Chapter 825 Different Choices
"Fernandez, are you really not going to think about it again and stay in East Africa?"
At the dock of Maputo Port, Eusebio said to his good friend Fernandez who came to see him off.
Fernandez took a long puff of his cigarette, frowned and said, "Even if I return home now, what difference will it make? The situation in Portugal is probably not much better than that in Mozambique. I heard that the government owed a lot of debts after the war, and the future economy will probably be dragged down. There are so many people returning home now, and I'm afraid it will be hard to find a job. So it's better to stay in Mozambique. At least I have developed some feelings for this land over the years."
It's not so much about feelings, but rather that he has gotten used to staying in Mozambique. Just like a prisoner in prison, he will become disconnected from society after a long time. This is almost the case with Fernandez now.
As a former Portuguese colony, Mozambique has not fallen to the level of a prisoner exile place like Australia did to Britain, but it is not much different.
In the past when Portugal was still prosperous, the priority of colonies in South America and the Far East was definitely higher than Africa. Moreover, during the hundreds of years when Portugal colonized Mozambique, it had always been focusing on the coastal areas, and it was only in recent years that it truly began to develop the inland areas.
On the one hand, all other valuable colonies had been lost, and on the other hand, the direct threat from East Africa made Portugal feel insecure, so it invested in Mozambique.
However, it was too late for Portugal to pay attention to Africa. In such a short period of time, Portugal had no time to change the domestic people's perception of Mozambique.
Except for those who really have the ability to make a fortune in Mozambique, most of the Portuguese who go to Mozambique to develop are actually from the bottom of society who can no longer make it in their home country, such as Fernandez and Eusebio.
Fernandez recalled: "Eusebio, do you remember why we came to Maputo?"
Eusebio said: "Of course, to find job opportunities!"
"Yes, we all came from the village of Migne. We had no land in Portugal and couldn't find a job. In the end, we were tricked into coming here to work. So even if we go back to Portugal now, we can't change anything. Besides, after paying the boat fare, our savings over the years are probably almost gone. So is there any need for us to go back?" Fernandez asked.
Eusebio felt a tightness in his heart. What Fernandez said was indeed a bit heartbreaking. The lower class people are always the lower class people wherever they go. Only a few can make a fortune, and Fernandez and Eusebio are obviously the majority.
Fernandez went on to say: "In Portugal, we have no assets and are now old. We were only 17 years old when we left Portugal and are now nearly 30 years old, but we have achieved nothing. Even if we return to our home country and work in a factory, we may not be able to compete with those young people. If life is like this, we might as well stay in East Africa. After all, East Africa is a country that can beat Britain, so I think this country should have a better future than Portugal."
Eusebio was silent for a while, then thought for a while and said, "Maybe we can go back to Portugal first, and then look for opportunities in France or Germany. That would be a way out."
Fernandez: "This is indeed a good idea, but we need channels. We don't have high education and work experience. After all, we have been working on plantations for so many years. I am afraid we can't find such a job in Europe. Of course, if there are relatives or acquaintances to lead the way, that is also a shortcut. But after all this trouble, it feels not much different from being in East Africa."
Eusebio: "It's a huge difference. You've been in Mozambique for so long, you must know what kind of country East Africa is like, right? Germans live like machines, there's nothing interesting about them. Even the most prosperous cities in East Africa are far inferior to big cities like Paris and Berlin."
Fernandez: "Dar es Salaam is not as bad as you say, right? And you are so bold to think so. Berlin and Paris have always been the most developed cities in Europe, and the cities in East Africa are all very young. Besides, Dar es Salaam is much better than Lisbon, and it is more prosperous than many capitals in Europe. Although this East African country is relatively closed, it is stable. I am no longer at the age of being arrogant, and pursuing stability is what I want."
"Alas, we are all old!" Eusebio also sighed. Of course, this is true considering the average life expectancy of this era. Of course, it is not too exaggerated. After all, if there is no serious illness or disaster, ordinary people can live to be seventy or eighty years old.
After all, life expectancy is just statistics. In this era, the child mortality rate alone can lower life expectancy significantly.
"However, I still don't think it's a good idea to stay in East Africa. After all, East Africa is the Germans' East Africa. We Portuguese have offended them badly. If we stay, we will inevitably be liquidated. Even if they are generous, I'm afraid they will look at us with prejudice." Eusebio persuaded.
Regarding this, Fernandez said confidently: "Definitely not. Although East Africa is not very open and inclusive, it is not too closed and conservative. There are many immigrants from all over the world in East Africa. Except for black people, I have never heard of East Africans discriminating against a certain country. I think it will be the same in the future."
"That's hard to say, but I have decided to return to my homeland first. After all, I still have family, so I can only wish you good luck, my friend, and write to me if you have the chance!" Eusebio said his final farewell to his companions.
Fernandez felt a lump in his throat and gave Eusebio a big hug.
"Good luck, my friend."
Under the fluttering sails of the Portuguese merchant ship, Eusebio and other Portuguese waved goodbye to their former colleagues, comrades-in-arms and relatives. From then on, the destinies of both sides took completely different paths.
In the end, there were more than 40,000 Portuguese left in Mozambique, which exceeded the budget of the East African government. However, the East African government chose to accept all those Portuguese who were willing to integrate into East Africa.
After all, Mozambique was short of manpower at that time, and these Portuguese people stayed to assist East Africa in the development of the southern Mozambique region.
These Portuguese also became part of the source of East African citizens. Of course, as time goes by and the assimilation policy advances, they will naturally no longer be called Portuguese in the future, but will be directly incorporated into the German nation.
Situations like those in East Africa are actually quite common in Germany and Austria, but the Austro-Hungarian Empire's assimilation ability is too weak, and other ethnic groups in the country are too strong, so the assimilation policy is difficult to implement.
However, no matter what, Germany and Austria absorbed mostly Europeans, and East Africa also integrated Asians, so the so-called German nation in East Africa is not "pure", although everyone is essentially the same.
The locations of Germany and Austria make them a natural melting pot of European races. Being located in the central area and with a relatively good economic level, they can play a certain assimilating role in the weaker civilizations of Eastern and Southern Europe.
Therefore, there is no pure single-blood ethnic group in the world. For example, the United States has a typical Anglo-Saxon culture, but Anglo-Saxons are not the majority.
As the green "Roman Empire", the biggest difference between the Ottoman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire in terms of the lower-class people is actually the difference in cultural identity.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
