Your new environment may discriminate against you, but don’t distance yourself from the situation, so you do not validate their reasons for the discrimination. Being in a new city, country, workplace, or around new people can be awkward and different in certain instances. One of the main challenges immigrants face is speaking the language of the country they are moving into. Not only does this hold them back from obtaining jobs and integrating into society, but it can also hinder them from helping their children succeed in school. Being an immigrant, you are bound to face discrimination at some point in time; many cultural barriers arise that you may not be aware of, and it will take time to immerse yourself in a brand new culture entirely.
Along with securing work to make a better living for them and their family, immigrants also face a tough time securing housing. Affordable housing can be very expensive, especially in western countries. It is even harder for families to obtain these houses when they are dealing with low-paying jobs and exploitive ways of earning money. Because some immigrants do not have a proper status, it makes everything, such as accessing services, difficult. Many immigrants are afraid of facing deportation, so they do not always reach out to adequate medical services that they need for physical and mental ailments. Transportation is another difficult issue to get used to, especially if an immigrant drives differently in their country of origin.
At times, it takes a while to warm up to the new environment, while in other situations, people could be very hostile such that their faces remind you of being in the loo. We never run away from the loo because of the smell of our poop but stay right there and challenge whatever odor that gets at us. You always know what you get when you get in the loo, from the fresh smell to the acidic smell to the smell of some rotten cooked fish. We should not run away from challenges because they always exist and will continue to exist. Avoiding a challenge is like avoiding the loo. You will continue to fart until you almost choke from the smell of your own poop. Choose the positive side of the relationship. See part II next month!