No one regreted (Special Feature)
By Kazi Gautam, New York
Resettled exiled Bhutanese would not get the warmth and pleasure they get while being in their motherland, yet they should not have to pass a tasteless life as in Nepal camps.
The situation here I found is not what I heard in camps. I found no exiled Bhutanese arriving USA regretting for choosing to live in this country.
Resettlement agency receives the exiled Bhutanese from IOM at airport and takes to designated apartment, which are made ready before they arrive here. The living quarter will have basic necessities such as bed, food items and other important stuffs. The resettling agency will find the apartment and pay the rent for up to four months or more if necessary.
The following day, they take us to agency’s office and give orientations about the culture, social structure and other basic needs in America. They encourage us to be independent as the earliest possible.
The agency helps us apply for Social Security Number, which we need until we live here. Documents issued by DHS before or after entering to the US are enough to apply the number. It is a 9-digit number issued to citizens, permanent residents, refugees, asylum seekers and temporary residents by the Social Security Administration.
Its purpose is to track individuals for taxation purposes, employment purposes, collect Social Security benefits and receive some other government services. Few of us have already received while others waiting.
We are required to apply for the work permit with the Immigration where every exiled Bhutanese qualifies and gets it easily. Some exiled Bhutanese arriving here early have received the permit, while few are waiting. After this, we also get State Identification Card from local authorities. Now, with these, we are ready for searching a job. Those who have already enrolled in job are paid 7 to 10 dollars per hour.
The educational certificates of the exiled Bhutanese will have no value for finding a job. Job is given based on personal ability. However, the educational certificates come to be helpful for higher studies, which might become impossible to fund before three or four years.
Education is free up to grade XII while all those willing adults are given tuition on English language. Due to summer vacation, no exiled Bhutanese arriving here have been able to enroll their children in schools. Few adults and illiterate have started attending English language classes.
Bhutanese arriving America years ago say, new comers would find it hard in initial days due to new society, unknown culture and different life style. But as time passes, getting adjusted in America society that respects all's culture, is not difficult.
Many believe that advocacy for repatriation and putting more pressure on Bhutan to take back its citizen will become more effective from USA.
It takes time to see if Bhutanese will forget their land over the dollars they earn here. Bhutan News Service
(With support from Ananta Gurung, California)