Thresholds of Immigration
This includes two separate layers of thresholds. First is
the sense of a new arrival. Will the journey chosen to find shelter bring death
or freedom? Then later begins the
journey of “non-acceptance/ acceptance, understood/not understood” in social
mores and customs.
As I’ve shared in a previous blog, an excellent example of a
cross-cultural situation can be found in the movie Green Dragon. One poignant scene occurs with a young woman frantic
to get some milk for her baby who cannot digest the American version. The baby
needs sugar added. A leader in her community is refusing, in a misguided
perception that they still need to ration, so in his mind he is being
responsible. When one of the cooks gets a translation of the difficulty he
makes it clear they can have as much as they need. Both refugees are stunned. But their reactions are very
different. The woman is grateful and relieved while the leader is miffed with a
perception that the young cook has interfered with his authority.
Exercise:
1. Put your
character in a situation where she either dreams, or actually experiences, a refugee
relocation. It can be either by war, or natural disaster, or a long term
camping trip for someone who has never camped before.
2. What is the first thing
she does to give her space a personal focus? Or how does she resist?
Share: Give an
example of a serious misunderstanding and another that is humorous.
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