I’d like to take a moment to speak about something that is near and dear to my heart. Perhaps this advice will be useful to someone, as I understand that most people make the upcoming mistakes genuinely. I know because I had to teach the same subjects to my own children.
Most people do not realize the harm that they cause immigrants, because of the way they treat immigrants. Most immigrants who suffer these harms are those who migrated into a country that does not speak their language of origin. Most people are mistakenly under the impression that because one cannot speak their native language eloquently and fluently is an indication that the individual in front of them does not deserve their time or is just incapable of any intelligence or basic understanding.
This has been my own personal experience on numerous occasions. People mostly in the early year when I migrated to the United States treated me as if I was stupid. Some would speak to me as if I was deaf because of the time it took me to understand their request or what was asked of me.
Something else that I’ve experienced is people serving up stories around social gathering tables about how they rescued, or saved an immigrant from the garbage that she or he was trapped in. Please understand that this assumption is a common misconception.
Please be advised that most of these immigrants are probably licensed accountants, doctors, lawyers who probably held important office roles in their countries of origin.
Once you started stories like when I met so and so they were at this level and could not speak a word of this or that language, you are putting yourself in a bad place. You may end up hurting some other individuals around that table who could relate to the immigrant of your famous story.
You may also be disclosing your own ignorance, that you are overlooking the fact that they too have gone through some sort of educational curriculum. Keep in mind that these immigrants probably learned basic math, philosophy, learned most common laws and have a good understanding of most life and scientific concepts and that all that was missing the moment you met them was the ability to express their knowledge in a language you could understand or relate to.
Please be kind to these immigrants, so they can open to possibilities and let you tap into the vast knowledge housed in their brain that is thus far stored in another language and that they must figure out a pathway to get out eloquently.
In addition, you are displaying your lack of knowledge and empathy. You may come across as someone who has seen someone at a very low level of his or her life and is going around telling everyone else about their miseries. Instead, ask yourself, it is really your story to tell or theirs to tell?
All you are doing is to inform everyone around the table that you are not ready to stick your neck out for anyone and if you ever do, you will ensure to spill your provided support into their faces every opportunity you get. This behavior may make people view you as not trustworthy or capable of compassion or trust.
You may even experience your subconscious telling you that something was not right with the story you just told. People around the table may laugh, some may feel uncomfortable, others may not know what behavior to express. Should they feel sorry for the person in the story, should they thank you for coming to the rescue of the poor immigrant, or should they just listen and say nothing and do nothing. You may even feel empty after your comments.
Please refrain from this behavior. If anything, immigrants are courageous, especially the ones who willingly migrate into countries where the language is one that they must learn as if they are once more babies. If you can do anything to encourage immigrants at all, please acknowledge and empathize with them and find ways to let them know that you understand that all the knowledge in their head is just screaming to come out, and that their brain just has not made the connection yet. Encourage them to be patient with their learning and adjustment process and that one day they will catch up with the language, and they will be able to share their insight with the world, and until that happens, you are here to support in any way you can through their re-learning journey.
To many friends and employers or anyone who needs to hear this or who can relate, please be kind.
Next time that you decide to be friend with an immigrant that you may be tricked into thinking is unintelligent, remind yourself that perhaps, it is a language barrier or a cultural misunderstanding. Instead offer them a kind nod that you get it.
Next time you want to serve up an immigrant’s story around a social gathering table to tell people how you saved them from the garbage, instead acknowledge their courage for undergoing a journey into a baby stage once more and emptying their cups and ready to start all over again.
Next time, you want to treat an immigrant as if there were less than a human being only because they could not speak your native language eloquently yet, instead encourage them to perhaps draw a visual for you. You will realize how much they know and how much you lack.
And if you are ready to give a chance to an immigrant who doesn’t speak your native language fluently yet, give them a task that someone can excel at without having to use their speaking ability extensively at first. Help them ease their language learning journey smoothly without making them feel like they’re less than nothing.
To the immigrant or non-native speakers who undergo this journey, please stay strong, because the world is changing. Many technology tools are becoming available to allow this whole community of non-native speaking individuals to expand themselves a little more easily. To name few technologies, we have Google translator, Apple translation tool and many others. THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT!
Life Lessons 
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