Metropolitan

Aburokyire Abrabor: Ghanaian life abroad

part two

'Aburokyire Abrabor: Ghanaian life abroad.' is a series featuring the stories of individuals who have travelled to foreign countries for the same purpose; the hope of a better life for themselves and their families. Some are stories of success, but others are not so lucky. Some are, in their words, ‘trapped’ abroad.

In part two, we hear the story of a wife abroad, whose marriage is strained by her efforts abroad.

“I have a house, a beautiful mansion built with my own hard earned money, but I’ve never been able to rest my wary head in it. I’ve seen pictures and videos of my home, but I can’t live in it. I’ve have many cars that work for me in Ghana, but I still run up and down every morning to chase London buses. I have a driver’s license but it is Ghanaian, so it can’t be used. I am not entitled to be here because I am not legal. When do I finally say ‘it’s enough’, it’s time to go home?”

“I loved him, he loved me.......they were the last words we told each other five years ago as I left my country. We had a good marriage but no children, because I don’t live in my country to make love to my husband. It’s been five years now. I’m a married woman. My conscience troubles me as I have slept with other men just to find a way to get stay in England. Doing this makes me feel terrible, but it seems to be the only option. I try to make my peace with God, but I am forced to continue this dreadful path. It makes me not trust my husband back home, the only real man in my life. How is he coping? He must be sleeping with other women because I have been absent for so long. I grieve, but I cannot blame him. I am pushing all boundaries and following the advice of those who have been here for longer than me, telling me how they made it and encouraging me that I can make it too, but this is ruining my life, breaking me down”

“I work as a cleaner. I wake at 4am in the morning and head to Central London for 5am. I have the key to an office that I had to pay for so that I can work, but it is illegal. I let myself into the office and clean very well. I do my best as I do not want to return the key because there are complaints about my work. My money goes into the bank account of the man I bought the key from, because I do not have one. I earn £4 per hour, but whenever he gives me my money it is short. If I ask why he shouts ‘how dare I?’ He says that I am accusing him of dishonesty and says he has to pay taxes. He threatens to take back the key if I am not careful. Inside I am angry and feel abused. I send what I can home and manage the rest as best as I can. I give my friend some small money because I have been sleeping on her sofa since arrived here. I now have a back complaint, but I cannot get treatment for it because I cannot register with a doctor or go to hospital unless I use somebody’s else’s details. I feel so ashamed of my life, that I tell my family and husband that things here are great. I send him pictures of me looking happy, but inside I am broken. When can I go back home?”

by Karen Mcklaren