WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF URBAN BOOKS, AUTHORS, & WRITERS OF AMERICA!
  • Home
    • About Us >
      • Who's Who
      • Black Lives Matter Submission Form
      • UBAWA Documentary
      • History/Founder
    • Writer's Retreat
    • Welcome HOME!
  • Book Convention
    • DC
    • Chicago
    • New York
    • Los Angeles
    • 2016 UBAWA Book Fair Registration
    • 2015
    • 2013
    • Performing Act Signup Form
    • Volunteer Signup Form
  • Awards
    • Nominations Feature
    • Top 100 Authors of 2024
    • Top 100 Authors of 2023
    • Top 100 Authors of 2022
    • Top 100 Authors of 2021
    • Top 100 Authors of 2020
    • Top 100 Authors of 2019
    • Top 100 Authors of 2018
    • Top 100 Authors of 2017
    • Top 100 Authors of 2016
  • News
    • Subscribe
    • Jobs
    • Past News
    • Submit an Article >
      • Feature ME
    • UBAWA News >
      • America's Next Bestseller
      • Adult Summer Reading Program
  • All Things UBAWA
    • Features >
      • Behind the Pen
      • Radio Interviews
      • Directory
      • Bestseller
      • Book Club List >
        • Book Club List Archive
      • Magazine Feature
      • Book Review Submission Form
      • Rate My Cover
      • Books without Boundaries Submission Form
      • New Author Feature
      • Non-Fiction Books Feature
      • Men of Color
      • Women of Color
      • Book Release & Birthday Calendar
      • Get Promoted >
        • Books on BLAST
      • Touching Our Youth
    • Magazine
    • Author of the Week
    • UBAWA Contests >
      • Best Book Cover
      • Short Story Contest
    • Scholarships
    • Testimonials
    • Coach Me to Publish
    • Resources 4 Authors
    • Author Collaborations
    • AuthorsTALK
  • Contact
    • Magazine Order
    • Make a Donation
    • Valued Members >
      • Premium Members
    • Services >
      • Bookstore Placement App
      • Services Request Form
      • Events
      • Become an Author Mentor
      • Free Services >
        • Rate My Publisher
    • UBAWA Store
    • FAQ

My Life in Rome and Amsterdam As Illegal Immigrant by Joel Savage

7/13/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
​As a child growing up in a strong religious family, I was taught that everything which is opposite to the teachings of the Holy Bible, including laziness is a sin. I tried my best to live a clean life. We were taught to believe that Israel, Jerusalem and other Biblical countries were all in heaven, without a slight knowledge those countries were all on the same earth we are living.

When I left my family looking for a job, I tried to be sincere and prevented doing anything wrong which could land me in jail. I read that jail changes people’s attitude to be good or worse. But I wasn’t interested to know the positive or negative influences of jail on people. My only interest is never to be there, because it’s not the right place for me. Did I ever succeed?
After going through the most difficult chapters of my life as an illegal immigrant in Rome, by sleeping at the central train station, I worked as a house boy serving an Italian journalist. I was able to save some money as illegal immigrant, because, the Romans like tax evasion, which of course never improved my situation to be documented. I therefore shifted camp to Amsterdam.
In Amsterdam, I lived in a notorious neighborhood called Bijlmer, known for drug and arm trafficking. It’s a home for illegal immigrants. The blocks had ten floors. On many occasions illegal immigrants resisting police arrest jumped to their death. The news of Bijlmer never ceased appearing in newspapers. Investigations revealed that as low as 200 Euros could get one a gun, crime in Bijlmer therefore was abnormal.

The man I lived with at Bijlmer, deals in fake European and American passports. I was scared to death. Within three days through a pastor of a church I was attending, I relocated. A week after leaving the place, police invaded the apartment of the fake passport dealer and arrested everyone. It was the biggest news in Holland. Those arrested were jailed five years each. I escaped my first jail sentence.
Holland is a country which has sent many illegal immigrants to Africa. Many of the illegal immigrants deported were caught on train, trams or metro without tickets. Some were caught riding on stolen bicycles. I wasn’t ready for deportation. To prevent deportation, I went on foot to any place in Amsterdam. Some of my journeys were long and tedious. Some could take me between two to three hours. On many occasions I picked up broken parts of bicycles from the bush or road side, brought them home to fix them.

Despite all my efforts to steer away from crime, I thought I was free but I wasn’t. After four and a half years in Amsterdam Bijlmer, I was still illegal. I met a lady who promised to help me get my papers. She took over five thousand dollars from me. Unknowing she was a criminal preying on illegal immigrants. When the immigration police invited us for my documents, I was arrested and thrown behind bars.
The woman knew I will be deported, because that was what had happened to all her victims. The police told me who she was. She has never been jailed for her previous crimes; she therefore never ceased to prey on innocent victims. Behind bars, my deportation to Africa was very close. I was given three square meals daily and shower once a day. But one day something wrong happened to me. No shower and I weren’t fed for the whole day. Instead of protesting, I was quiet till the next day. When I was served food the next day, I asked them why they did that to me the previous day. The officer who thought I was joking, later found out that I was speaking the truth.

According to him I was very quiet so the officers on duty failed to realize that someone was in the cells. Because of this particular error they made, they handed back my passport to me and set me free. “Whatever I went through as illegal immigrant in Europe, sleeping at the central train station in Rome, detention in Amsterdam and what I’ve seen in my life had made me what I am today. I am now a Belgium national living in Antwerp, with my wife and three children.”

The full story is now published in the book “Overseas Chronicle-The Rome and Amsterdam Experience. Available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Become a Member. It's FREE!

    Become a member by clicking here.

    Archives

    December 2024
    September 2024
    May 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    February 2015
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    December 2011
    June 2011
    April 2011

    Categories

    All
    90 Second Reads
    99 Cent Ebooks
    Activity Points
    Atlanta Authors
    Authors Over 30
    Author Tips
    Black Male Authors
    Book Fair
    Book Reviews
    Books On Blast
    Books Without Boundaries
    Dream Pathways Kids Read
    Events
    Featured Authors
    Free Author Promotion
    Free Book
    Free Book Promo
    Free Book Reviews
    Headline News
    Internship/Volunteer Opportunities
    Life As A Poet
    Marketing & Promotion
    Neffe Book Signing
    New Author Feature
    New Releases
    News
    Non Fiction Books For You
    Non-Fiction Books For You
    Quick Reads
    Self Publishing
    Self-Publishing
    Something About That Author
    Ubawa Book Fair
    Ubawa Literary Awards
    Women Of Color
    Writing Tips

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2010-2025 Urban Books Authors & Writers of America All Rights Reserved


​UBAWA Testimonials

Picture
"Thank you Ubawa's Bestsellers for the endless opportunities you provide for authors like myself. It is much appreciated." -Morenike' Matoy, author of ‘A Taste of Insanity’

Picture
"UBAWA helps support people’s dreams. They are positive in every way imaginable. UBAWA offers advice and services that are beneficial to every writer no matter what stage they are in their careers. Their site is a godsend." --Ben Burgess, author of ‘Monster’
Picture
"I just want to send a special thanks to UBAWA. It means a lot to me to have your support and assistance as an author. Y'all didn't know me from a can of paint yet you were willing to create awareness about me and my book. So I just want to say thanks so much!" --Kennedee Devoe, ‘Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right…it Makes Us Even’

Picture
"Your support of independent authors is amazing. Thank you for your time and assistance with all that you do." --Ronnie C. Dawson, author of ‘Irreconcilable Differences’

Picture
"I think what you do for writers is amazing! I love it." --DeVaughn Lilly, author of ‘The Magnificent Life of Gravy Brown’

  • Home
    • About Us >
      • Who's Who
      • Black Lives Matter Submission Form
      • UBAWA Documentary
      • History/Founder
    • Writer's Retreat
    • Welcome HOME!
  • Book Convention
    • DC
    • Chicago
    • New York
    • Los Angeles
    • 2016 UBAWA Book Fair Registration
    • 2015
    • 2013
    • Performing Act Signup Form
    • Volunteer Signup Form
  • Awards
    • Nominations Feature
    • Top 100 Authors of 2024
    • Top 100 Authors of 2023
    • Top 100 Authors of 2022
    • Top 100 Authors of 2021
    • Top 100 Authors of 2020
    • Top 100 Authors of 2019
    • Top 100 Authors of 2018
    • Top 100 Authors of 2017
    • Top 100 Authors of 2016
  • News
    • Subscribe
    • Jobs
    • Past News
    • Submit an Article >
      • Feature ME
    • UBAWA News >
      • America's Next Bestseller
      • Adult Summer Reading Program
  • All Things UBAWA
    • Features >
      • Behind the Pen
      • Radio Interviews
      • Directory
      • Bestseller
      • Book Club List >
        • Book Club List Archive
      • Magazine Feature
      • Book Review Submission Form
      • Rate My Cover
      • Books without Boundaries Submission Form
      • New Author Feature
      • Non-Fiction Books Feature
      • Men of Color
      • Women of Color
      • Book Release & Birthday Calendar
      • Get Promoted >
        • Books on BLAST
      • Touching Our Youth
    • Magazine
    • Author of the Week
    • UBAWA Contests >
      • Best Book Cover
      • Short Story Contest
    • Scholarships
    • Testimonials
    • Coach Me to Publish
    • Resources 4 Authors
    • Author Collaborations
    • AuthorsTALK
  • Contact
    • Magazine Order
    • Make a Donation
    • Valued Members >
      • Premium Members
    • Services >
      • Bookstore Placement App
      • Services Request Form
      • Events
      • Become an Author Mentor
      • Free Services >
        • Rate My Publisher
    • UBAWA Store
    • FAQ