Why Immigrants Can't Build Wealth In The Netherlands – Transcript

00:00Is it recording? >> I think it is. Okay, hello and welcome to another episode of the Gong cast. My name is Kwame and this guy is >> Helman >> who cannot >> have the baritone but keeps trying.

00:15>> Okay, but on this podcast or video podcast, wherever you're watching or listening we discuss things that pertain to life abroad, specifically in Europe and even more specifically in the Netherlands for us, where we live.

00:30And we talk about everything that helps us belong or feel better about belonging building and becoming better versions of ourselves. That is what our network is for in the first place.

00:44In a nutshell. On today's episode, however, we're going to be talking about the dreaded black tax. What is the black tax? If you live or you have lived in um almost anywhere in Africa, mostly.

01:00>> But I would say West Africa, Central Africa, South Africa. I don't know how it is in the north, but mostly Africa, mostly. You probably know of the very subtle expectation that you have to help family because we come from places that are built on community, on extended family love, that that there is the need to help family when you're doing better

01:27or when you're perceived to be doing better. And that's where the black tax comes from. Most black people know this. And you send money home. You help pay for your nephews uh school fees, feeding, everything. You have family members who have the expectation of you doing that so much so that they don't really even consider birth control. It can get that serious.

01:52They know that you are a well-to-do person or you live in Europe, so if their fifth child is born, there's going to be some way that that person will be taken care of. That's an extreme end, but it's not unrealistic. That's the definition of black tax, and we're going to talk about how this phenomenon affects building wealth and living the certain level of quality of life in Europe or abroad. So, it might be interesting for you if you're going through this yourself. So,

02:20stick around. Yeah. Yeah. That was a long intro.

02:32>> Is it obligation or is it love? >> That's the question. Is it obligation or love? I It is my get, you know, controversial, and people might say, "Yeah, maybe your opinions are becoming European and, you know, individualistic."

02:54But, it's something that we, when I say we, and I mean Africans, millennials, immigrants living abroad, need to talk about more. At what point is it just love?

03:09And at what point is it obligation to the point of even being guilted to do it when you can't? >> And when resentment also starts building up? >> When resentment starts building up. There are people who live here who turn their minds or like avoid certain things religiously or vehemently because they need to send money back home.

03:32They are They are the ones who made it out. Sometimes your condition or your situation for coming here is that family had to contribute to bring you here. >> Mhm. >> In that case, your story is a bit different.

03:47But, there's also the expectation of just the general expectation of you helping out when you make it out. At what point is it obligation? At what point is it love? >> Yeah, I think you you just touched on a very good point there, which is people contributing to send you abroad.

04:04>> Yeah. >> And I think I personally I'm going to talk about how the black tax looks like for me and stuff cuz I don't think I really have my taxation my tax bracket is not that high. >> >> I'm on a I'm on a lower tax bracket.

04:18>> Your your tax bracket here in Netherlands or your black tax? >> black tax bracket. It's I'm on a lower I'm on a lower tier. >> >> But I I I I think um when family contributes and I I think it's something I I would I'd like to do.

04:36I think it's something for the records I do very much appreciate that it took a village to get me here and I want to pay it forward. I genuinely want to. So every month for example I set aside a specific amount of money to spend on certain things. That's me giving back or paying forward.

04:52>> Yeah. >> With regards to the point of people paid to get you here so it should be paid back. So like if that is something that is held above your head for the rest of your life I'm like >> Aha, for the rest of your So the question again >> When does it stop? You know what I mean?

05:08>> Exactly. >> Should it stop? >> Exactly. Exactly. And I had I hope we can get to a point we have at least some level of understanding of like okay this are certain common practices or things which should help you navigate your own unique circumstances because for a lot of people when I've seen that in my personal situation as well is just I have I've been able to cultivate a mindset and resilience where I can draw a line for myself.

05:30Like this is this is where it goes and no further. >> How did you communicate that line? >> Exactly. Hopefully we get to that. But I think sometimes it's it's literally like they they're dangling over your head like if they're constantly reminding you of how much they did to get you to where you are now.

05:44>> Yeah. >> It it's hard to draw your line. You know what I mean? It's like it's constantly held over you like you would not be where you are today if it wasn't for us. Even though that might be objectively true, should it be something that is held over your head for the rest of your life? I don't think so.

05:59I think it's it's good to give people their flowers as much as you can. But if it goes to the point for example, you're compromised in your ability to provide for your own family because your your money which your wife needs to cook or whatever is being sent home because you know, if not you feel the pressure.

06:16If not the whole family is against you. If not people gang up against you because your wife has taken you away from the family for example. Like at what point should you say okay, for the health of myself, my family and the people I'm actually responsible for cuz I brought them into this world and I started a family and stuff, I should draw a line. I think those are the questions which people need to ask themselves. Like okay, is this something which is still healthy healthily coexist with what I'm building? If not, how can I either tone it down or just draw a

06:43line clearly? >> Yeah. I think the biggest barrier to the black tax stopping or easing up is also another barrier that generally runs through a lot of our interactions as Africans.

06:59And it's where we are able to have objective conversations without it turning to like hatred or like I don't know if hatred is the word.

07:13guilt Like people taking offense to those things or people feeling like, yeah, okay. It's it's not supposed to be that way. You know? Like at what at what points can we have objective conversations or open conversations without people taking like you know, feeling like it's a personal attack on them or on the situation.

07:37>> Give an example. >> Like you know, so like what you just said. it's hanging over your head because family contributed to this. At what can you have a conversation with the people who helped you and say that, "Look, I think I've been paying this thing forward for about 5 years, 10 years, and it's affecting my quality of life here.

07:59So, no offense. At this point in my life, I'm not able to help as much as it's expected, but I will help when I can. And even that, the amount will vary with how much I can.

08:15>> Mhm. >> Without family taking it as, "Hey, >> they don't they don't they don't care that one go. That one that's a lost case." >> >> Have you had that conversation before? >> No.

08:29I think I I I'm probably one of the lucky ones. >> In terms of? >> Um in terms of not having the black tax looming over my head. >> Are you also on a lower tier?

08:43>> My my tier probably doesn't exist. >> Wow. >> >> My tier doesn't exist. I don't think my tier exists. Um because the process or the situation that got me here, one, I mean, it was not tied to the tax, right?