Stiens Caps #4

            When I think about a refugee camp, I often feel like that is something of the past. But we as Americans are sort of sheltered to the fact that many other parts of the world aren’t as lucky as we are. There are many people who are forced into refugee camps because they are forced out of their own countries due to war, religion, politics or other issues. Many of the people who are in refugee camps leave and come to America. You might think that’s not so bad. America is a great place to come to. It is the land of the free. This is true the freedom for people is a draw but often times we don’t realize that just arriving in American is only part of the struggle. Once a foreign person is in America it starts a completely new challenge. This is where the idea of cultural adaptation comes in. Adapting to a culture is a way to adjust to a new way of life and feel comfortable in your own surroundings. There are so many things that change when you enter into a new culture. Adapting to all of these changes can be tough. You have to learn to adapt in virtually every aspect of your life. Just think about it. The type of clothes you wear, the type of food you eat, the way you style your hair, and maybe the most difficult change of all language.  

 In reading each of the three articles, the idea of cultural adaptation is one that really stood out to me.  All three of the news articles discuss how not knowing English is one of the biggest barriers and how challenging it was to adapt in a place where they could not understand the language nor could other people understand them. The second article titled, Lincoln’s Refugee Students Find Language Barriers when Doing Homework, was a perfect example of the affects cultural adaptation can have on a family. This article discusses a family, The Bweh’s, who came to America after spending ten years in a refugee camp. The mother and father do not speak English that well yet they have six children, three of which attend schools where English is taught. The children say English is their toughest class. The article discusses how the children struggle with English courses and it is difficult for them to find help because they are unable to turn to their parents with questions. This adaptation to a new language is a struggle that many people face when entering a new culture.

            Refugee resettlement can be tough for the people involved. It is a challenge because every person who is in need of this resettlement is different. It is hard because there isn’t an umbrella fix for refugee resettlement in general. The problems differ from case to case. However, there are ways that we can make it easier on those who are forced to resettle here in Lincoln. Often times you hear people say communication is key. I think this is very true. It is important for new refugees to communicate that they are having troubles understanding. I believe that especially here in Lincoln people will be understanding and helpful. I also think after school programs that focus on time to work on homework could be very beneficial to those younger refugee kids who are struggling to adapt. I think it is important that we take an interpretive approach when trying to help refugees in resettling. Meaning it is important to keep in mind that 1) human experience is subjective 2) human behavior is not easily predicted and 3) culture is created through communication (Martin & Nakayama p. 60). Keeping these things in mind can help us grow as individuals and hopefully make adaptation easier on those who are new to our culture.

Below is a video which touches on just a few things that would be difficult to adapt to when moving to a new culture. It may  be a little extreme but you get the idea.

Sources:

Martin, J.N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2012). Intercultural communication in contexts (6th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill. 

Stefankiewicz, R. (2012, May 13). Lincoln's refugee students find language barriers when doing homework. Retrieved from http://journalstar.com/