Stephanie Haywood
June 16, 2021
Making the decision to emigrate can leave people feeling as though they are losing their loved ones back home while gaining a new country. Connection is vital for everyone, and particularly for immigrants who are far away from familiar faces. The Migration News shares how you can make a transition to the United States, support loved ones back home, and make friends in your new location.
Connecting in Your New Area
Sometimes it can be challenging for immigrants to establish connections. Connecting with others who have also immigrated may help. Many metropolitan areas in the United States have groups of immigrants who gather in person or online regularly to connect and establish a new sense of community.
Finding a group based on interest such as gardening clubs or church organizations can help ease the transition and enable you to make new friends and learn more about your area. Online networks, such as local Facebook pages, can be a great way to introduce yourself to the community and learn about local events. You may find some fun venues to meet people, such as music performances, or wine tasting events.
Share your immigration experience with your new friends, and let people know what brought you to the United States. You may be surprised how quickly a friendship can blossom when you talk about your journey and learn about their life and culture. As you make new friends, also be sure to stay in touch with loved ones from your home country.
Offering Support Back Home
Supporting loved ones is far simpler than it used to be. Whether your family needs elder services, clothing, or food assistance, you can send resources from wherever you are. For instance, you can arrange to have groceries delivered to your loved ones, or refer them to professional services like a housekeeper or nanny.
You can maximize how much you’re able to help those back home by starting your own business. If you have a good, marketable idea for a business, and you’ve already done your due diligence and research before taking the next steps, it’s time to consider how your venture will be structured. There are a handful of choices, including operating as a sole proprietorship or a corporation, but many small business owners opt to form a limited liability company (LLC). As an LLC, not only are your personal assets protected, but there are tax advantages, and less paperwork is required. Also, by using an online formation service like Zenbusiness, it’s possible to save a lot by avoiding paying an expensive attorney to complete the process.
Maintaining Home Connections
Your home country will always be home. Staying in touch with loved ones and offering support when needed can help bridge the gap. Video chat enables you to see the faces of your loved ones in real-time, which means so much across the miles. Even if your loved ones are well across the world, free apps like Zoom, Google Meets, and Messenger are easy to install and even easier to use, making these options user-friendly for people of all ages.
Letter-writing is a lost art, but it can offer benefits to both sender and receiver like no other type of communication. Other good ways to connect through writing are email and texts, which are terrific options for quickly checking in and letting your loved ones know you are thinking of them. If you wish to offer financial support to loved ones, resist the urge to send money by mail as it may not get into the hands of the right person. Instead, consider other options for sharing funds.
As you start your new journey, strive to maintain home connections, while making new friendships. Your immigration story will be all the richer when you have more connections to share it with.
Stephanie Haywood is happy to be living her best life. Personal development and self-care gave her a boost when she needed it most, and now she works to share the gift of self-knowledge, self-care, and self-actualization with everyone who visits MyLifeBoost.com.