The lecture focused on the initial findings of a National Research Foundation (NRF)-supported project carried out by Marchetti-Mercer exploring the impact of emigration on South African family life.Marchetti- Mercer started the talk by examining the exodus of people from South Africa and shedding light on the psychological motivation for leaving the country.

“I have had close friends and colleagues who have emigrated so I thought that by looking at this phenomenon I could explore the South African experience by listening to people’s voices, especially those left behind.”

Marchetti-Mercer looked at 11 South African families who planned to emigrate. She interviewed their relatives and observed them over a period of six months. She examined the process of emigrating from the preparation phase to the act of departing and the period of crisis or decomposition when the family has finally moved and the reality sinks in that they are in a new country. She found that different generations experienced emigration differently.

“Parents like to think that children deal with emigrating better than adults, but I found children are also affected by emigration and they struggle to fit in, in their new countries.“

During the preparation period people have mixed feelings. There is euphoria, sadness and excitement. Most prospective emigrants question their commitment to leaving their home country and there are always questions about whether to sell up completely or retain possessions and property in case they come back. Marchetti-Mercer said families’ woes didn’t necessarily end when they emigrated. When they arrived in their new countries, many battled to adapt.

“When people get to a new country there is no time to get stressed because they are busy focusing on survival, finding a house, school or car. It is only once things have settled down that families feel the toll of emigration,” she said. During this time family relations are tested.

“If the family is close knit then this is the time when they usually grow closer; but if the family is not that close, this is usually the time when they tend to grow further apart.” She said families were often forced to change rules and behaviour, adding further to their stress levels.

“For example, if the husband doesn’t find a job he may be the one doing all the domestic chores, meaning that the roles are reversed.”

Speaking about the impact emigration has on children, Marchetti-Mercer said: “Parents often think that it’s easy for children to emigrate but this is not the case. “Children struggle to fit in in the [new] community, they are teased because they don’t look or sound like the children in that community.”

Marchetti-Mercer said there are also cases where children fitted in quickly, picked up new languages with ease and became the ones translating for their parents and integrating them into that society.

During her presentation, Marchetti-Mercer showed a slide taken from a 2009 study carried out by Synovate. The study found that young people between the ages 18 and 24 were more likely to emigrate, while people aged 55-64 were less likely to emigrate. The study also found that men were more likely to move to the UK while women preferred the US and Australia.

The people emigrating cited crime, the economy, need of change, better opportunities, sense of wellbeing and the government system as some of the reasons why they were leaving. While talking to those left behind Marchetti-Mercer said many felt that they were not included in the decision.

“Some thought it wasn’t their place to advise people to stay. Parents who stayed behind said they experienced a loss while friends felt that they would be replaced.” Those left behind had to find ways to cope with the loss of family members; there was a change in relationships and friendships.

In conclusion Marchetti-Mercer said emigration led to a huge depletion of human capital and often signalled the end of personal relationships. She advised people who are planning to emigrate to discuss it with those who are staying behind. She encouraged those staying behind to find new activities and mourn the loss of their old lifestyles before reconstructing their lives.

Marchetti-Mercer advised individuals who emigrate to respect the loss experienced by the ones they were leaving behind, consider the impact of emigration on their children and to realise and accept the fact that people have different ways of adapting.

- Published on the Origins Centre website (www.origins.org.za)