Tips to Resettle Well in Another Country

How someone leaves their home country determines how you enter a new place. Leaving right leads to grieving right. In the normal transition process, Take time to
1. Plan, prepare, participate.
2. Time to say goodbye (mentally leave)
3. Characterized by hope, expectation and control of destiny
4. Leaving Right: dealing with interpersonal issues and unfinished business.

Consider this acronym RAFT:
R- Reconciliation
A- Affirmation
F- Farewells
T- Think destination future

Consider the risks as families resettle:
"Inter-generational stress"
Culture shock
Lack of personal esteem
Loss of status, job, identity, health, property, home possessions, homeland
Isolation
Absence of extended family
Fragmentation
Dependency
Loss of cultural values and ethnic heritage
Loss of esteem for 'mother tongue'

Notes taken from Judi Bastion, guest lecturer in LING302 Cross Culture Communications class with Professor Ruth Anaya, 2 Feb 2012.