As a student from another country, I come to understand how it would feel to leave your home country and move to another place, where you don’t know anybody and nothing or no one to rely on. It is also difficult to go somewhere and have to have to learn a completely new language. The United States has a different culture that is not always similar to foreign cultures. The hardest part is being away from family (a strong, reliable support system) and friends. Immigrating to the United States is much easier when you have people that understand your situation, usually because they’re in the same position. I think isolation groups (like the Vietnamese in the east) can become a necessity for certain people; it is an answer to a situation that they had to solve when they came. It is not necessarily a good or bad idea, but more of a comfort zone.

For me the best part of the church was this, the altar. In some way made me think about how symbols are always what put the believes together no matter where those believes are come from.

Immigrant in the United States

I'm an immigrant in the United States. At the beginning I came to the Untied States. I didn't understand this and that. It was so difficult for me to live in New Orleans. I should adapt the time, the weather, the life, everything. It was so strange for me to see the Americans did the usual things. I come from China, I have my own culture, which has a lot of different from the American culture. So, it was difficult for Italian Americans, Hondurans, Irish Americans, and German Americans to adapt the American culture. I believe they took quite a while to understand and adapt, finally used to live in the Untied States. Personally, It's much easier to live with a group people, who have the same culture with you in an different country. The Vietnamese Americans live in a big group in the east of New Orleans. Even they couldn't speak English well, they still can enjoy their life. I went to the Chinatown in Houston, it was so familiar for me to stay. Every people speak Chinese, even the policeman. I live in New Orleans much more  difficult than in Houston because we don't have a lot of Chinese people in New Orleans. We couldn't have fun with a lot of Chinese friends and have traditional Chinese foods. It's difficult to live in a different culture place by a few people.

Today, we went to the east of New Orleans, the Vietnam Church. It's a big church and we had experience about the Vietnam culture.

Immigrants

I remember my first day in United States very well. I was excited and happy about the opportunity to live in a country I have never been to. After a couple of months of being so far from home I started to feel little lonely and stressed. Not only because I left my family and friends, but also a cultural differences started to have a big impact on me. Each immigrant is experiencing alienation, that is a very common reaction while changing your own environment. That is why I do understand why immigrants are gathering within their own ethnic groups. It is easier for them to cope with cultural stress. At the same time they may cultivate their tradition while being away from their countries.

IMMIGRANT IN AMERICA

If I was an immigrant in America, I think that could be difficult to adapt to this new culture. French people don’t share the same objective and culture. We are not outgoing or don’t speak a lot, so American way of life could be interpret like rude. We give priority to healthy and good food unlike American. Moreover we have the same religious feast or almost and they are a lot of catholic too. However the language could be the most difficult barrier for French people and could be difficult to open your mind to other citizens.

I think it’s easier for foreign people to stay together because they share the same point of view or culture. But for the new generation, they want to open their mind to the American values because they elevated with American people.

elodie