Florida, Gun laws, George Zimmerman, Martin Trayvon, President Obama and Race issues in USA

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/20/us/in-wake-of-zimmerman-verdict-obama-makes-extensive-statement-on-race-in-america.html?nl=afternoonupdate&emc=edit_au_20130719&_r=0

As an immigrant in USA understand some of the nuances please

As Charles Blow wrote in the Times, “So what do I tell my boys now? At what precise pace should a black man walk to avoid suspicion?” One needs to understand the prevailing legal winds in a given state:
Read this piece please: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/closeread/2013/07/what-should-trayvon-martin-have-done.html

US Immigration Reform to save $ 1 Trillion by 2033

http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/immigration-and-economy?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=email221-text1&utm_campaign=immigration

The America of my dreams and the Reality America

Animals in the residential homes:

I know of homes in Uganda where pigs, cats, chicken, ducks and rabbits sleep where humans are sleeping. This is discouraged by public health and the solution is to have a separate house for them. In America, I visited a friend whose attic is occupied by pythons. Another of my friends lives with her cats and dogs which sleep in her bed or anywhere, even on the dining table. The animals eat from the same plate!

Work:

The minimum wage, opportunities for engaging in a form of productive work are numerous and the industry is in need of workers. So, here I was thinking that as soon as I get to America I would walk to any work place and get a job! No! Between my dream and reality lay; work authorization and status issues (whether one is a green-card holder, citizen or alien). The industry would not even give me a second glance.

Navigation, assimilation and integration:

I thought it would be easy for one to make friends and get by. Between my dream and reality lay: the physical distance between a location where a need could be addressed; the differences in priorities that all humans have unless they have planned things through and; the exotic social/infra- structural systems.

One answer and many questions:

Once one sets foot in America all the ideas one had earlier evaporate and the questions start being posed by the mind in quick succession. In a country that Lincoln referred to as the ‘last best hope of Earth’ one realises the call to engage in efforts to improve on life, community and country. There is no relaxing, there is no giving in.

Economy and solid companies:

America is the magical and economical Aladdin’s land! The reality is that business, social and military might has had some hiccups in America as a result of one arm not performing well. I had to go through a book by Jim Collins from Good to Great, to know some of the five insidious problems that bring about crashes and recessions.

Reality and hubris born of having come to America:

All form of change will begin with changing my attitude towards earning respect, the dollar and reputation. The hubris of having come to America that my people may have is not enough and it should not get to my head!

Making Healthcare work for me as a new immigrant to USA; Nuancing of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

Three aspects rushed through my mind before I penned this article: The song ‘material girl’ by Madonna; the song ‘Alien in New York’ by the Fugees (I think so) and; the quote from the new testament by Jesus Christ ‘and again I say unto you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.’ Matthew 19:24.

My mind rushed straight to a situation in which I envisioned an ailing immigrant who is at the door steps of a clinic in any town in USA. I come from Africa originally and I the health care system from my former country is very different from that of USA.

I happened to go through eligibility criteria to get insured in USA and know about acceptance that was short lived, denial because I was not in ‘status’, acceptance again when my level of stay in USA was established and finally confirmation that I am an insured person in USA. All these aspects were communicated to me and a form was attached to my communication to be filled if I was contesting any decision. I did write back to have my names spelt correctly! I also managed to know about the appointment system of my nearest clinic and accessed the system that works on health needs of immigrants (immunisation, physical check-ups, tooth, eye, ear and skin care). I am yet to get authorization to join a city-based gymnasium once my physician approves and signs a certain filled form.

My first day of walking-in, is still on mind. I walked into a freshly scented building of glass and humming sounds of distant lifts (oh, sorry elevators) and in the lobby a receptionist called for me. She directed me to a corridor where there was another lobby of the ‘walk-in’ clinic. This particular health facility has 6 clinics with almost 50 medical doctors of different specialties as well as attending health workers.

A receptionist nurse handled me and took my vitals. He told me to wait for one hour as they schedule an appointment to see my physician. I was told it was good I walked in before 8.30 a.m otherwise I was to wait for a day before I saw a physician because the numbers of patients is large now. So many of us are uninsured (I was still uninsured before 2013). Actually there are so many Americans who are uninsured. My physician finally saw me, the laboratory and x-rays were done and the prescriptions cost me USD 8. I had with me all my results on a CD! I also had a file and a Family Health Center ID number generated for me. I looked at the medication I was given at the pharmacy, it was to last me a month with chances of three refills!

My insurance and the pharmacy discount program ensured I get these services to the fullest. I was also asked to book for dental care. That evening a call from the Dental care department got me working on details to that effect. I have since had a thorough dental check up and care as I write this. My next appointments are scheduled as follows: next immunization for Hepatitis is in August; dental in August and; physical check-ups with my physician on September. All I have to do is plan ahead and have these appointments in mind. I can call ahead and cancel/reschedule appointments. I am the kind of person who is cautious about my life. I shall make sure I fulfill my appointments. I am an alien in USA, but living in a country where life is respected it is easier for me to go through the doors of the health facilities now after getting my insurance card!

Financial and social integration literacy for a new immigrant in USA: testing the meaning of happiness and independence in American communities

You have settled in, I would say, almost in a cosy way. USA that is meeting you on the streets, television, radio, buses, buildings, restaurants and rubbing you in form of human bodies and language is far from what you dreamt of back in say, Africa, Haiti, China, Japan, Korea, India, Bhutan or El-Salvador!

There are social systems in place that you need to familiarise yourself with: the ones that immediately come to mind are; health care, education, social services, habitation and transportation. Are you familiar with the road that leads to the nearest hospital? Are you able to negotiate your way through emergency clinics or rooms? Do you have a phone number where you can be contacted? Are you well immunised? When did you last check for say, HIV? Are you a child below 19 years? As a child below that age, do you have parents? Do you go to school? Are you a mother? Are you a father? Are you eligible to join say, the military services of the USA? Have you tried all avenues to see where you fit? Are you able to travel around or are you tied down on one street fearing you may get lost?

Get to know something about America’s politics, get to study and complete a level of qualification ( invest time, be persistent and patient), take time to explore and grow spiritually, find out how the immediate community can help you as well as how you help it. Can you/ are you authorised to work? Find out how or what you can do get work authorization. In doing this you will be improving on financial and social integration. You need to think along those lines. This is America!

Of the rhinoceros’ hide lashes ‘Kiboko’, learning English and how I occupy some of my free time: a comparison of how I was taught and how I teach

Mr. Mugejjera was the kind of teacher who was so passionate and enjoyed teaching. In many of his admonishment-cum-in-your-face-avuncular talks given before presenting examination results, he talked to the heart of his pupils. That was how he prepared us for lashes on our behinds. He had different types of canes and in bundles! When he brought the bamboo canes, then the class knew there were not many to be beaten. When he brought the Kiboko then almost all the class members were to be caned. This English teacher was both liked and loathed, his name set off cold fear in all the pupils from Primary four to six (a year before Primary leaving exams). The fear of that lash as well as bamboo canes was enough motivation to do all practice exercises in English, including speaking it at school. I feared the stick so loathsomely that I tried harder and read wider. I turned out to be one of those who were rarely beaten. Many of my fellow pupils consulted me on various English problems. But, this is not to say I escaped the canes. One time that comes to mind was when all of us as a class failed in our compositions. We were caned for that. With this background and training I managed to go on with my student life in Uganda and Europe.

That continued to be the case until I came to USA. I admit my USA leg of life is influenced by the kind of English I talk, write and listen to. I am always corrected in pronunciation, tense and vocabulary. I have liked this moment for it is making me even better. My motivation to be better this time is not the lashes I expect but communication.

I wish the teaching of English or any other subject would include real life scenarios, combine vision and compatibility of learned language with utilisation. I do mentor students in English and mathematics for learners whose mother tongue is not ENGLISH. I do take them out of class to practice English and mathematics using cue cards. At one time my mentees are asked to name the streets of a given area on which we happen to be walking. At other time, I encourage them to count all objects around and categorize them. I can take them to the green park and ask them to describe objects around them. They do this smiling knowing that the goal is to describe what is there before them which is the component of their world (and not being caned. I know corporeal punishment is taboo in USA).

Even as I teach, am learning too. I see in the faces of my mentees struggle, joy, deep thinking and indecision. I know at what time I can probe, prompt and cheer someone on. I learn the psychological side of my mentees and help them as they are going through their mental preparation to become better at English and mathematics. We have so far been with our mentees for almost six months in this program. I can see more spontaneity and initiative. There is eagerness in all of them to present their compositions and exercises or to engage me in conversation. Say, isn’t that positive change? In all situations I have never used the Kiboko!