When I reached office of the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO), a wing of US CCB, one of the receiving agencies in Syracuse, NY, I was thrilled to see the hall full of people. I mean the resettled Bhutanese. There was a meeting to plan for establishing a community center. The Bhutanese community in Syracuse has been planning for a community center to carry out their own activities. Running their own ESL classes, meeting bi weekly to welcome the new arrivals, planning the future programs, exploring the ways to preserve cultural identity, and performing religious, social and cultural activities are some of the things to be carried out in the community center.
It takes me by surprise when I think that I have passed eleven months in Syracuse after getting resettled here. There was the time when one could only see a few resettled Bhutanese in the area. However, the story has a different aspect after 11 months when Syracuse alone has over 300 Bhutanese.
- A gathering of Bhutanese. Photo: Kazi Gautam/APFAnews
When Hari Bangaley, my case manager received my wife and me in the airport, I felt the warmth of the Nepali heart and his smile and greeting erased my tiredness then. However, these days the new comers are greeted by not less that five people. The Syracuse streets are usually covered by the Bhutanese people. Some are found walking to the groceries and some are walking to hospitals. Many of them are encountered on their ways to ESL classes. Some are seen walking to the Madina Halal, one of the three places where a goat meat is sold.
These days I see many people have been struggling to get employed. The educated people fill application online and visit employers in person while others have to rely on their job developers. Incredibly true, around twenty Bhutanese got employed in March which has eased the pain of both the exiled Bhutanese and the receiving agencies. I still remember those days when I filled dozens applications online and in person before I was hired by the Refugee Assistance Program (RAP). But I was called only at one place for an interview. I did not take the job of a cashier at Wegmans, a grocery store that offered me a part time job. I rejected the job not because I wanted a better one. The only reason was I wanted to work with my own folks. I love to work among the Bhutanese group. There are many Bhutanese who have a problem of English. I have always thought that no one should suffer in the third country if they do not have English good enough to communicate with the Americans. It was after four month that I started to work as a refugee interpreter. My difficult days started then when I had to walk everyday, from one hospital to the other, in the chilled weather, most of the time without eating lunch. I used to compare the days when I was in Kathmandu, working with a team of APFA-Bhutan and BNS, go to Nepal FM, record the program and come back home walking. Whenever I walked as a part of my job, I really missed Teju dai, Thakur bhai, Indraji, Bandu Vidya and off course Ichha. I usually have a picture in my mind–the picture of my friends, carrying a camera and a recorder, walking for hours, getting nothing but satisfaction. When I have no money, I think of Indraji and Bidhya, just wonder how they would manage the bucks to help all three things get going.
These days I have a full time job. My day usually starts at eight in the morning when I head towards my office RAP. RAP is the place that provides ESL classes to the refugees and also helps them get access to the health care system. Besides, Green Card Application procedures too are carried out here. Whenever I reach the office I become glad to see groups of people-both old and young-attending English classes. They really seem committed to learn English, one of the tough jobs that they have to carry out. In the USA, everything depends upon the knowledge of English. Every thing–from getting job to availing health facilities, getting in touch with the other refugees or exchanging culture, and eventually one may not get the US citizenship if she/he does not know reading and writing English. In fact, one should have at least a general knowledge of the history of the USA to be considered for the citizenship.
One of the sad things about the refugees is not to keep time. There is still far to go before they learn to be punctual. Everything is systemic here. Even if one has sufficient amount of money he cannot go to hospital to get examined or for any health evaluation. He needs to schedule an appointment ahead of time. As I am working as a Nationality Worker for the exiled Bhutanese whose number is growing, I have to look after their entire health related issues—scheduling their doctor’s appointment, taking them for immunization, and et al. Many of the people do not keep up their appointment. What’s next? They have to wait for another one month to get another date.
Despite the problems the refugees have been facing they seem to enjoy the new world. Because the days are getting warmer, people are found basking in the ground. Many of them visit the Laxmi Narayan Temple every week. It is the only one Hindu temple in the area. The elderly folks seem to be nostalgic every time they participate in the Puja.
To wrap up, Hari Bangaley is an interesting person. He cannot help himself without helping others. Whether it is helping the people apply for the Food stamp or Social Security, rushing them to emergency room or the grocery store, or welcoming the people at an airport–he is always there. People think they are blessed to have him as their case manager.
My work is similar to his–lot of tension and odd schedule. But when I think of my team of APFA-Bhutan and BNS and the work we have been doing for the benefit of people, I just forget everything but get contentment thinking that I am a lucky one whom the god has given a chance to serving my own countrymen somewhere far away from my own country.
Thank you Gautamji that you have been serving for the cause of the people who had only the shadow of their own, always pained by the miseries, always gloomed by the total eclipse. I hope that the heavenly dreams and pleasures they had when they were in their owm country are supplemented by the material luxury in the USA but Gautamji, it would have been much better had you also focessed on the hardships the refugees are facing in the country of resettlement. The bitter truth of being jobless, the cultural shocks they encountered and many other adversities as such would help other people who are on the way for resettlement for readying themselves to bear the forth coming challenges. Make the people aware of the new culture so that the case of Boise doesn’t repeat.
A nice writing.
I wish i could write your way, precise and accurate.
And Congratulations for getting a good.
Please work to employ as many people as possible and to engage disadvantaged people in a useful works. The old people may have less energy to offer, but they have a wisdom, and history in them. Try methods to use and preserve their inner assets.
All the best. I look forward to reading your (and others) experiences in future too.
xxxxxxx
Your article shows that our people in your city are more happier than the people living in other states. For getting job in state like CA is great tension. Really speaking the house rent in this state is much more than other. Educated youth are also not getting any kind of job irrespective of their knowledge and experiences.People are facing problem in this transtional period. Especially old folk are having culture sock.
Thank u kazi for recalling our happiness n sorrows shared together back in nepal .We were fuellede by an immense patrotism to work for the rights of mankind including we minors.keep writing
Hi brothers, thank you for your honest comments. As far as Robinji’s interests regarding an article covering the hardships and cultural shock,I am working on my next write up about the same. I really appreciate what Mr Govinda says, “The old people may have less energy to offer, but they have a wisdom, and history in them.” I shall try to explore their wishdom and experience and bring them out for other young folks to get benifitted from them. I have two sentences for Tek ji. As a saying goes” every dog has a day”, we shall have our day coming up. So dont get frustrated.
hai, dai i really enjoy your wriring,it recalled me the days of my in kathmandu,Weaked up early in moring,go to college without breksfast,back to room ,go for school for full day.Dai our life is full of struggle but dont be frustated hai.
Hello dai haru,
I is good to know that you are still working for the innocent people.
Working together without the hope of getting is always blessed and
apreciated.Be happy and make other happy.
thanks
So Mr. Gautam that was a good lie..So can you tell me you will reject every job for the sake of Bhutanese folks…The one thing that irritate me is Every Bhutanese try to reject job in the beginning..Do you know this has lead to such a conclusion for the job specialist that we just love begging still..So you better accept the job and stop getting the foodstamp…Atleast change guys..How long you be same shit!!You can better serve the community atleast doing some job or showing our people that we gotta work.But if you wanna go same i wonder tomorrow what are you going to write on the application form which asks”Are you from a family that is receiving foodstamp for last 18 months”..so Preety fly for a white guy huh huh!!!
hahahaha Great Albino,u r correct.I think Kaji afraid to accept work.He reject job just to help bhutanese hahah this is same saying.Why not he chooese other work and help bhutanese in other time.It is a great lie.better make your own job.
thanks kazi jee so nice to view the bhutanese refugee pics and ur efforts and desire to work for the bhutanese community.while i do appreciate fostering and developing a good communial feeling and the love of nation,despite being in one of the diversified foreign land.
hi kaji iam very glad that u have written those experiences. Now iam very glad by reading yor articals.
thanks
Kajiji To reject a job for the sake of the Bhutanese sounds that you are psychologically not prepared to work as a cashier. And you too boost yourself being one of the lucky Bhutanese by the grace of God.But as a reporter you should try to find every Bhutanese’s view as there could be many more to whom the God has not given same grace like the one given to you. I too want to add that you could have become more helpful to the community if you have accepted a job as a cashier because to find a job it is more important whom you know than what you know.
Hey Kazi jee
It is ridiculous writing . I don’t think USA can be bad place for the Bhutanese people who accept the job right away.No doubt people feeling superior like Kazi and not accepting jobs put themselves in problem here.I don’t think it is good to show phobia of Food stamps by person like Kazi.
Mr. Kazi jee you had better put forward some interesting points about American health care system and education.Your views don’t represents all the Bhutanese people who had made remarkable progress coming here.
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Namaskar Kaziji !
I think that you have chosen to help your fellow Bhutanese should be applauded!
I am an American in the state of New Hampshire. I am a volunteer who does some of the same things that you do in Syracuse: take people to appointments with doctors, help with green card applications, help fill out job applications, talk with landlords, open bank accounts, help determine what mail is important, show how to pay bills, etc.
I know that the refugees here (there are more than 150 in the small town of Concord, NH) would appreciate having a fellow refugee and native Nepali-speaker who was paid to help them by the resettlement agency here. My Nepali is not good enough to communicate many things effectively, especially to the older Bhutanese who never learned any English.
You turned down the job as cashier. That is a good thing because you found a better job. But if you had not found a better job, it would have been a bad thing.
Good luck with your future here in the USA. I am sure you will succeed.
It is heartening to hear how you r helping to make the lives of Bhutanese refugees better. Are u in a position also to help those refugees who are still unregistered by the Goverrnment of Nepal and are in a state of confusion with uncertainity looming ahead of their lives in Nepal?
[ ples mind ur languge]
It is really good to know about the work of people like you helping our peolpe even far away from the country of asylum. As I m also resettled in NC, I would be glad to know about the other more activities that you people are doing which would encourage us to go ahead in a similar way like you.
Thanks for good work it may b the good to the bhutanese .It may led the new commers the hopeful life .It is far difference than our previous stage n it may be the bridge of new life .
Please any one can tell after what time people can get green card after reaching to usa? if they will after what time they can return back to their home country?? please i am in need of answer of these question. please help me…..i will be very grateful to you.
No mate, no bdy will give u the garenty. It depends on you and the state where u want to go and also depends on your performanences going their. Though i am in Australia i don no much abt.it but many of my frns got within one year.Don try to linger in such question and put yourself in dilema. You yourself cant go back to your country. I am also like you who has a immence love to the country but what to do….. see your future and think soon to third country sattlement with your family. you can go to your country one day by yourself.
that is answer to Deelip
Niksdype say: What does it plan?
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ciallis
generic San Jose
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