People in the modern world wish to have lifestyles that are appealing to themselves and their peers. As a result, these modern people move their native homes to California to improve their lifestyles. There are several claims that suggest California is the best in the world. People who move to California are not always successful because of diverse challenges that they fall. It is not easy to adjust for these people because they have extremely high expectations. The struggles make them realize that California is not the best place in the world after all. The intent of this paper is to analyze the reasons as to why people come to California and the challenges they face in the country.
People come to California because of several reasons that include the following factors. First, people move to California to improve their previous lifestyles. This is because California is known for exemplary lifestyles. According to Rawls (1986), the present California dreams promises an affluent living for people who are willing to take the dream. For example, the dream the current dream displays admirable ranch houses, kidney-shaped swimming pools; out-door barbecues among other luxurious phenomena. He also suggests that the California dream makes people believe that they can attain several accomplishments while in California.
“The California Dream promises to fulfill our, deepest longing, for opportunity and success, warmth, sunshine and beauty, health and long life, freedom, and even a foretaste of the future” (Rawls,1986).
People also come to California because of the success that other people have achieved while in California. For example, the founders of Apple Computers and other leading electronic firms are based in California. These success stories create a desire in people to come to California and experience the same successes.
The beautiful weather in California encourages people to move to California. Rawls (1986) suggests in his article that the presence of the sun in California attracts people who come from places that are prone to snows. This is because the climate in California facilitates the growth of oranges and palm trees. Other beautiful aspects of California that relate to the nature include clear skies, seashores, and mountains among other beautiful scenarios. The combination of a perfect weather and fascinating features enhances improved health for inhabitants of California. Currently, people come to California to enjoy tanning booths and other modern technology that improves their health.
California creates perfect opportunities for display of romance for both its inhabitants and immigrants. Cosmetic companies have created suitable products that claim they have the ability to transform people. Such promises of beauty and romance encourage people to move to California.“Freedom, outdoor living, and romance-those are also the bright lights of the California Dream.” (Rawls, 1986).
Spooner (2004) suggests that people move to California because of the publicity that California has got from diverse popular culture media. Spooner agrees with Rawls that California has an extremely attractive climate that attracts people. Spooner also suggests that people come to California because they believe that it is a place of freedom. They wish to express their liberty in such aspects as religion and class. California is the only place that promises this kind of liberty and in turn attracts them to California.
According to Spooner (2004), California is the best state for opportunities compared to other states. This is because it has less strict rules for people who wish to start various businesses. This encourages people to move to California with the dream of increasing their incomes. People who hold the California dream understand that they can only realize their successes dreams in California. “There is an interesting phrase that some of the immigrants used to describe California which is described as an “escape from community” Spooner (2004). The promise of social freedom increases the number of people who focus on the California dream. People do not wish to stay in places where people will judge them for being liberal in their actions. They want their neighbors to accept them and experience comfortable lives. This encourages them to move to California because California is filled with several cultures. This mixture of cultures makes it hard for people to judge each other because it promotes diversity of several aspects.
Challenges and Disappointments They Face
The first challenge that most immigrants face when they relocate to California is their encounter with bigotry. According to Gibbs & Bankhead (2001), inhabitants of California continue to display intense levels of dominance. This dominating attitude makes inhabitants feel unwelcome and in turn begin experiencing challenges in their new land. These people also fail to perform jobs in suitable ways forcing employers to terminate their respective contracts.
People who move to California are considered as strangers who do not deserve to live in California. This consideration encourages Californian employers to offer minimal opportunities to the immigrants. There is a significant reduction of expectation levels for people who pursue the California dream. This is because they cannot work to sustain decent livelihoods in a new world. This is among the greatest disappointments that these people face because it is difficult for them to return to their native homes. These people believe that they will be unacceptable when they return to their homes because people will regard them as failures.
These people become disappointed because they discover that other immigrants are in California. The overpopulation of people who are in the pursuit of the Californian dream forces people to struggle. Initially, these people are not ready to struggle while in California. According to Rawls (1986), the following are among the people who dominate California. Chinese, Japanese, Philippines, Italians, Armenians, African Americans among others. All these people struggle to get the best that California has to offer and in turn create a situation that is contrary to their ideal California dream.
Another challenge that faces these immigrants is a force in California that compromises their respective religions. Immigrants who practice the Islam religion experience intense levels of discrimination that make them wish they dropped their religion. For example, most Americans do not understand why Muslim women have to cover their entire bodies (Gibbs & Bankhead, 2001). “Perhaps more than any other groups of recent immigrants, Muslims have been the targets of religious prejudice, ethnic discrimination, and various forms of verbal and physical abuse”
Conclusion
The California dream does not have to be a disappointment for anyone who wishes to pursue it. This is because California has sufficient opportunities for people. Everyone who is in pursuit of this dream needs to take his/her time and understand California. They should not rush into job applications before they understand the requirements. Incase these people fail to achieve whatever they wished to in California, they need to return to their respective homes. Alternatively, these people can choose to come to California to educate themselves on developmental issues. Later that can go to their homes and apply whatever they learned from California.
References
Gibbs, J. T., & Bankhead, T. (2001). Preserving privilege: California politics, propositions, and
people of color. Westport, Conn: Praeger.
Maasik, S., & Solomon, J. F. (1999). California dreams and realities: Readings for critical
thinkers and writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's Press.
Rawls, J .J & Jurmain, C. K.(1986). California: A place, a people, a dream. San Francisco:
Chronicle Books.
