Be the ‘Ungrateful Immigrant’
I noticed a trend in discussions and attitudes within communities of people who move to Finland - if you speak up or criticize the society objectively or not, you are ungrateful. By this definition, I am an ungrateful immigrant and you should be too. This narrative is also promoted by the society which tends to indirectly or directly pick and choose who are the more welcome ‘immigrants’ based on how ‘grateful’ they are or not. For want of a better word, I will use the term immigrant as is used in the mainstream discourses in Finland so we have a common ground. Gratitude is ONLY a first step Gratitude acknowledges the opportunities and freedoms often associated with moving to a new country. For many, immigration may provide access to better education, safety, healthcare, and economic stability—opportunities that might not have been available in their country of origin. This is a phase that must not end as such. Gratitude means contributing and enriching the new s...