Getting To Know Your New Country While Supporting Family Back Home

By Meredith Jones

Immigrating from India into the U.S. or from one community to another and assimilating in a new community is challenging, especially when you still have family at home and want to stay connected to your roots. Fortunately, the Land Of The Free offers plenty of opportunities for new residents to settle in while supporting those you love here and abroad.

Join the Community

One of the best things you can do to help yourself get acquainted with your new community is to get involved. Get to know your neighbors, meet with your child’s teachers, find organizations where you can volunteer or connect with other immigrants; really, just put yourself out there. It can be intimidating when you first arrive, but you’ll find that by engaging with others in your community, you’ll soon feel more settled. 

Find a New Job

Another way to get involved in your community is to find a job that helps you engage with natural-born citizens, as well as other immigrants. Unfortunately, as US Sponsor Me points out, attaining employment isn’t always easy. You may have hurdles to overcome, such as language barriers. Planning a career change concurrent with moving to a new country is not at all easy. For your best chance at job-hunting success, make sure that your resume is clear and concise and that you know exactly what you want to do and can offer. You may also need to apply for a work visa, which is likely easier if you target companies seeking employees with your specific skill set. 

Live Rite Structured Recovery Corp offers a job staffing program and resume building help free to anyone in our community. Live Rite also offers vocational training courses. 

Support Loved Ones from Afar

Once you find a job, one of your next challenges may be to figure out how to send money to your loved ones in India or just stay in touch with your loved ones you moved away from. There are several options when it comes to money transfers, but look for services that can help you safely transfer money in as little as four hours and with low or no fees. For example, when sending money to family in Mumbai through a platform like Remitly, you can use their express service, which offers secure transfers and a great exchange rate, as well as the option for funds to arrive on the same day or within the week.

Find a Place to Live

Housing is another challenge you may face as a non-citizen. Fortunately, renting an apartment should not be a huge obstacle. As long as you have a passport and can prove you have an income, many landlords are happy to accommodate. Most business leaders now recognize that diversity and inclusion are not only good for their companies but their communities, as well. By living and working in a diverse area, you will have an opportunity to learn about the many cultures that call the United States home and, in turn, share your rich cultural background and history with others.

If you’re an individual in recovery Live Rite’s Recovery Homes are a great place to join a community of like-minded people and live in a safe, affordable environment. 

Stay Connected with Family

One of the first things you will miss when moving from India to the U.S. is being unable to see your loved ones, but technology has made this much easier. Apps like Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, and Skype allow you to see each other in real-time through video conferencing. This gives you the opportunity to alleviate your loneliness while also staying connected to your family back home. Do pay attention to the time difference, though, so that you aren’t inadvertently calling at 2:00 a.m. their time. A time zone converter like Time.is can help.

Leaving India for the U.S. means acclimating to a new lifestyle and learning about your new community. You must do all of these while staying close to your roots and supporting those you love who can’t be with you. While there is no perfect solution, the tips above can help.

If you moved away from toxic relationships, it is still so important to get connected with new like-minded people who will support you. 

Live Rite Structured Recovery Corp is dedicated to subsidizing housing, education, and therapy for those in recovery from addiction. Get involved and sign up as a volunteer today. 

By Meredith Jones