

The Immigrant Advantage - ValentineC
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/25/opinion/sunday/the-immigrant-advantage.html

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tomek_zemla
The study confirms what many immigrants know from anecdotal evidence and it
probably is true in other countries not only US. I grew up in communist Poland
and immigrated to Canada in 1989 just as the system was crumbling. Met many
immigrants in the first years in Canada both while working odd jobs (help in
pizza restaurant, window washer, cheap labour of all all sorts) and after two
years studying computer science at the university.

There were very visible patterns. The more horrible the place of origin people
came from the harder they worked/studied. Privileged kids at the university
spent their weekends complaining about how hard the assignments were while I
worked 4 shifts in two days in the cheap restaurant kitchen and did my
assignments after midnight. (I was happy about this system because I ate for
free all weekend long and had zero opportunities to spend money...).

I realized that my immigrant story of difficult background and hard work in
Canada was nothing special when the boss hired two brothers from Afghanistan
as delivery drivers. Both of these guys it turned out had three jobs each! And
they were always happy spreading good mood around... When I asked them what's
the secret to this happiness they said that they managed to escape from
Afghanistan with their families under Russian bombardment (previous war)
without loosing anybody in the family. Working three jobs in Canada was like
being in heaven for them.

Most of the immigrants in the West come from difficult backgrounds and they
don't take for granted what many Westerners do. Given any opportunities they
will make sure to take them.

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nolite
Selection bias.. If you're gutsy enough to move to a foreign land, alone,
possibly strange language, you're ballsy enough to hustle in every other part
of your life

