Photo by Kampus Production
It is a challenge to settle in a completely new environment. Regardless of where you came from, there are a lot of hurdles an immigrant must overcome. Borichevska’s book about trials and challenges in life teaches us what it means to power through the challenges as an immigrant.
The only constant thing in this world is change, which happens to the best of us, especially if you’re an immigrant or refugee striving to move on to a foreign land to seek shelter and opportunities for a better life. Many countries in the West have become racially diverse due to a large number of immigrants across the globe. Indeed, they only need a place to stay, and a welcoming community of people who don’t express hate, as adjusting to a new environment is hard enough.
God extends His grace to anyone in need, especially if you are someone who feels lost in an unfamiliar place and having a hard time getting uprooted from the life you once lived. No immigrant should be alone in facing these hurdles.
Common Challenges Faced By Immigrants Worldwide
1 – Language Barrier
Language is the most challenging barrier for immigrants from any foreign land. Communicating is essential for anyone to blend into society. It affects many aspects of life, from daily interactions to more formal settings like school or work. Being fluent in the native language is essential to everyday life, and this is the topmost struggle of any immigrant, particularly the first generation. They have no family or friends that can help them familiarize the language, even to a conversational extent. The US and Canada have Spanish and French as their significant languages. However, it might be preferable to speak English there, as it’s widely spoken. But if you are fluent in French but don’t fare well in speaking English, Canada is a great choice.
Whichever country you choose, you need to learn at least one official language recognized by the government. But don’t neglect your native language either, as it has been proven that being multi-lingual has its perks regarding job opportunities.
2 – Employment
Another challenge that comes with being an immigrant is finding stable employment. A good source of income allows immigrants to afford essential goods and services enjoyed by any other citizen. Additionally, having a job as an immigrant helps them sustain their families, whether they’re together or living apart. It might be hard to attain suitable employment significantly when the language barrier point mentioned above hinders an immigrant. It shouldn’t be much of a primary concern, though. With the right organizations that can help immigrants land a job as soon as they arrive in a foreign land, there won’t be many problems.
3 – Housing
Securing a home can be difficult, and it’s the most basic right of anyone to have shelter. It poses a massive problem if someone doesn’t know about the current housing markets in their country. Researching ahead across the internet would be helpful nowadays compared to the past. However, the national and local government agencies have housing programs catering to those who struggle to look for a home. These organizations provide services catered to immigrants who are still on the lookout for secure housing.
4 – Access To Essential Services
The essential services you were familiar with in your home country might differ entirely in the new country you moved into. The quality, range, and type might be way other than what you were used to, and recognizing these differences is a huge barrier, according to many immigrants.
Health care, legal services, and access to mental health and other social services tend to be harder on any immigrant without any collective effort from the government to assist them in accessing those essential services that allow them the same privileges as the citizens of that country. If language is still a struggle, ask if the local government can provide interpreters that will assist you.
5 – Cultural Differences
It may not be at the top of the list among immigrants’ struggles, but most of them experience erratic culture shock upon arrival. You or someone you know might have experienced this. A new country’s social customs and practices often make a big impression on any foreigner. From the food down to the daily interactions may take time for any immigrant to learn and absorb. Other than that, there are more cultural disparities that immigrants adhere to, like gender sensitivity, religion, ethnicity, and sexuality. Depending on the new country, these aspects differ from your home country.
