The 10 basic charitable acts and good practices that can make adjusting to American society/community possible:

1.       Meshing with your hosts: at all times show courtesy to your hosts

2.       Appreciating and finding what you can do: After studying your environment get something to do in order to earn respect, money and continued positive regard.

3.       The kitchen practices: Wash utensils, prepare meals for all, store food that is not warm in the fridge. Clean kitchen area at any opportunity. Use the food wrapper sparingly if you are to use microwave as this avoids heated food spilling all over the insides of the microwave.

4.       The bath/wash-room practices: use the bath/wash-room knowing that others will also use it and after clean it. In case you are using a public laundry ensure you have coins ready as most machines do take coins. WAIT UNTIL YOUR CLOTHES ARE READY AND THEN PICK THEM TO LEAVE ROOM FOR OTHERS.

5.       Throwing away garbage/waste: Garbage or waste is thrown in baskets with polythene-bag insertions which once full up are tied up at the rim and carried to kips/bins.

6.       Sharing the doors, alleys and lifts: Hold door for others until they have passed through once you are the first to open the door. Walk on the right to leave the left side for those approaching you.

7.       Road discipline/Transport means: Follow all road use instructions to avoid penalties.

8.       Meeting other Americans: America has a multitude of races and people from different countries. Learn something through meeting them or making friends.

9.       Working in the American society: Arrive earlier at work, keep on the job and sign out appropriately.

10.   Sharing your dollars with the team: You may be staying in a place with others. If the arrangement is cash-pooling adhere to it.

Saying ‘Volksbook’ about facebook much the same way we say Volkswagen about Volkswagen

                          

We were about 17 young men and 5 young women, all of us from different ethnicities and races. I imagined we were between 17-45 years.  I am from Africa, another was from Vietnam, another from Canada, well, from all over the world as well as those who were born and bred from USA generations back.  Many had iPads and latest model phones which had various websites including facebook website open. We talked about different things and somehow we found ourselves steering into such conversations that depicted sacrifice, inventions and gratitude. It came to my turn to chip in.  I talked of people whose ideas continue to create opportunities for others to see life as a potential and live it to the fullest.  We talked about so many other issues and we exchanged e-mails and phone contacts. I left, like many in the group, to return to the library for another hour and later went back home. That day at the library was a worthwhile activity in which I experienced more interactions with people from many parts of the world. That sun break helped me break down what was eating at my mind as I was preparing to write my regular pieces for my blogs and facebook walls. Humans are a grateful species, humans are an enterprising species. We also reflect upon economics and conservation. Given the levels or our state of competence we may be able to create possibilities and opportunities where there was none. I came to this realization when I compared things here and back in Africa. My question this time was whether we can be able to say ‘Volksbook’ about facebook much the same way we say Volkswagen......about Volkswagen! Fuel/energy is to the car as the car is to the road. I wanted to relate the people to facebook, Google and the computer. I dare say, the people are likened to the energy for the car. Facebook (platform) is the car and Google (website) is the road. The computer is the key that starts the ignition. As part of those who had come out of the library to sun ourselves (a sun break) or for a smoke break for those who smoke, I could not help but note all of us were had active facebook accounts. Anecdotal remarks, plus visible interactions while we were at the break, informed my opinion on this.  Smoke and sun breaks are two things one cannot do inside a library!  At what standard would humans be if for instance we lacked initiators who were more skilled, far seeing and movers of things? What if there were no early adapters? I gazed around the Worcester (MA) Public library. It was an idea of a person whose deed commits it for use by other people. It is an idea of utilitarian quality. This large concrete, steel, fibre and glass edifice was the idea of a person whose mission statement is ‘to serve as a gathering place that actively promotes the free exchange of ideas in our democratic society.’ This thought triggered another. What is the relationship of facebook and the people who subscribe to it? The relationship is captured in the facebook mission statement which goes thus: ‘to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected.’ Founded in 2004 as an exclusive student website it grew to become a website with over 12 million users from the entire world by 2006. At a growth rate of 10 million users per month, it currently has over 650 million active facebook accounts, 16 million facebook fan pages and it is valued at $ 80 billion. As a website, it is only surpassed by Google. Every 20 minutes at facebook, 10.2 million comments are posted. 48% of users between 18-34 years check facebook right after waking up. Almost 10% of the world population is connected to facebook by an active account. An average account user has 130 friends. 50% of active users log on to facebook any day. It is a promise of continued interactions, reading, writing, drawing, composition and connections.  This and more, indeed, make facebook a ‘Volksbook’ (People’s book).  The mission statement that willingly calls on as many people to join, the interesting interaction and share tools make it a motivation for continued use. Facebook has another entity it resembles in winning people’s hearts. This is the very popular Volkswagen. Outside of Germany, this little car came to be liked as the ‘people’s car’ by all definitions. It is a translation of the name Volkswagen. As of 2012, Volkswagen (people’s car) has produced 5, 771789 cars and to-date Volkswagen is the number one automobile maker in the world. The ‘Beetle’ and ‘Golf’ are the flag-bearers. They are a family car, they are dependable, they do not break down on the roads and once handled well can last many years. Many families have held on to their Volkswagens.  For facebook and Volkswagen, dependability, built-in interactive apps, stirring connectivity, information medium, status symbol and utility include some of the reasons why many choose to ‘like’ these inventions.

Interesting links for further reading:

1.       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen#Motorsport_gallery

h     http://www.bing.com/search?q=Interesting+Facts+About+Facebook&FORM=R5FD6

4.       http://www.jeffbullas.com/2011/04/28/50-fascinating-facebook-facts-and-figures/

5.       http://www.bing.com/search?q=Facebook+Mission+Statement&FORM=R5FD6

6.       http://roywells.com/2010/08/15/7-of-the-worlds-population-is-on-facebook/

7.       http://www.geekosystem.com/facebook-connection-world-map/

8.       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information

9.

7 enemies of commitment

I was going to write a lengthy experiential story in which I captured these 7 situations. But, I did walk into a friend's office and saw this on her wall.

The 7 Enemies of Commitment
1. A lifestyle of giving up.
2. A wrong belief that life should be easy.
3. A wrong belief that success is a destination.
4. An attitude of negative thinking.
5. An acceptance of other people's fences.
6. An irrational fear of failure.
7. A lack of vision

Source: The choice is yours: Today's Decisions for the rest of your life by John G. Maxwell, 2005 J. Countryman

You are welcome!

This site will bring you:
1. Information on how to assimilate in a US based community.
2. How to navigate your city or environment
3. How to engage/participate fully through activities.
4. A social calendar of Worcester County, MA.

Ministering to the newcomer!

http://immigration.about.com/od/usimmigrationhistory/a/New-Immigrants-Assimilating-Into-U-S-Society.htm

A reception Transitory Home in the Offing!

UNIVERSAL MISSION FOUNDATION LLC CHARTER

YOU ARE THIS NEW PERSON TO USA AND YOU SEEM DISORIENTED. YOU ARE NOT ALONE:

You are new in USA and do want to integrate and feel secure. You also want to feel contentment as you take those small steps. Being in USA is a kind of rite of passage. You have come to another milestone. Universal Mission Foundation LLC is a knowledge-management organization that seeks to serve you (anyone without discrimination) in order for you to make informed decisions. You can begin by being a law abiding new person to USA. You can add productivity to that and desire to be dependable. We are here to help.

·         There are 15.4 million refugees in the world who have fled their homes because of persecution based on sexuality, beliefs, race, religion, nationality, or political opinion.

·         Most will spend 7-10 years waiting in a refugee camp. While there many make families, many require education, health and various social services.

·         The government estimates that 70,000 refugees will enter U.S.A. in 2013. That is only a small part of the story. You may have come in as an asylum seeker. Your situation requires handling in a very systematic manner. You yourself need to be conscience of the changes such as immediate environment and contexts that you need to navigate.

·         You desperately need help to integrate into U.S. society because of language and cultural barriers. You need to build functional skills to enable you socialize and at the same time adjust to a new life.

·         Refugees, asylum seeker and victims of trafficking are less likely to thrive and become productive members of society unless they have a supportive community. Universal Mission Foundation LLC is a secular community you need.

·         You need a reception transitory home in which you may be provided roof, warmth and a first community.

·         You need to be introduced to the community make up of your city or country side.

·         You need to register with self-help community groups.

·         You need to engage in self education

·         You do need to work on your documentation

·         You do need health insurance

At Universal Mission Foundation LLC we hope to connect you with other service providers. Who may serve a particular aspect of your need! We know what stage of integration you may be at. It is not an easy stage but we want to work with you. We do work with pre- legal status (PROBATIONARY) new immigrants.

A volunteer for US Food and Drug Administration begins by..

Yes, you may be wondering how this is possible. There are many ways to feel part of the  USA. One of those ways is through strategic community engagement. Explore new friends, new cuisines, ensure meaningful participation in eating, living and thinking right. What we eat, how eat and how we play make or break us!

Anyway, read the link below and join too, in this call to lead a quality life.
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm348661.htm?source=govdelivery