Financial and social integration literacy for a new immigrant in USA: testing the meaning of happiness and independence in American communities

You have settled in, I would say, almost in a cosy way. USA that is meeting you on the streets, television, radio, buses, buildings, restaurants and rubbing you in form of human bodies and language is far from what you dreamt of back in say, Africa, Haiti, China, Japan, Korea, India, Bhutan or El-Salvador!

There are social systems in place that you need to familiarise yourself with: the ones that immediately come to mind are; health care, education, social services, habitation and transportation. Are you familiar with the road that leads to the nearest hospital? Are you able to negotiate your way through emergency clinics or rooms? Do you have a phone number where you can be contacted? Are you well immunised? When did you last check for say, HIV? Are you a child below 19 years? As a child below that age, do you have parents? Do you go to school? Are you a mother? Are you a father? Are you eligible to join say, the military services of the USA? Have you tried all avenues to see where you fit? Are you able to travel around or are you tied down on one street fearing you may get lost?

Get to know something about America’s politics, get to study and complete a level of qualification ( invest time, be persistent and patient), take time to explore and grow spiritually, find out how the immediate community can help you as well as how you help it. Can you/ are you authorised to work? Find out how or what you can do get work authorization. In doing this you will be improving on financial and social integration. You need to think along those lines. This is America!