Sometimes it seems, we Africans are our own enemies when we are so many miles away from home.

We seem not to trust one another, and as a result, we decide to keep to ourselves, because  we don’t want the others to know what we are going through.

The mentality rings on, “after all they wont help me out of my situation. If they know what I go through, they will gossip behind my back.”  Many will have this attitude and stay away from those who actually wold have given them a hand!

There is always hope that this attitude will change someday for our own good. Why do we worry so much about small matters like - who is dressing how, who is driving what, who owns what, and the like, when we have bigger problems to address that can uplift our lives.

We need to be honest with ourselves, and to others, if we want to fit in our communities. Nobody will take us seriously, if we are not active members in partnership with others, and ready to learn what is going on around us.

Decisions will be made without putting our interests first. If you are living in a European country permanently, and you don’t participate in social or political issues around you, then you have a long way to go.
Those who have been, for example in Finland, for a short period of time exercise distrust towards those who have been in the country for many years.

They will just say “she/he is a  permanent resident, she doesn’t give a damn about any one else.”  And in reality that is not the case! The best one can do, is simply ask one another for guidance, assistance, and do the best to get along, instead of suffering alone, and allowing suspicion to dictate our everyday life!

Let us hope we can accept the fact that we are far from our families, and friends back in Africa and also be ready to make new friends around us.

We cannot ignore the fact that when one has moved to a new country, the purpose is to succeed in life. And yet we seem to forget, that it is not easy to achieve that success, if  we do not focus on positive things around our current communities, and be of good use in the society.
Tuning yourself to ask, “do I do the things I do? Could I do better for myself and my community?

We may not be able to save the world, but as the saying goes, with your participation this world can be made, “a better place for you and me”, just by doing something positive everyday.

By Esther – Finland, For African Press in Norway, APN

Millions of children in Malawi needed to be “rescued” from what exactly, and how?

And if rescue is needed, does it have to be an adoption to a foreign land?!

How does taking one child from the millions make a difference in the continent?

The child Madonna adopted has a father who is alive, and the fact that he is poor doesn’t make him a lesser parent!

If she wanted to help the child, she could have done so without separating him from his father, who visited the baby on daily basis at the orphanage.
I still believe celebrities want to adopt black kids to make themselves even more famous, and unique.

I could be wrong. However, that is how I feel at the moment.

A reaction to Madonna’s call for change of laws in Africa to allow for quick adoptions, see story below:

• Madonna for more adoptions from Africa!

By Esther, Finland – For African Press in Norway, APN, africanpress@chello.no

Certain persons can acquire Norwegian citizenship by sending notification. This applies, under certain conditions, to Nordic citizens and children/ adoptive children born before 1 September 2006.

Nordic citizens

1) You are required:

• To have reached the age of 18 years
• To have lived in Norway for the last seven years
• Not to have been sentenced to imprisonment or other forms of deprivation of liberty, or to a reaction for a criminal offence that is not deemed to be punishment, for example transfer to psychiatric care or enforced care.
• To document that you have been released from your citizenship (this applies if you are a Finnish, Icelandic or Swedish citizen)
• If you have previously held Norwegian citizenship, the requirements under 2) apply.

2) Former Norwegian citizen

You are required:

• To be resident in Norway
• To document that you have been released from your citizenship (this applies if you are a Finnish, Icelandic or Swedish citizen)
  In order to send notification that you are Norwegian, you must complete form GP-7099 B and submit it to the police. In the case of former Norwegian citizens who are under the age of 18 years, the parents or person with parental responsibility must send the notification.

Children under 18 years of age born before 1 September 2006

Pursuant to the current law, children with a Norwegian mother or father automatically acquire Norwegian citizenship at birth. Moreover, children under the age of 18 who are adopted by a Norwegian citizen automatically acquire Norwegian nationality if the adoption order was issued by Norwegian authorities or if the adoption is valid in Norway.

The following applies to children born before 1 September 2006:
 

Children under the age of 18 years with a Norwegian father and foreign mother

A child under the age of 18 of a foreign mother who is not married to the child’s father can become a Norwegian citizen by notification if the father was Norwegian when the child was born. If the father was dead when the child was born, it is a requirement that the father was a Norwegian national when he died. The person or persons with parental responsibility must send form GP-7101 B (Notification concerning Norwegian citizenship for adoptive children and children with Norwegian fathers), and children over the age of 12 years must give their written consent. The notification must be sent to the police, or to a Norwegian foreign service mission (embassy, general consulate) if the child is resident abroad.

Adoptive children between the ages of 12 and 18 years

Children between the ages of 12 and 18 who have been adopted by a Norwegian citizen after 1 October 1999 but before 1 September 2006, can become Norwegian citizens by notification. An adoptive parent/ adoptive parents who has/have parental responsibility, must send the same form as mentioned above. The child must give his/her written consent. The notification must be sent to the police, or to a Norwegian foreign service mission (embassy, general consulate) if the child is resident abroad.

Lifted info By Korir, African Press in Norway, APN africanpress@chello.no. source.DI

There is importance to observe laws in every country. “In order to work in Norway, most people require a work permit. The permit must be granted before entry into the country. In general, you cannot travel here and wait for a decision. ” Information is always available on request. “This section contains detailed information regarding the applicable rules and guidelines for the various types of work permit, and how you go about applying. NB: Separate rules apply for applicants from EU/EEA/EFTA countries.” However, there are important issues before you travel.  ”In most cases, if you will be staying in the country for longer than three months, you must apply for a residence permit. In certain cases, it may also be necessary to apply for a visa in order to enter Norway.”

Note: “As of 1 January 1994 Norway became a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) which comprises 18 member countries.”

All nationals if they observe the above, will not have difficulties in the country.

Lifted By Korir, African Press in Norway, APN, africanpress@chello.no, source.DI

The UDI report that, “Romania and Bulgaria… “joined” … the European Union on  January 1st  2007. Currently, there is no agreement  with the European Union  that citizens of these two countries will have the same regulations as that of the EU agreement or the EAA’s convention, when it concerns  application for residence in Norway.”

However, it is known that regulatons as they are now may change in future.  But for now, “This means that citizens of Romania and Bulgaria must still follow the same procedures as those of countries outside the EU-/EEA-area.”

By Korir, African Press in Norway, APN, africanpress@chello.no source DI