Emigration

Emigration is the action and the phenomenon of leaving home to settle in another country, for political or economical reasons, mostly a consequence of unemployment.

Emigration is usually for life, and families move together toward new regions or new countries where they hope they can find job opportunities which are not available in their originary location.

Frequently, emigrants will always feel as guests in their destinations, and will preserve originary culture, traditions[?] and language, sometimes transmitting them to their children. The conflict between the native and the newer culture may easily create social contrasts, generally resulting in an uncomfortable situation for the "foreigners", who have to understand legal and social systems sometimes new and strange to them. Often, communities of emigrants grow up in the destination areas, collecting immigrants of common provenance, also to help for integration.

Emigration was a critic emergency between the 19th and the 20th century, when thousands of poor families left Western Europe for the United States, South America and Australia.

See also:

• immigration
• diaspora
• exile