ABSTRACT

There is a constellation of events that motivate immigrants to migrate to a new country (Arevalo, Tucker, & Falcon, 2015; Grinberg & Grinberg, 2004; Paat, 2013; Portes & DeWind, 2004; Sodhi, 2002, 2007; Winnicott, 1966). Ogbu (1992) believed that voluntary immigrants journey to a new country ideally to provide a better life for themselves and their families, to explore educational and employment opportunities, and to ameliorate their current standard of living (Paat, 2013; Rothe, Pumariega, & Sabagh, 2011). Push/pull factors may motivate and generate unrealistic visions concerning migration, as noted in the following extracts. A first-generation immigrant indicated:

My pre-migration vision was to go to a rich country of “milk and honey” and get rid of the deprivation that surrounded me throughout my childhood and adult life. I left behind a country which I felt was at a standstill, filled with religious prejudices, no clear goals to rid poverty, and lack of dignity to humanity. Also, by migrating to the Western world I thought there was the possibility of owning a car and a modern house, and upgrading my education leading to a PhD.