, family ties are maintained between a parent remaining in the homeland and the child who migrated to start a better life. Furthermore, a transnational relationship between a parent and child usually includes the transfer of money, as the child, once supported by the parent, now returns the favor by sending hard earned money back to the homeland. Transnational ties also include those with the community. Migrants going abroad could maintain ties with friends and people they used to live amongst. What this does is keep the migrant in touch with his old community so that if they return, it would seem as if they never left. Many times, migrants who do not keep in touch return home to find that they are seen as strangers and that they do not belong. Migrants who do keep in touch with their community usually return home multiple ties. In the past, this was difficult to maintain, but with the cheap cost of travel, it is now a possibility for almost everyone. Furthermore, traveling to and from the homeland allowed people to develop dual citizenships. This causes migrants to be involved in affairs with their both their affiliated countries. One main affair is that migrants can own land in their birth land and can thus return their later in their lives. This article also discusses the idea that it may be hard for immigrants to return to their homeland even if they maintained ties.  This is because immigrants maintain an image of how their country of origin was like when they lived. When they see how their country has changed, they continue to maintain their old image.

In conclusion, I have enjoyed taking this Macaulay seminar. I was previously oblivious to anything having to do with the Caribbean Islands but the class has opened my eyes to many issues surrounding the Caribbean people, and other immigrants as well.

Thinking about the immigration policy, the United States has always struggled with immigrants. Many people believe that immigrants are using up the country’s resources and taking opportunities from natives. However, such statements are highlighting that people in the United States are struggling to get by and thus there is a general detest for anyone who also needs aid. I continue to believe that anyone in the United States is given the same opportunities, although some may receive more than others, however it is whether you take these opportunities or not that dictates your future and decides whether you struggle or live comfortably. People born in the U.S. should not hold a hatred of immigrants considering they are living in an advanced nation that allows them to accomplish anything. However, many times people do not take what this country has offered since their birth and they blame others for their shortcomings. Immigrants coming here will take full advantage of the opportunities others haven’t taken and they deserve to. Personally, I am thankful that my family did struggle to live in Lebanon, however I know of people who did struggle to get by and who lost family members to war. Coming to countries like the U.S., these people, who were never privileged, work hard to earn the rewards available to them to better their family’s lives. Reason why the United States should tighten its immigration policy should only regard population problems or illegal activity, however it shouldn’t be due to immigrants taking opportunities that others had since birth.

The issue of the Mediterranean migration is one that must be taken into careful consideration. Thousands (60,000) have fled from their countries due to government crisis or extreme financial hardship (Taylor). These people have managed to get passed numerous checkpoints, travel long distances with limited supplies, and get on compacted ships that will help take them across the Mediterranean. These people have risked everything, it is without a doubt that these migrants are desperate for a change. Many have already died in the process of immigrating. About 1,800 are reported dead (Taylor). An article claims that the death toll of migrants in the mediterranean has reached closed to the numbers from 2014 and the peak of the migration season has not yet started. European countries are giving some aid, however many neglect these migrants because they are uninterested in taking care of them as citizens. 60,000 people is a large number of people for countries like Italy to intake. They believe that if such a high number of migrants enter the country then economic stability is at risk.

After reading the articles about the Mediterranean crisis it became clear to me that the only solution is for European nations to accept these migrants. Although the number of migrants is a large sum, the other solutions such as improving the situation in foreign countries is nearly impossible. There are many European nations that are in need of migrant importation. Such nation includes Germany. Germany has many job opportunities. Over the years, it statistics have shown that the German population has been declining. The genuine German race are dieing much more frequent than the birth rate. Therefore, a nation like Germany can, without a doubt, take a large portion of migrants without noticing a negative impact in their economy. In fact, an improvement of the German economy can be the result from a large intake of migrants. The migrants will help speed up production in the nation.

There are many wonderful images I found in an article online. The images emphasize the struggle that the Mediterranean migrants are undergoing in order to search for a happier life.

http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2015/05/the-mediterranean-migrant-crisis-risking-everything-for-a-chance-at-a-better-life/392957/————————>>Check it out

Whenever people migrate to a new country, often times there is a thought of returning home, whether it is a fleeting moment or an end goal. People travel to countries such as the United States with working visas, make money, and return home to support their families. Families are a big reason people return to the native countries. Other reasons involve retirement in the home country, opening a business, or just returning back to an environment that is familiar.

Many immigrants return home to continue supporting their families. While one parents stays with the kids, another will go work in another country, and return home with money. Sometimes children are sent to the native countries for child rearing. They are raised by relatives, or sometimes are sent for schooling in the native country and then to large cities overseas for higher-level education. Constant trips back home also encourage social networks between friends, community members and relatives. This gives the immigrants the flexibility to return home and have people to turn to. Keeping in touch with the neighborhood allows for migrants to be aware of their towns. This in turn gives them the flexibility to stay in local politics. Also, for example, if someone plans to return home and start a store, they would need the support of the community. Often times if a migrant does not keep in touch with the events of the community, they will return home to find a town much different than what they left behind. This makes moving back much more difficult than the utopian and nostalgic memories they had.  Forgetting what its like at the hometown will make transitioning from a high paced cosmopolitan city to a low paced town difficult if all the person has to go off of were happy memories.

Dual citizenship and networks are a part of the frequently discussed idea of strategic flexibility. The opportunity to live in multiple places opens doors in terms of jobs and social connections. Migrants can choose from several locations and move around to better jobs and better living arrangements. With modern technology it is incredibly easy to keep in touch with relatives that are far away.  The connection with the homeland allows for freedom for a better life. In cases where migration does not work out, people will need somewhere to go, and it makes it very easy to return if a community is willing to take you in.

The article for this week along with our class discussion was interesting and really touched me on a personal level. The article looked at Trinidadian migrants who return to Trinidad after living abroad for several years. This article aims at showing the existence and effects of transnationalism, including the effect of transnationalism on the country of origin. The article uses the experience of these Trinidadian migrants to make certain generalizations about immigration as a whole. This article analyzes several areas. The first one is the transnational family and life-course issues. Family factors can influence an immigrant to maintain connections with his/her homeland. Child rearing, filial loyalty and sickness are some of many things that can influence people to travel and remain abroad for a period of time. Transnational community relationships and the idea of being a global citizen cause people to form and keep transnational ties. These ties are made much stronger with the fact that there is cheap air transportation. It is these repetitive and constant visits that prepare people to return to Trinidad. Constantly travelling back and forth has made people develop dual citizenship with both the United States and their country of origin. These people will become involved in affairs of their current country of residence as well as their country of birth. Land ownership at the place of birth has also motivated many people to return to their homeland at a later age. Many Caribbean people travel to the United States to work very hard for a long period time with the idea that they will eventually go back to their country of origin for their retirement. However, the land that they remember is no longer the same, causing many people to feel frustration when they go back.

The term, “strategic flexibility” was very important in this article. It is with regards to future migration opportunities. This article also touches on the idea that it is often times hard for immigrants to go back to their homeland despite the fact that they maintain transnational ties. As I mentioned before, immigrants tend to have the image of how their country of origin was like when they lived there in mind and even if they discover that the country of origin made drastic changes since they left, they still do not change that mindset. Thus many face frustrations when they go back and observe the changes. If the change is for the worst or for the best, immigrants will still feel awkward and frustrated because over the years they have gotten used to the American system.

In conclusion, I am so grateful and honored to have taken this Macaulay seminar. It has really opened up my mind to many issues and ideas with regards to immigration of not only Caribbean people but of everyone in general. This reading was a fitting conclusion to our ongoing discussions on transnationalism and migrant networks. What is even more interesting to me is to read about how there have been immigrants that have been stripped of their ethnic names and identities when coming to America, almost erasing any way of future generations of being able to reconnect with the past. That is why we have many people who identify as American and do not have any unique cultural practices.

With regards to immigration policy, I think that we are really on a tough spot here in the United States. There are many different points of view. Coming from a family of immigrants, all I can say is that we do not come to this country to take advantage of its resources and opportunities and then leave. Instead, we want to make our lives in America and move on, making progress on the ladder of social mobility. The phrase it does not matter where you come from but where you go comes to mind. Also, the fact that many people are still immigrating today shows that the world we live in has a lot of disparity and all people look for is to be on the good side rather than on the floor begging for food.

Its finally the end of the semester, and what better way to end it than with a paper about returning home? The discussion in class was very insightful. I never would’ve imagined that this article on returning home could direct the discussion towards a greater world problem. While its true that there are many problems in the world, its not impossible to fix. In our discussion, it was repeatedly mentioned that world powers keep their grips on foreign countries through financial interactions. An industry in a third world country being completely controlled by other more powerful countries is not uncommon. It is really frustrating sometimes to see countries reaping the benefits from a poorer country, but doing nothing when the poorer country is in crisis. Why can’t there be a relation between countries where both countries can benefit? Why is is so difficult to establish such a system? I think it is because of human’s natural selfishness. A country wouldn’t just help another country if it doesn’t perceive any immediate advantage.

I want to say that China is on the right track when it comes to international relations. Right now, China is trying to develop economically and industrially at an insane pace. However, maintaining this growth requires resources that China doesn’t have. In the past, Empires or nations that needed to maintain growth relied on conquest to obtain the resources they needed. The British Empire, for example, expanded their control across the world to gain access to resources. China is doing the same thing as well, except they aren’t taking them by force. China builds a relationship with other countries in which both parties benefit. In return for raw materials, China legitimately provides the infrastructure that the country lacks, whether they are hospitals, roads, or power plants. However, this does cause a strain on the country’s resources and may end up causing some backlash to to the relationship. The United States does this slightly differently. In the name of Democracy and settling political unrest in foreign countries, the US ends up occupying the country for a while and conveniently takes control of that country’s resources. It sounds horrible, but this is the reason why Americans are able to live so comfortably. If we want to change the world, we have to look pass the advantages. We have to see beyond the risks and rewards and overcome human’s selfishness. Only by doing so will we be able to create a world where these problems do not exist.