10 Tips For A New Immigrant To USA, UK, Canada, Australia, China, India and Europe

INTRODUCTION:

A new country, new things, new ways and very few things that you are familiar with including so many people you are meeting. This may sound familiar or not so familiar. There are people you know or conversation you have heard about a new person in your area, church, school or workplace.

You are 17, 18, 19, 20 or 30 years old and you want to start a life of your own. Or you are an older person. It could be you have a family. You could even be fortunate and you have all the documentation and a place of abode. Never mind your position or status. This short narrative is for you.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you skilled enough to read, write and understand a language spoken in that country you have come to?

2. Do you know the address to and from your home?

3. Do you have a phone number of a person you can contact in case of 'emergency?'

4.Do you know how to manipulate and operate home appliances in the new home?

5. Are you aware you need to know the various community norms and practices?

6. Are you aware you need to maneuver your way around your community, neighborhood, prayer place, school, market and health facility?

7. Do you now how to get on a bus, or get a curb or taxi?

8.Do you know the political and social delineation of the community you are staying in?

9. What is the name of the city you are staying in or near to?

10. Who are the community leaders you know?

There are different organizations, CSOs and NGOs that help people like you. Also do not overlook the fact that you may have people who hail from a similar country like yours. These may have an organization that you may want to look into. If possible check out the library in you area. It may have resources on supporting a new person in your country.

The library is a good place to have access to internet. You do need a navigation console. The internet is one place you can access information for directions and facilities that can help you. Make a list. You can call it a wish list. Do not worry make it as long as you want to, say in 20 minutes time. After twenty minutes stop and read what you have listed down.

Categorize your wishes. Make sure they fall into these ten major themes:

THEMES:

1. Personal literacy skills

2. Home Orientation and navigation skills

3. Phone compliant

4.Machinery and appliance Operational skills (escalators, automatic exits, credit/debit cards, lights, stoves, computers)

5. Person to person skills

6. Maneuverability skills ( street-wise)

7. Mobility and schedules including weather changes

8.Political and social delineation

9. Geographic Information and skills

10. Community leaders

The ten above skills form basis of your decision to venture out. These themes give you different directional purposes. They are like the solid dash board buttons to press to identify , address and satisfy a given need.

Needs! Talking of needs! What would be the greatest single most satisfaction one needs to get immediately as a person wishing to strike out on their own?

Some would say shelter. Others would say food. Yet others would say clothes and food. I would say all three. I would also quickly add: friends, people or a welcoming unit of persons who are willing to share a space in their home. It could be you have a home already. On this add a church, a school or a community meeting place. Introduce yourself to the people in the community. Get to know them as members of a church you go to. Or if you are not a churchgoer, may be a mosque. If you are not a religious person, look for a library, may be you are into book reading. There are clubs whose mission is to read books among group members or to senior persons. It could even start you off as a volunteer. Engage in activities where you can work with communities. Volunteer work is in many areas: environment, health care, weatherization, checking on senior people, animal care and community clean up initiatives.

A home is crucial. It is a launch-pad for many to think straight and figuring out a new country.As a person living with others, you need to know or develop people-to-people skills: These are very core, dependable and soft skills: You may be living with persons who have perhaps lived their life following a certain pattern. Study it and also engage them in a conversation. Using the same space, ask about your hosts' plans for the next day. Share with them what you intend to do. Also using this same opportunity, inquire whether they have something they want you to do around the house or home or hostel. If they say they have nothing they have thought about, tell them you are ready to do something once there is any opportunity for a helping hand.If you do have opportunities to jog, walk or do exercises get to understand your environment outside the home. Be like the territorial animal that marks boundaries. But, in your case it will be marking out land-marks. That big clock tower, or that ginormous apartment building on the corner of your street and the main trunk road, most of all get to know the names of the roads and streets. This will help you know the area even batter.Get to know what other things are based on to lead a life.

I have a list for you. This list will inform the way you perceive your new country or plan to lead your life:

1. Insurance: to cover your health needs. There is need for you to be immunized. Without insurance and with the long list of what your country may require one to be immunized against, it could cost you.

2. One thing you have to note is; avoid the so called soliciting agents claiming to represent an insurance company. Look for credible insurance companies for services.

3. Wireless/Internet: This may be a combined service with TV, Phone and internet. But, you may have one package you need to pay for regularly.

4. Beware of the internet and telephone-based scam in form of letters and deals promising you gifts but “that before you get the gift you need to send money.”

5. Mortgage: Get to learn about mortgage and owning a house of your own. Read the literature and ask around. Be inquisitive and learn how the real estate performs. This may help you know trends.

6. Education: You may be a graduate or educated up to a certain level from your country. There is a facility in your new country that grades the qualifications from other countries. The best place to start with is a university or high school near you that you feel you want to join. Most cities have community support centers where they give counselling and advice in these matters. Visit such places as part of your learning journey. Many universities have on-line courses. Register for them. Most are free. Those that require a fee will inform you about it. Beware there are also scams here. Many on-line High School Diploma internet based services are suspect. Be very cautious. They are called “Diploma mills”!

7. The Library: Register and be a member of a library near you.

8. Hair cut: Make friends and get to know which hair cut would do a good job with your face, nails and general grooming.

9. In-door sports: There gymnasiums that require a membership fee to be paid. Try them and enroll. It is good (in fact, imperative) to exercise.

10. Clothes: Dress to preserve dignity but also as a code of good conduct. Get to know where particular clothes you need are sold.

11. Energy/Weatherization: Get to know the weather in your new country. Conserve energy and life.

12. Gas and Water: Do you know that there are bills as a result of use of water and gas? Adopt a conservative and judicious approach to their use.

13. Entertainment: The books, radio at home or TV may be the first source of entertainment. Or your source of entertainment could be the conversation at table during dinner or a meal. Share your expectations with your hosts or whoever you may find resourceful. Share your likes and dislikes of various films, novels and plays (drama). Ask and learn if you do not know the different genres. Do you know that there is Rock, rumba, salsa, Cuban, blues, oldies, country, thrillers, opera, tragedies....I could go on and on. Get to learn the genres. You could be adept at the instruments or story-telling. Show off your talents. Get to enjoy the home you are living in.

14. Groceries: Do you know the different kinds of groceries, consumables and foods you have at home? Do you know how they are prepared or used? Get to learn and explore.

15. Membership: There are 'must be done' things that connect you to a given community. Is it the way you stand at the side of the road as the car passes you on a narrow road? Is it the wave at the next door person? Do something about how you are perceived once you are out of the home. The homes have large windows; this is what they say about them. 'Those houses with large ones are so not to allow in cold winds but also to look out and see what is happening down the road.' They are watch towers. An American man's house is his watchtower and an Englishman’s house is his castle.

16. Miscellaneous/contingency: Have you ever gone shopping and realized you needed something but it was not budgeted for? Or have you ever gone out and never planned on helping a stray cat get back to its owner, yet you have that bus to catch? That is how tricky life is. Expect surprises. Be stoical

17. Connections: Get connected, make friends, keep friends, join a church or mosque or temple group or some form of social group (you may be atheist for all I know and am not pointing a finger. That is between you and you).

DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT GIVE IN OR GIVE UP: Do you know that I watched my parents die and at a very tender age was left to become the child -head of a house-hold of 13 people? Do you also know I struggled to get them to school and I only read their notes and asked them to be my teachers to compensate for my education? Do you know that am now able to give you these tips confidently? Okay if you ask me I shall tell you the story. But for now, be well.