Soaring Fuel Prices Alter Diasporan Lifestyle
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Columbus, OH - Fitsum Ghebrezghi has lived in Westerville, a suburb of Columbus, OH for the last 12 years. When he arrived, he weighed a startling 101 lbs, well below the average weight of other 27 year old males in his heath class. An asylum seeker from the violence in Ethiopia, he came to this Midwestern town to star a new life. He gained weight, gathered an appreciation for French fries, mashed potatoes and gravy and macaroni and cheese. In 5 years, he added on a healthy 307 lbs.
The recent spate in petrol prices has threatened his successful fattening campaign considerably.
“I used to consume 6-8 meals a day,” he reports between bites injera, a traditional Ethiopian dish. “When I was in the war, I was lucky to eat twice a week.”
He paused in his conversation only to take a sip store-bought queso, straight from the jar.
“My American dream was to gain enough weight to join a professional football league, but I fear with the increase in petrol prices, I may not be able afford enough cheese to make the draft.”
We didn’t have the heart to tell Fitsum that the average NFL player weighs between 254 – 278 lbs, or that he would probably die if he ever got on the field. He suffered 2 mild heart attacks during our interview, which he described as “minor chest pains”.
The affects of fuel prices are sending shockwaves through out the African community in America. Grace Addo, a tradeswoman by day and janitor by night, tells of how she must now substitute yam for potatoes.
“These gas prices have really forced me to return to my roots. You get a bigger plate of fried yam than you would in a fried potato, so in a way, my American dream…like Mr. Ghebrezghi…is also dying slowly.”
Some have hypothesized that the U.S. government has intentionally increased gas prices to force Africans back into their old ways, and perhaps even return home. Ms. Addo gave her thoughts on the theory.
“Well, if that’s the case, they better think of a new plan; because while I’m willing to consume yam, I am not willing to pay $3875.42 for a new plane ticket!”
The unbearable prices have also begun to affect mindsets. Where most immigrants would scatter at the site of an INS agent, some illegals have actually begun turning themselves into the government agency. A Congolese businessman gave his justification for showing up early at the INS offices.
“At least it’s a free ticket home.”
