thoughtzz

Filing folders for refugee families, again I understood how big this refugee assistance system is. Lots of people and lots of channels. There are people in the national lRC headquarters, government officials from Social Security Administration, employees at Georgia Power, etcetc, each of whom have the power to control many lives. The AFS classes I've taken during college promote a de-constructivist theory of questioning. What is power? Who is a refugee? What does it mean to be American, etc... How do you honor the system in place but feel free to question rules and procedures esp if it undermines the original purpose (which is: to assist refugees to resettle in America) Is there another way "to do refugee assistance"? I don't know. How did 9/11 affect refugee assistance? Probably fewer refugees are accepted than before During an orientation meeting with some refugee families, I was just thinking, wow...here are eleven other people who have tight deadlines that will impact their future, and it's all dependent on how well a few people preside the meeting. And I was sitting in the corner of the room, drawing attention because I was taking notes on essential information they needed to know in a language they haven't mastered yet. I didn't feel intrusive taking notes because how else would I learn? i can't help really, But I did realize..it makes a difference to use basic communication and add some common sense. For instance, speaking loudly doesn't make refugees, or anyone else for that matter, understand u any better. Minimize words if u can, and even making forms visually readable is helpful. Most of the adults couldn't even figure out where to sign their names b/c the form was so crowded. gosh... do people care?