Jobs!

I just read Bubbles' most recent post.

A quote, that I am reacting to,
"Yesterday I went to the mall and the cab driver was a Nigerian. I felt very heartbroken... I mean come on.! It is obvious that he left Nigeria to find a better life in America but A TAXI DRIVER!! I can't seem to get my head around it." -Bubbles.

Many immigrants come to supposed greener pastures, the likes of the US of A, to find a better life. I bet that a majority of those immigrants do get a better life, and a better one for their folks that remain in their home countries.

As a cab driver, that guy makes money, like serious Dees. Even if the fare goes to the company directly first. I know cos I use cabs. My last cab-drive cost 25 Euros for a 30min ride, and the guys was still tipped . I am sure that guy[/cab driver] can still use his [meagre, if it is] salary to fend for his fam in Nigeria. He may not be able to do this in Nigeria, where he may be the driver of some Oga or do kabu-kabu business. Worst still, he may be unemployed. How far can his job/no-job earnings, if he remained in Nigeria, take him and his family?

My main reaction is with regards to the 'taxi driver'. That is a job, like a 'waiter', 'post office cashier', 'accountant', 'babysitter', 'stay at home dad' etc. The way some folks perceive/regard some jobs is demeaning. I understand the fact that people view certain jobs differently, mostly because of the mentality of the folks of a particularly region/country blah blah. As a Nigerian, who culturally identifies herself as Nigerian, I know the job titles, 'waitress', 'nanny', 'taxi driver', are not even considered/'discuss-able' by folks in the Nigerian middle-class. But as a Yankee student and someone who resides in Europe, I know those jobs are just like any other. It's the dignity, with which the job holder carries his/her self that matters, and the pay you derive from it that justifies your job.

The 'taxi driver' is a job. It may not be as desirable as 'the lawyer' but it is still a job. As a student, I work during the school year. I will label my job as 'the processor.' Well, it is a job, which I can do in Nigeria 'prestigiously' but I know some students, who are from the Nigerian middle/high class and still work in the cafeteria, as 'cleaners/servers/cooks' in their Yankee schools. Some Nigerian come to Yankee to work in seniors' nursing homes. They go to Nigeria and build houses with thier pay. My point with these students/Nigerians' examples is why they can't declare their jobs confidently, when they go back to their home countries.

'come on!' It's the job that provided that extra money for you to get into that club on April 20, paid for the dinner on that special date or paid your child's school fees back home. Why can't some people hold their heads up high and stand for what they do? or maybe it is because of the way you look at people, who have such jobs in Nigeria/whatever-your-home-country-is.

In addition, these jobs, which may not be as desirable as others, have to be done by someone. Working is a survival instinct. Whatever provides your rent/food is your armour.

Je t'embrasse

oh well, i am back from that "one kind shopping"

thanx to all who stopped by my blog, dropped encouraging comments and have begun to follow me. mehn! who said blogger is a joke. seems like another world to me. blogotopia, i have to drop by pple's houses, ie blogs, to greet them, ie drop comments.

today, i planned with my friend to go shopping for groceries. trust afro babes, we used the bus. as we approached the shopping complex, it hit us that Marshalls had a store beside Stop&Shop's. we were like "Marshalls, marshalls, shoes, clothes"

we ended up spending 2hrs in Marshall and had one hr left for the more important stuff, groceries. after shopping, we ended up with a full trolley of stuffs, ranging from mango to towel. thanx to the difference of our debit cards' balance. ok now! let's enter the bus, the female driver started fronting that we had too much stuff. i mean we had 4 or 5 bags each. maybe it's too much sha. but is it really her bizwaps? she said no oh. one other lady offered a ride, we were glad but the 2 mean-looking dogs in her back seat decided for us. i like but cant stand dogs. for reals! neither can my friend. we passed the opportunity decided to use a cart to roll our stuffs back to skul. it was my friend that suggested this alternative oh and i was kul with it. the funny thing was that she wanted me to push out the cart out of the complex so i wud be responsible. i dint agree oh and we started arguing, more like tryna use each other's brain.

we were still trying to gain liver when we saw two guys, who go to the same skul with us, roll a cart out of the complex. still, i wasnt kul with the idea of rolling a cart to skul cos its kinda hilly. one lady that works in the skul cafeteria drove by and parked. imagine! this lady talked and talked and didnt offer to drop us at skul. waste of time.

then, a taxi driver asked if we needed a ride. we said "yes" but we dont have money. that's the truth sha but a glance at our recently acquired items wud hint otherwise. i mean, the bus ride is just $1.25 compared to the taxi fare. he drove away and came back. this time, he offered $8. i was like "really?" we got in. midway, i realised i dint have cash as usual. i had only $4. we told him oh. i am sure, he tot we played a fast one on him cos the ride was illegal and he wanted to just cut $8 to his own pocket. thus, i cudnt swipe my card. he sha ended up carrying us for free. thank God oh!

who knows? if it were a hot-tempered driver, he cud have mishandled us oh.

anyhoos, i just finished making my sweetass .smoothie. i am addicted to the drink oh, thank God it is healthful.