My name is Es Miranda. I am from Mexico. My country is very beautiful, but is also very poor. And so many of us have to emi. My life in my country was a beautiful life because that is where I grew up with my parents and my siblings. We lived poorly, but we were very united, but I liked most was the food and the place where I lived, which was in the country without having to worry about how to pay rent, how to pay electricity or how to pay for water.
So many times it is very sad not to have a job and a little bit of food. I miss the people. I miss the food. I miss the natural beauty of the ranch where I grew up and my parents and brothers and sisters. I have the hope to go back and be with them so I can enjoy the nature and the food and the water and many more things. My life in the Us has been very difficult since I arrived. It has been very sad. I was alone with nothing and with no 1.
It was very difficult because my dream was something totally different than what I thought. I thought when I arrived that everything would be easier, but it was not. I suffered a lot. I didn't have the liberty to be where I want, but after all my suffering. I have my family now. I have my husband. I have my life. I have my son, and I thought before, that I could not move forward, but now things are changing. After all this suffering, I realized that here in the Us, it doesn't matter who you
are or where you came from. If you don't have people to support you, then you can't move forward. There have been people in places, and they have opened the doors for me and my family. I am okay now. I'm not saying I'm very happy because I don't have my parents with me that I am doing better than before, and I'm am learning many, many things, and I know I will learn many more. My name is Momo C. I came from Thailand. Actually, I was born in Ira division Po Po Village miramar. I love miramar.
We are 4 brothers and sisters. After I got married, I followed my husband. Life in Bur is very difficult so I could not complete my education due to my parents difficulty. They could not put me in school. I have a very limited education. That's the reason I got married, and I followed my husband wherever he went. I have 2 kids. My husband took me to the refugee camp, and the refugee camp, everyday life is tough hard. But fortunately, we crossed over all that situation.
The future for my children is hopeless in a refugee camp. The food and everything they provide is difficult. Fortunately, we survived 7 years in the refugee camp. At that time, I got a very good opportunity to reset the United States. I got an interview and medical tests completed, and we came to America. After we got here in the United States, it is a very developed country, especially for my kids. I have a very positive view and deep hope for them. And I know that there is a good
opportunity as much as we try ourselves. And so the future is open here and I feel safe in our life here. Our lives are protect... Acted, especially the family life. If we try, we get what we work for, I try to solve my personal difficulties. I want to rely on myself acted The people of the United States, their warm welcome gave me strength. My name is H Chic. I am from Somalia. In somalia, I did not have an opportunity to go to school because of the violence, but I always wanted to go to school
and have an education. Although I didn't have that opportunity. I like to work and I'm looking for an opportunity it gives me a job that I can do. In this time of my life, I am optimistic. I am optimistic that I will get a job somehow. My name is Be, Bah Go. I am from B. In my country, I worked in construction, and as a security guard. There were rivers in the country, so I went to the rivers and collected stone sand in aggregate and sold the aggregate
stones and sand. And in that way, I made income to support my family. From that, I used to buy meat and other necessary items, Also, I used to raise pigs, chickens and ducks, and I also used to work in the fields. The life in America is good. Now, it is very good. But we don't know in the future. It is unknown. The people say America is very good for living. So I think so. In the future, I think I will be the same as other people. I don't have much to say because I am very new here.
My name is Mohammed Sa. I am from Iraq. But I lived in baghdad since birth. But as a family, we lived in the north, I have been living alone in baghdad. And all these problems and fear and instability, but my aim and baghdad dad was to get married and become a family, but I couldn't because of the hardship, It was very hard to get a job. Every day you hear death or news that it's not healthy, not good. So for the last 7 years, I tried to escape from there and come
to the united. Of America. That was my dream? I was thinking day and night how to go there, and what is the process to come here? Of but it was hard because hundreds and hundreds want the same dream that I had, many want to come here. It was hard. The luckily I got through the process and came here in February 20 13. So now I'm starting my dream, my forever dream. They will be living here in the Us, and all this healthy life in freedom
and I am exercising now. I am seeing a great difference that what I had dreamed and now I am in my real dream. Even I hope some of new iraqis. They need something they don't know how that I know and the life is good. Everybody coming here as a refugee, they have their own different dreams. So now hopefully, I will make a family, and hopefully, I will live here in this beautiful country.
Well, there you go. There's a handful of stories of refugees that have come to America, seeking a better life, seeking education, Well health care, food, sanity, safety, a better life for their children, for their parents. Human beings who are seeking asylum in a country that was founded on the concept of
asylum. The conversation I had that follows is with Andrew Air heart, and he helps assimilate refugees once they've once they get to America and have passed all the millions of tests It was a great discussion. I learned a lot, and I hope you did too, and I don't have much more to say about that other than Dolby Links Of course, on hey human podcast dot com, references to what Andrew and I discuss and Thanks for listening. I appreciate it. Hey, Andrew. Hey. How are you doing? I'm
very well. Thanks for being on the podcast. Oh, no. I'm glad Glad to have opportunity to talk to. Thank you. My name is Andrea Martin. I've I've worked with Refugees primarily since about 2008, and in Portland Oregon, I can involve with an outfit called the immigrant and refugee community organization. And the work that I did for them is to I'm an instructional designer, so I build training programs. And so I was building training programs for cultural adaptation and workplace skills...
Adaptation to help refugees adapt to that in the Us. So building programs on how do you interact with police, how do you interact with your children's teachers, how do you interact with the medical system, the banking systems, things like that. And then for a workforce act how do you communicate your skills, learn are some cultural norms around interviews, how you fill out job applications or learn? A lot of kind of
rubber hits the road sort of stuff. So that's the work I to... I work from them for them from 2008 until 2000 end of 2015. And then more recently, I've been here in, Nashville, Tennessee. I've done a little bit of work with some of the communities here. There's a big Z community. Here in. The Z are 1 of the minority ethnic groups of Be or Miami. Numbers words are are somewhat controversial themselves, you know, who likes
to use which term. It's an incredibly complex part of the world, And I and I would say that 1 thing that we can say generally about refugees is there is no 1 typical refugee except... For the fact, you know, the kind of the defining things with refugees is the story usually starts with the soldiers king and things went downhill hill Right. And apocalyptic way is after for that. Yeah. But they're are from all over the world, they're of all faith. They're of all educational
backgrounds. I think that we tend to think of a refugee as for someone huddle against the the storm, you know, you know, that's been written out in a in the jungle somewhere desert. These are docked and these are doctors lawyers and, you know, and and literally like hydraulic engineers and dentists and judges and mechanics and cameras and people who are illiterate and enabling like, I think that's a really good point that, that there's this image of what a Refugee
stands for. Potentially in America. Right. You know, Now, maybe more so than than it was when our grandparents. Well they're You know, this business with the cereals right now has... Brought a lot of interest in Syrian refugees, and and certainly that's significant I can't. I don't think that we... I don't think certainly an I really imagine how bad things are in Syria. But this has drawn a lot of attention
to the refugee crisis. Can't, but there are there are and there have been refugees from all over the world steadily. I mean, this is this is not a new thing. This has been gone. A long time yet. And the Us actually reset an whole lot of for Refugees, and we have a reasonably good program here, and I'll tell talk a little bit about some of the details for So before we get into the nuts and bolts of all of that.
Sure. What what, I mean, that's quite a mission for a man to take on and it's like, what what made you decide to go into this No. I mean, I felt like I was very fortunate to be getting a paycheck. For something that I really love to do. It's kind of a sexy occupation. You know I mean, you know, it's it's a neat way to make a living. I I can't complain about it at all for I did get laid off from my job in 2015. And so, the funding can be pretty tenuous, but and you just gotta get in there and
figure it out. I'm I'm not too worried. So it what brought you to this career hat? Well, you know, I... Fundamentally for me everything. Scenes from really believing that we're all brothers and sisters. And so I think that my time, in the world is best used by you know, serving other people and so that's that's, you know, I I think that Just it's it's kind of a call and thing. Yeah. I'm... We're a human being. I'm
a human. Yeah. That's and I really appreciate you about either with humans or or tried to. Yeah. Okay. So, 1 of the things... If you don't mind let me turn the questions around and see kind of what what you might know, how would you define the difference between their refugee and an immigrant? It's a good question. I would think that a refugee is someone who comes out of a situation that's hostile, tenuous. And arrives into a situation where they're not prepared at
whatsoever. They've just sort of been cold stuck on the vehicle of some sort of transport and off their shift to whatever receiving place there there is. And an immigrant to me has a plan, I guess, or even family. You know, From the the Immigrant portal quotes that I know, the good kurds, just a couple cards that I know is this is large kurdish population here. There's such a huge network here. Right. So when they when they integrate here that assimilated.
Right. Right. And also, I think the Immigrant is somebody that in my mind, we has made the application process. I guess, I don't know It sounds more illegal then not that a refugee is illegal, but I mean, the the concept of a is basically just showing up and going to please somebody for God's
sake helm me. Well, the issues of legal legality are certainly part of it, and you also bring up the significance of arriving him to a town or whatever where there's already you know, people of your background have already shown up, Like, if if I was occurred and showed up in in Nashville as a huge Curtis community here. And how much more challenging it is if, like, literally back in Portland. I knew a guy who... He was the only guy... There was 1 other guy in 3 counties that spoke his language?
And so the challenge... The difference is between showing up where there is a community and when there's not already a community developed, Can can pretty significant. I mean, there are people at both English that don't communicate well. Sure. You go. It's a then who the next up all the language and Right. Gonna be terrifying for the person. Well, you know, it's it's kinda... It it... Yes. It's it's a huge mountain decline to adjust to
living in a new culture for anybody. I mean, I lived in Japan for a while and and that's tough. And I could come home anytime I wanna do, and I had a job and, you know, and all kinds of things. So people spoke English. Some. But, you know, and in fact, I think I think that's 1 of the things I'd like to... And I explore with you today the significance of people's there's a lot of misunderstanding about the capacity delivered to speaking and. How does that happen and and significance of
living and what it... And how that relates to ass simulation integration. It's a really gonna whole language. Yeah. If it is. It is, But, you know, I mean, you put them man on the moon, you know, it others have done it, and others will continue to do it. It can be done. There... There's a lot around that. But to come back to the idea of legally whatever a Refugee is the... When we... No, like, by definition, the people who headed out of new orleans after Katrina, there were
refugees. They couldn't stay where they were for some reason. Okay? The folks that are leaving reality right now because of the fires, technically their revenue son. Okay. Something happened that you can't stay home, basically, that's kinda of a good 1. And when I say can't, it's like you can't stay where you were. There's no option from hooks butt to leave.
I think that most people would rather have stayed home and, you know, been happy cruising them along with their lives there than to have been forced to leave to a second country or to do third country rep, which is what they see when refugees come to the Us. So there's an outfit called the United Nations high council on refugees. And there is a legal
status of refugees. So when somebody comes here as a refugee, they're legal to work, they're legal to... I mean, their their kids can go to school, they can access no care they're all here legally. There's no legal status. They're... The... The government knows that they're here, and they've gone through a pretty significant vetting process that we'll talk about here in a little while. But the definition, according to the Un, if you don't wanna to read this off to you because I don't off the
top of my head. Okay? So this is how the United Nations high council on refugees defines a refugee. Owing to a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race religion, nationality, membership in a particular social route or political opinion is outside the country of his nationality and is unable to or owing to such fear is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country or return there because there is a fear of persecution.
So basically, there are some there are some criteria there are some legal criteria that you must need to be recognized as a refugee. Okay? And so that's significant. So when we talk about refugees coming here to the Us. They've they've gone through a vetting process, and they have met this definition of what a refugee is. Okay. So any questions about that. No. Seem pretty strange sense. Okay. So, and, again, this will be the... The second only thing that I'll just straight at
reed to. If you don't mind there was an excellent short publication that was put together by the folks in Greens the center for new North Carol of refugee fact checkers. And I think it's worth going through this to kinda, flesh out. What is that vetting process? Yeah? I think that's great. Do you mind me reading? In fact Mean, I think that's important because in general, in America, I'm gonna speak
for. Other countries. I don't know how they feel about refugees, but just from the things that I've read, online, news and and social media and stuff people are pretty ignorant about it, and they're just concerned that basically, they're just piling up terrorists and shipping them into America, You know, that's the rhetoric, which is insane. Well, you know, we have... Our situation is distinct from what's happening in Europe and that just physically geological.
You can't just have thousands and thousands of people walking into the Us and the way that that europe has seen. I think it's dismissive to to say that people who are concerned about the refugee crisis and what it's going to do to their native countries and the influx of large numbers of people That is a concern. I mean, that that affects everything. I mean even here in Nashville, we think about that what is it 80 people a day who were moving here. Mh. And what's that in the to was kinda say
again. So, yeah. That's that can't be good. But no. Anytime you drive, anytime a whole lot of people show up into a system and are needing to access services, And am learn to contribute to that system. It's a huge deal. And so I don't... III really try not to either demon denies the people who are concerned Huge numbers of people from different language, cultural backgrounds and unknown safety issues showing up. It's not crazy to
be concerned about that. And it's also not crazy to care about these people and I think the key is to help them become contributing members as quickly as possible. Mh. And I think that that is what most rich G's urgently and desire to do. So anyway, let's get back to this Yep. This business only on the vetting process. Okay. So again, this was put together by the fine folks over at the center for new new North Carol over in Greens. And, okay. So definitions, the terms refugee and
asylum seeker are often used interchangeably. However, their political meanings are very different. Now we just come the definition of refugee. Right? Okay. So the owing to a well founded fair person... Being persecuted and so on and so forth. An asylum seeker is someone who says he or she is a refugee, but whose claim has not yet been definitively evaluated. Okay? So again, this implication the refugee of the legal status of a refugee is somebody who's has been embedded in, their case has
been reviewed. An asylum seeker is somebody who showing up and says that they are refugee And by definition, are refugee, but not by legal definition. The thing that you're and I hear that is Olympia, all the time. Seems like, in the eighties people were asylum seekers who were, you know, gym and Right. Right. Yeah. Right. The russians who wanted to. Okay. Right. I remember about that. About that. That's a fine for me. Alright. And and
and you'll... If you'll notice something you're watching the news about Refugee issues now, you'll hear that especially in reference to what's going on in Europe, asylum seeker, asylum seeker asylum seeker. Okay. And again, you're talking about hundreds of thousands people who have suddenly showed up into the system sure. Okay? Until they have vetted, they are asylum seekers. And that's... And so I think it's good to to know the difference between asylum seekers.
So once second gone through the vetting process. That. Then they can they can be granted the legal status of the refugee and all that comes... And and all that comes with that. Right? Okay. So moving on then when large masses of refugees flee a country at the same time, there is not the capacity to conduct individual asylum interviews for everyone. This can result in large groups being declared P fa refugees and I may have that it's FACIE. Because of.
Dream fashion Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. My that's rough. Yeah. Childhood. Well, mine is apparently. So because of its geographic location, the Us will never experience large numbers of P fa Refugees arriving from Syria. And I will note that this document was put together mostly in reference to what's going on with this syrian and the refugee crisis. Okay? So general considerations.
Systems evaluate the claims of asylum seekers to assess whether or not the individual or family unit actually qualifies for international protection under the refugee designation. To qualify for refugee status, the individual cannot have been engaged in any fighting or terrorist activities. Okay. Now we reset to the United States, obtaining refugee or peanut fast... It doesn't. We'll look it up later. Refugee status does not make an individual eligible
for settlement to the Us. Okay? So even if in in the border country where they've gone to... Yeah. Just having been recognized a refugee does not yet enable them to come to the Us. Yeah. Only the first That's the first step. Right? That's the first hurdle. Medical and security checks must be completed before Refugee will be considered for retirement. Are a lot visa is happening in other countries that...
Sure. Got I'm sure control here. Right. Well, here in Nashville, recently, there was a lawmaker who was he was making a pushback against refugees being settled here on Yeah. Tuberculosis, I've I've known a lot of folks who have had to be treated for tuberculosis in in Portland. It's not that. It's it's not a shock to people who are used to refugees coming into a system for for them to have diseases that they that need to be addressed.
I mean, I was to England a few years back and spent some time, and they... Tested me for Tv when I got. Just part of part of Just part the deal. The deal. Right. So again, again, I I don't like to demon people for saying there's this concern. Let's be aware of this concern. But this is a... This is not a deal breaker concern in lot. Okay. Right. But it makes sense. So that other the gatekeepers, we make sure that you're not Right. You know, we don't have Ebola. Sure. Sure. Awesome some,
you know, the play here whatever. Yeah. We're trying to cut down play. Yeah. I. You know, Up down again. Sure. The United states had a Bubonic plague outbreak a little while ago. Did we? Yeah. I can't remember which say. I have a very dear friend in the Cdc, very high ranking in this busy. And She kinda... She and I have these intense talks better are. Yeah. She, like, if you knew what I knew? You never. What. Okay. So, again, back to the document, security measures in place.
Refugees are vetted through background check processes involving the Us departments of State, Homeland Security, the National Counter terrorism Center and the federal bureau of investigations among other national and intelligence agencies. Background checks use biometric data, including fingerprints and retina scans. The average background check takes between 18 and 24 months to complete? My goodness. So where where do they say during all this with their detention? I
place where. I. We're talking about all over the world and so my... I this would be prior to coming to the United States Somebody wouldn't arrive here without having going through this process. So so I'm a... I'm smith fleeing my country. There's chaos, ratings supreme, and I reach out to America and say, hey. Okay. Take me in. Right. Right? And then the 2 year process begins, of where I'm mean vetted by Americas. So let's say here in Somalia You leave Somalia.
A good chances is you're gonna go to Kenya, and then you're probably you... Maybe you're gonna be there a month. Maybe you're gonna be there, 15, 18 years. Maybe you're gonna die there. You have no way of knowing. Okay? But that's where you will have to go through the vetting process. But it's... So we have people there are Like I I don't know the. Alright. It goes down to balance honest with you. Alright. But the vetting process takes place Outside of the
that. Yeah. Yeah. So and and this is for Syrian or folks out of boot town or folks out of iraq or sure know, folks out of anywhere. This is a process that they all go through before coming here. K. Now specific to the Syrian, Syrian refugee applicants already have to go through additional security measures. And again, I'm reading again from the document here.
Us intelligence agencies rely on their own intelligence and the intelligence of their allies, they do not realize rely solely on source country data, which may be inadequate or liable. The 784000 refugees who have settled in the Us since 09:11, 3 have been arrested for terrorist activities. I we that's statistic again please. The... Yes. Of the 784000 refugees who have settled in the Us since 09:11, 3 have been arrested for terrorist activities. 2 of the 3 were planning attacks outside
the Us. Now, this data is based on 2015. Okay. So I just... I think that's so important. I mean, that is a tiny... Yes. Tiny fraction There have been more domestic acts of terrorism by our own, you know, by Americans. Sure. Than there have been by refugees. Yeah. I just think that's a really important thing. I I did I do too that that's a... Well, you know you know always been statistics around and whatnot but those. Those are some pretty significant numbers. Yeah. 2
or 3. Yeah. If there's any doubt, and again from the document, if there's any doubt that an individual poses security concern he or she will not be selected for reset and are removed from further refugee process. Assessing. Now that's all from the document.
1 thing that I would say having spoken to, dear friend of mine from the Middle East, the Us for a lot of people is not their first choice of where they would want to go and not because they don't value our he Yes Really thinking as Americans, it's hard for us to see the significance of freedom and to be I do exist. I just I look at us, like, the the main girl in high school, like, the head cheerleader leader. Like, I'm so The cool. Yeah, we can be kind of
the cool kids. Yeah. But, you know, we we are not who we think we are as Americans. Americans are everybody, you know, anybody. That's the thing. This is a multi country and so... Yeah. So... But but this fellow was told me that from his community, it's well known that it's a 1 or 2 year process just to get vetted to come to the United States
So that's a big challenge. So you know you're just gonna be stuck somewhere until you go through that whole process, and then maybe you don't get approved for for 1 of a number of You have statistics on comparative brief versus non approved? No. I don't. But if you like, a I'll follow. Yeah.
Yeah. And then, I can Okay. And then another reason why it's more attractive to go to some other countries is there are more robust support systems, like, maybe you get to go to a country where your kids are gonna get to go to college for free or there's free medical care or the cost of living is significantly lower. The Us is a tough place to come to because it's it's a word it's a real synchronous swim outfit.
You know, Refugees will get about 6 months of support upon having arrived, which is basically food stamps and and some health care. Mh. They're... They... Are... They get, like, a month or 2 of rent covered, and then they're on their own. And so you're talking about for a lot of folks, even some are fortunate to show up with language skills, many are are not, and so many are just scrambling to get that first job and to...
Again and again, and again, refugees talking to me about their desire to become contributing members of the culture that they're living in. And that's 1 of the things that they feel as adults, 1 of the greatest losses that they experience is that in their country, they were a person of significance. They you had to do things. They had a contribute and to have been in limbo for a
month or 5 years or 20 years. What that would do to a man or Woman would anybody just to be just to be, you know, on the sidelines of your life with no controls over that next step. What, I mean, I've been out of work for about a year now. I've been very fortunate to have a big fat savings account, and to have been able to do some kind of piece meal over here and there, But it's been horribly mentally disrupting to me to be disconnected from the work that I do that's a contribute
contribution. Sure. To the world that I live in, and, you know, and and I even... You know, I eat day and sleep inside. So my situation is pretty easy. Right. So, I I, you know, my heart really goes out to folks and and you're talking about, you know in the refugee camps, you know, your kids, let's see your kids don't go to school for 4 or 5 years, what happens to them when they then get to another country, What happens, you know, you you miss a
generation of education. Your whole culture just just hit the bricks. Okay? That's 1 of the things that's happening with the Syrian. So did cross go in and and give... Do they help with that sort of thing? There there is a... You know, there are degrees of support. But, you know, there's... Are it a police state once inside a rep Refugee camp Are they infected with I'm
very fortunate to, in November. I'm gonna be visiting Bur and visiting some of the refugee camps that are on the thai Be order, and we'll have a little bit better a sense of that. I would encourage anybody to just, do some Youtube videos on Refugee camps. Can get a sense of what's really going on there. That's the other end of the tunnel from what I'm familiar with now. What I see is people emerging from this tunnel of having been in limbo and now trying to adapt
to what it's like in mistakes. Do I psychological services too? You know the we're we're talking about. I mean, here... This says, oh, yes. Okay. They're I think that that will vary depending on the services systems that are set up wherever you land. I know that in Portland, there was some, on a psychological support available. But then, you know, I mean, think about the challenge of how do you language The... Exactly. How do you provide really good psychological support,
an English speaker to an English speaker. Now. How are you gonna do that? To a Speaker. I mean, when there's nobody in town who speaks the language without the challenges of providing that are are are not insignificant. And it, you know, I think if anything, what I've learned from from just from spending time around refugees is that just I'm just amazed by how often they're just show up with their game face and they're, you know, they're just ready to try to to make
things work. I see so little of the trauma, you know, that I know they've experienced. Mh so they're really remarkable bunch of people. So... Yeah. Wow. So explain... So now I'm here, I've made a vetting process? Okay. Do I get introduced to somebody like you? Do I Do I... How long do I meet you? Okay. Well, I can tell you about the system that I was involved within Portland. Okay. Okay. And, it varies from city to city wants to place I I Not every not every
state has... No. There about a dozen cities in the Us that are... I've further referred to as a Asylum cities, I think in in on the radio recently, but basically, Nashville is 1 of them. Nashville... I call them Refugee cities because kinda of the world that Working. Nashville a refugee city, Saint Paul, Minneapolis is a refugee city. Houston, New York, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle. So there are a number of cities that
were designated. I think back in the seventies is when most of the systems were set up, that provides services for refugees on arrival. Now as a refugee, if you show up as a refugee, you can go wherever of the hell you wanna go. Okay? Because you're here legally. Most likely, you're gonna go someplace place that you have family or friends. Nice. That's a
huge benefit if you can. And most likely, you're gonna go to a city that has some sort refugee services a. So in the system that I was working in portland, someone would arrive, and 1 of the volunteer agencies, catholic charities lutheran family services, and I apologize. There's also a Jewish oriented outfit that does this. The services are not denomination or religion specific. I mean in terms of who they serve. These are just outfits that have services systems
set up. Someone will meet you at the airport where someone will have already found you an apartment, Mh. Furnished department. And this you know, some of the refugee apartments that I've seen, there's... They're just living in really pretty bad conditions in some cases. And in some cases in pretty fair condition. So that it can be all over the board on that. It's it's not it's not a big happy,
huge free ride. I mean, it's just barely getting by in a lot of circumstances, especially in a popular city like Portland or Nashville where the rents are going through the roof. You can imagine what challenges that puts on, placing refugees and the housing. Okay. So you get arrived from the airport tube pure new apartment, and you got a place to sleep, and you, within the first week, you will go through, medical screening and testing and any medical issues that need to
be addressed will be addressed. And then you show up at a place like where I used to work, and you will take another screening to determine your English language level, and based on those English language levels, you'd be placed into different levels of classes And the classes that we provided were focused entirely on cultural adaptation and getting the person ready to engage in the job search as quick as possible. The goal is for people to become
self supporting as quickly as possible. That's the that's the overarching goal of the system Is to get people self supporting through. And employment is considered a route for doing now. Okay. So as you're going through these classes, you've got about 6 months, You're eligible for those classes for about 6 months And during that time, you're working with what's called a job coach or employment specialist who's also working to connect you to employers in
the area. So a lot of folks naturally go into food production and hospitality and kind of some of the the entry level sort of positions that that you wouldn't have somebody would go into. And it know again, so this this makes us think about what are some of the challenges for someone who is illiterate in their own language, you know, this is 1 example. Somebody who can't read them right in their own language, trying to hold down a job as a
house is gonna be pretty tough. Here in the Us with no language skills. Often, however, with a great desire. Work. The other side of that coin is you take this, you know, this hydro electric engineer who's in the same boat, you know, who... Somebody who has been fantastically. Able to contribute to their culture and their family and their will be. And now they're trying to get a job as a house.
And what that goes to somebody. Yeah. So you're talking about just people from AAA really broad spectrum of backgrounds who are trying to Again, again, and again, I... My honest belief is really trying to become contributors just as quickly as as the can. They they want their kids to be okay. They want themselves to be okay. And and they're. They have a they want to best can in being here. You know, I I really don't have a much of a sense of people showing peter looking forward to a free ride
or anything like that. Most people are are really happy to get that first job and and to try to get things off the ground. Experience. That's kinda weird. That's that's kinda what happens. Now to go a little bit further with your question though what happens when you arrive here. Okay? So you got a place to stay that you are responsible for paying your rent. I've almost never been to a refugees house that the lights were turned on in a daytime because there's no money for electric or
utilities or anything like that. You got your rent covered for a couple of months, but everything else is on you, and so you got people live in living pretty cheap, you know, saving money in any way that they can, often often finding ways to make it work because the human capacity to serve survive was just so stanley. Absolutely. So like, if I come... If I come to a new country, and my kids are gonna start going to school,
Okay. So I'm gonna take this from the perspective of of, maybe a a young father or, young family. Okay. My kids are gonna start going to school. They're gonna pick up English pretty quickly because they're a little bit younger and it's just, you know, that that just... That's the way we'll build, You know, we can pick up languages more easily when we're young. But the real deal is they're picking up the language faster because they're listening reading writing and speaking in English for 8
hours a day. It's immersion? It's... Yeah. It's it's the in that. It's the time spent in the language that enables you to pick it up. Okay. So, M is as the young father, I'm may be fortunate to get a job. Now let's compare the difference between if I get a job as a cashier. Or if I get a job in a
production facility. Okay? In the production facility, my need to communicate in English is gonna be very limited and there's a fair chance, unfortunately, that there will be other people from my language background that are working there as well. And so my need... So Now, my 8 hours a day are either not speaking English or remaining in my native language. Okay. So that and as know it slows things down. My my ability to pick up
the language is a little bit tough. And I got that just to interject for a second it, it frustrate me when I hear people say, well, you live in America asian English. And I don't think people realize how daunting, first of all, the English languages, that's number 1. I mean, plenty people born can barely handle the English language Right. And 2, the comfort and safety zone of being with
people that speak your language. I mean, It would be, like, if you took an American and threw them on, you know, on the planet at Z arc and suddenly, they're not speaking Z can, They don't know how to speak that... How lonely would that be? Right.
And to not understand that to you... Well, you know, the 1 of the things that comes up with with language skills as Americans, most of us learned the 1 language that we know as very young people, and we don't really have a sense of what it takes to learn to speak a language. Okay? A good way to think about it is if I got a guitar, it may take me a couple of months just to get, you know, to where I could handle handle something like Twinkle twinkle little star, going out on tour is years down the
road. Okay. And that's a good way to think about people who are learning to communicate in English. When somebody can speak to you a little bit in English. That doesn't... It's not helpful for you to go full throttle and start giving them a native level English because they just can't work at that level. There are ways and I'd like to talk to you a little bit about this to kind pitch your language level to work effectively
with people who are language learners. So your point, I think is really significant. Many people who are here whose English isn't perfect. It's easy to underestimate that it took them years perhaps to get as far as they are, and they're working on it really hard, but if my job is a... And, again, I'm gonna go back to my young father analogy.
Okay. I wake up with my family at the house in the morning, we probably spend some time, you know, eating breakfast, whatnot there in the morning gotta get everybody up, fed off to school but whatnot, I go to work all day. Okay. So now I'm 8 hours in. And I've got that 3 or 4 hour window in the evening between, you know, can't getting home from work and going to sleep myself, stacking up language lessons on top of that is
is powerful, but that's a huge investment. I mean, it's it it's like going to medical school or something like that. I mean, it's a really big deal for somebody to do that, and you can't just turn this ship around in a day or 2. It takes somebody years of effort to make practical to make significant progress when they... Because of perhaps the circumstances of their employment means that they only can can even work on their language skills for a few hours a day.
So now let's come back to previously, we said, okay. If I'm working in a factory, and I'm, you know, I'm speaking my native language or not communicating all day long. The challenges is that that that's gonna bring up. Now if I get it happen to get a job as a cashier, then all day long. It's hello. How are
you? I'm communicating with people even just the familiarity with making eye contact, saying hello and having just that little short conversation that gives you confidence and then that person is so much more fortunate to be put to the Single swing situation of use them the language on a regular basis. So there's all kind of factors involved in how quickly a person can pick up the language.
Now I have known people who are in their fifties and sixties who come to the Us, and they're absolutely given a hell and they really do make progress with their language. Mh. But think about if you're 50 years old, and you moved to Turkey, What are the chances of you really, Right. Getting that atlanta? Well like anything, There's gonna be a few people who are accepting at language skills right. Like there's great mathematicians or some exceptional at music or whatever it
is. Some people's brains work well for language. Well, and I would say very significantly. It's it's often less a question of capacity as it is opportunity. And people people who make progress with the language are often struggling to find the opportunity to make. To make that progress. America has f. Every language has f is. Mean what's b and a f and a, you know, the okay. L and r sure Sure.
Estimate to. Know, I'm was sure that the sound, the earth sound in bird is the hardest sound to learn to pronounce if you're not born in a culture that produces that Yeah. Fun fact. I'm That us. So... It doesn't gonna to be true this America. Yeah. Kidding. Well, now, let's let's come back to our family. The kids are at school. The dads off at work, and and this is what typically happens.
The woman is often at home taking care of the house, and This social isolation experience by women can be really significant. Mh. Especially perhaps because of maybe your religious background puts further constraints on who the... You're culturally familiar with communicating with. Are you might not even be a allowed of speak to men but you don't know. Right. Right. Right. Without some other managers do no present. Right. So a lot of rules around... There are a lot of
rules around that. And it's it's dismissive of a culture to say that that's right or wrong. You know, they're it's just the way it is. It's just the way is. Like if I went to France, I wouldn't insist that my wife went top at the beach Okay. I mean, it's just guys going to do that And? Okay. So people are where they are. Yeah. Okay. So now what's gonna happen is my kids are gonna pick up the language pretty quickly, I may over the next few years pick up the language to some degree.
My ability to speak the language is going to make or break my opportunities. Throughout the rest of my life in in this culture. And it can also further separate a child from a parent. Well, this this is 1 of the challenges, often the children are brought in to act
as interpreter for the family. And so now, again, the man who's been accustomed to being head of that of the family and for can, you know, being responsible for taking care of business is relying on their child to translate with the teachers to translate with the doctors and not got my kid translating my medical problems to my. And about the the switch in roles that.
There. Yeah. Okay. So that's that's something. All these, you know, these family dynamic stuff that have things that happened within, on the newly arrived, families or are are quite challenging. And so my children very likely, if I have children born here Now, I'm thinking living my mental process is going on let's say, for example, in Soma somalia, And my children's mental process is going on in English, I may never really be able to communicate effectively with my own children.
So if this gap that occurs between within the family of the arrival generation and the youth of that generation is can be really profound. Mh. And so the challenges that your family is facing and adapting to the culture and in just maintaining your family there are some huge challenges that fill on. No. I have, but I feel like list just children are. It's hard enough to be a kid.
Right. And a teenager, especially, where Right I mean, when you're surrounded by everyone the same and you're routine, if you're gonna hate parents for a minute anyway. So then throw into the mix, where you're from a culture that might be verified out of ignorance for for whatever reason because you're different. So I come into junior high school, and I'm ashamed. Probably because, you know, I think that happens. The human desire to find is really powerful.
Yes. My mother used to come to pick me up from Junior High and her per green rabbit, and I was like, to take me take all that other 7 in there and And now I think would create even more of a divide. So So so I think it's valuable. No I think that per green rabbit I think bad app but which should still have it. So in the family. Anyway.
I I think my takeaway away from all this is just to recognize that that whether immigrant or refugee, your your It's good to remember that these folks are often really working much harder than you might suspect to overcome challenges that that are not easy for you to detect that are overwhelmingly, significantly in their own person professional lives. Sharing. So that's kind of the takeaway away from all that. Yeah. You know. And so then it's it's not too surprising when I become
a grand grandparent. And again, I can't speak to my grandchildren at all. Yeah. Because then the children most likely have not translated that language down, You know? And so there's some... There's some very significant things. And in, you know, most most refugee families that I talked to. It's not unusual for people to say, listen my job. I got us here. I don't care. Everything goes into the success
of the next gen. Mh. And so the the sacrifices prices that are made for that are are often just phenomenal and heartbreaking, You know? Because the the kid can't really appreciate it probably until they or have kids of drones. Right There's some pretty significant stuff that goes on there. So that's kind of what happens that that multi generational
experience of moving to that new country. And it's not just when refugees or immigrants come here, that's whenever any family from any place goes to another country your a culture or whatever. Sure. But when you pile on top of the the trauma that probably went on for years or decades or whatever on top of it. So I I just I just you know, I I really had grown to admire the the refugees that I've worked with. Just some. You had a particular story that
you'd like to share. Yeah. You know, there there was There was 1 lady. The weather there's so many and in fact, I would encourage you, and maybe we can put a link to this on the I definitely. I that. Did a little, Youtube... Or I did a short film that's on Youtube. You can look up, our story, refugees, Portland. And there are some 5 or 6 different refugees telling him a little bit about their stories of what happened know, before coming into the Us and then
kind of their experiences being here. So I I would look into that. I think that the refugees speaking for themselves is pretty good. I'll definitely a link up for that. Right. Right. On the website. Okay. And then, let's see. There were some... A couple of the things I wanted to kinda cover with you moving on put the rest these stories. Okay. So having said all that, and how were we doing long time? Got
about 15 minutes Okay. Well, then let's let's go from some of those background information into some kind of practical things that your eye could do to... Because again, I think that The capacity to communicate in English is a real deal breaker for a lot of folks. It's gonna either open or close doors throughout their life here. Mh. And so how as a member of the of the mainstream or native born culture, you know, what's your side
of the bridge? These people are working their asses off trying to pick up the language, what can you do to try to help build the bridge from your size. Sure. To to ensure more effective communication And. Okay. So let's wrap up with some... So Like Yeah. What can you do that? When what can you do help? Humanity. Right. Goes
a long way. Yeah. It really does. You know, the the first step, honestly, is I think that it it's easy to underestimate the significance of just connecting with the person as a human. Okay? If I go to the store and I'm looking for something, I'm a lot better served to just start out with hello How are you than to just dive right into where the bacon. Okay? Just making that human connection with somebody with a smile, and hello is a really
big deal. Mh Okay? Trying to communicate as a as a language learner is pretty intimidating for a lot of folks now some people are just fearless and they'll go for it. But most people you can do a whole for them just by giving these kind of social cues that I'm not gonna beat you up for making a mistake. Okay? So I always say, start out with a smile. Everybody gets what a smile is and a hello. That's a really big deal. Okay? So that's 1 of the first things you can do. And then practically, okay.
First thing, put space between your words. Okay? So it may sound awkward, but, you know, when we're speaking in English, you know, like, if you hear somebody speaking Spanish, and you don't speaks Spanish. It sounds like they're talking really fast fast. It's not that they're talking fast. It's just that you don't know the language and you you can't distinguish the space between the words. You... You're not mentally making each word in your head. How is you're just getting a series of
sound? I always the French at course at fifth grade level, but I hear in a grade level. Right. Right. That's... Yeah. That's that's a great way to think about it. That's a great way to think that. When you're reading something, you can tell 1 word from the next because physically, there's a space. Mh. Between the words. Now when when native speakers are communicating with each other, we often omit that space. Okay. So 1 of the best things that you can do is to put space between your words.
Okay? So now I'm gonna say this normally. Okay? What are you gonna do after work? Okay. Now compare that with what are you going to do after work? Now you can hear the difference between those 2. And the difference, it feels a little bit awkward to talk. I sounds 3 because we're used to... When we get mad of each other. Right native speakers right Said, right. Excellent point. Excellent point. But what you're a. I think put in space
between your words. And again, it's tough to teach yourself to do that, but that really helps the other person. If I was gonna say, top 2 rules, number 1 smile, number 2, put space between your words. Mh. If you can only remember 2 things, those are huge helps to the person that you're trying to communicate with. Okay? Let me practice it on you. Okay? I'm gonna say something naturally as I would naturally say it to you. You say it back to me with space between the words.
Okay. Okay. What time do you wanna meet? What time do you want to meet. That's it. That's it. And in fact, that your listeners can tell you were smiling When you said that, you can hear a smile. Think about. You can hear when somebody smile had film. Okay? That's part of what's going on a great fantastic job on that. Okay. So rule number 1, smile, Rule number 2, put space between your world, between your words. Number 3, pronounce the last sound of words.
Okay. In American English we tend to drop the final sounds of things, especially in American English, especially country singers? Is that effect? Like, no week drop the g off of everything, Singing. Right. Right. Right. Okay. Good exactly. Good example. Good example. So right 1 the 1 I put down here is I wanna go to the park. Okay? That in park almost always disappears. We tend to just kinda stop a sound. Yeah. Okay. And so want instead of want? And I want...
Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. So taking the time to put those final sounds on words. Thing You go right On the plane. It it really helps folks out a lot because oftentimes they've been exposed to it. Students all the time saying I mean, class, I can understand my teacher. I can understand what's in the book. I got in the street and I've got nothing. Okay? So what we're talking about here again, is
situations where communication is the goal. There are times when you're trying to teach somebody something that you do wanna use... Slack that you do wanna speak naturally normally. I mean, that's the eventual goal, but sometimes you're trying to get a point across. Sure. So that's what we're talking about. And be patient. Be patient. It's gotta be on the somewhere. It is. It is. Okay. So come back, smile. Number 1, space between the words, pronounce the last sounds
of words. That's The next 1, I'd say speak in a normal tone of voice. There is a tendency for people either to start talking louder. Yeah. When when they're not effectively communicating, that makes the other person uncomfortable. Sure. And then we can also kind of baby tall people and kind of speak to them as if they were children, which is a insulting to an adult. Absolutely. So maintaining a normal and positive tone of voice, carries carries a lot of weight.
And just try to keep track of using really basic words and simple grammar. Okay. When we're communicating in English, we tend to say things in very polite ways. That are dramatically quite complex or we tend to use words that are sort of so that we can give the impression of in of authority or intelligence. And those things can be really challenging. So again, I got a couple of examples complicated to to flesh that out. Okay. So let's look at this.
If I was to say to you Could I get you to run down in the store and pick us up a case of coke? Okay? This could I get you to? Then I makes. Lot of sense to you. Yeah. I'm being nice. Yeah. I'm assuming that I'm making in position on you and in my language. I'm recognizing that. I'm being I'm being respectful to a language learner that's a very complex chunk of words. Okay? So again, I Could I get you to run down to the run down? Doesn't make any sense? Could I get you to?
Doesn't make any sense? Pick pick us up? Case there's a lot there's a lot of language in there that's difficult to decipher, and it's... Most of it's in there because you're trying to be polite. Okay? So now let's compare that to please go to the store buy coke. Right. Nobody's total sense. Keep the please in there because you still want to show that respect to the other person in consideration of them, but simplified, not dumb down.
Simplify get message. Okay. I'm the I giggle because I remember being about at my brother, when I was. Dion young, I'm 7 years younger for the older brother. Okay. And he got his ears pierced. Okay. And it was dinner time, my family sitting on the dinner table. And I know my brother's ears peers. But
my parents do not know this. And my father glance over at my brother Jeremy, and and sort of takes it all in and then says, I'll never forget this it actually burning my brain he said self mutilation for the purposes of a dormant is the characteristic of savage people. That's what he says a mouthful. I know. And by when I... When I later re told that, my friend say, what is having it's it means you shouldn't have got your ears pierced kids. See that. And languages everything. Sure. Sure. Could
funny. No. That... You're you're you're heading in the right direction there. Yeah. Look at your message and don't dump it down. Don't baby it down. Just simplify. Simplify the way saying it. And then, finally, asking someone if they understand is usually pointless, asking a language learner if they understand something. They are usually so intimidated and so nervous about trying to communicate you with you in the first place that they're not admitting ignorance is culturally
not cool for a lot of people. What's a statement no matter who you're saying into anyway. Do you understand? Well, you did can be very con patronizing. It... What... What's what's often happening? Honestly, the native speaker is often uncomfortable with. Interaction as well. Because as a native speaker, I'm not getting the kind of feedback that I expect from somebody just that demonstrates understanding. You so it's natural for me to say you understand. And that
if the person says, yes. I assume do. I can tell you from my experience. I would never assume that's... That... That's a false assumption. Yeah. The person is more likely to say yes, because they're exhausted from trying. They're afraid. They just wanna nod and smile and get out of the interaction, And like... And if you're counting on them to operate a forklift, Now you've got big, big, big problems. Okay? So that do you understand there's not really all all such a useful way to do it.
If in the forklift situation, if this was really crucial, I would ask the person to tell me what I just told them that allows me to check their understanding. It makes Okay. Just that do you understand? Doesn't doesn't really do all that much. I'm gonna go right back through this 1 more time. Smile, put space between your words pronounce the last sounds of words, normal tone of voice, simplified your message, and don't bother asking somebody if they're understand.
Those are some of the practical things that you can do to to build your side of the bridge in communication with someone else. I do feel like it's valuable for us to all share a a native language here in the states. I do think that learning to speak English is you know, we need that common ground. It's just it's not practically feasible. I think for us to all learn to speak tradition Italian wall and you know, all of the languages is their present. And I understand
that. When I was saying that I get frustrated by people that say, we you should speak English. And I get that. It makes sense logistic all I'm saying is people should have patience. That's right. And we should be part of helping them yeah speaking. Really. If you're getting frustrated by your neighborhood bang guy because he doesn't understand you asking to take your steps in the car. Take 5 minutes and say, car. Here you go. Dang. Like, walk. Or whatever it is. Right Yeah we're all in
this together. Just be aware of that they need learn speak English I don't really disagree with that, but realize grandma and Grandma, you can't leave them in Somalia when everybody came here. They are not learn speaking english because of their age and unlikely. Those that are physically capable of learning the language. It's not an overnight success story take years to get
really comfortable. So b part... If you're gonna insist that people don't to speak the language, I think that it's reasonable that we become a part of that process to make that as easy as possible. There are things that you can do to make that easier harder be sure. We have a lot of people that are not native English speakers here
in Nashville nashville. For whatever reason. There seems... I mean, I I come from Seattle where, of course, there's tons of people that are not necessarily English speakers. But I find it... It's always a nice bonding moment when I need somebody and I say, tell me how to say this in your language. Okay. You what I mean? Because said something like... I don't know something. Right. They don't know something. Right? And we're and I find that a nice moment. Right.
Well, it it cast the other person as an authority, which as someone adapting to a new culture is often an experience that they so rarely get to do. You know? When, you know, the when the other person is able to contribute in a way that they've... You know, that they're comfortable and confident with. That's such a big deal to people. I mean, just to go to somebody's mike's house and
they cook a meal for you. It's such a big deal for them, I... I benefit tremendously because I get to eat all these great food, They get to do something for me And honestly, I I truly believe that's... I I really really believe that most folks want to become contributors They are big time believers in the American dream in waves that as native born Americans, we can... We really can't appreciate what a big deal it is. I I don't think it's crazy to be concerned about we see terrorism
a lot in the world today. There's a lot of horrible things that are going down right now. I don't think it's crazy to be concerned about that. But I think that when I think about Refugees in the Us, broadly speaking, I'm certainly not intimidated, Gen... My general impressions, these are people who want to contribute who want to be part of making America. Just a a great place to live. You know, they want their kids to be okay They want their families to be okay. They
wanna contribute. They wanna get back. And they're doing most, you know, 9 times out of town. They're knocking themselves out, trying to make that happen. I saw a video the other day, it was a room full of people from all over. Mh. That they... And they... The video was filmed in Europe. I'm assuming. And the panel is individually interviewed each person and said, is there any particular what's the word? And.
Ethnicity, whatever that you don't like. Okay. Just across the board of, and so somebody would say, Oh, I don't like the turks or. I don't like the Germans or I don't like them, whatever. So we went down through the line asking these people. And then they gave them all the Dna tests. Then the tube tube goes off, they recon beans. And then in front of everyone, they came forward. Okay. And their results were given and they had to read them aloud
of what their backgrounds were. And inevitably, of course, There were some of that... The thing that they hated about whatever the the reit, you know? And then the reason that they hated whatever race or whatever. They were. Right. And so percentage. Right. And 1 of the women interviewed and turned out the 2 people in the audience for cousins. Wow I didn't even know it, and they were from opposite side. 1 was a I think 1 was named Syrian and the
other 1 was, Israeli. Okay. Yeah. And when I went to, like, second cousins like that. And, which was a really profound moment for them. Sure. And anyway, the woman said every human being should take this test. Mh. And I got... I like, man, Wouldn't that be something? Yeah. Because suddenly, these walls, these... That we build in our minds Right about why we're better than or less than would be have to sort of really got
be cracks as well. It really would. Because suddenly, these people that I don't like by virtue of no reason other than I don't like them. Right. Maybe I am them. Right. Because truly, we are And that... That's the thing that frustrate me the most about humanity. And my father will always say, you know, it's always been this way. It's just now we know about it because mass media and all this sort of stuff, and I get that, you know, human beings are always trying to figure out a way
to feel better about themselves. And the best way to do that is to feel worse about someone. You know what to make somebody else like that guy. Upon somebody else for interview. Yeah. By this... It really touched me to watch that video and to think, yeah, man. We all just spit a jar and send it off to the lab. We alright. We're all this same. But just some quirky differences here and there. Anyway, thank you so much for calling. Absolutely. I really appreciate it.
I'm gonna put links some things up on the website. So please send send me an email with some things you'd maybe, like people to see. I absolutely will do that. Yeah. Is there any particular website that you can recommend is somebody wants to no more. You know, I think if some... If somebody wants to know more, avail yourself of an opportunity to say hello to somebody that you might not. Say hello to otherwise. And just start opening in those course. That's that's the most powerful
piece of of this whole puzzle. Awesome. Alright.