sharing the life stories of immigrants, expatriates, and refugees to the United States
We know we shouldn't be calling people "retards." Even though we don’t want to offend and say the wrong thing, we often don't know the proper language to use. The expression recommended by the people at r-word.org is “intellectual disability” (they sometimes abbreviate it as I.D.). Find out about this national campaign to change the U.S. conversation so everyone can feel like they belong.
4. Language: Say, "It's a pleasure to meet you, [so-and-so]." You will need to repeat this person's name three times during the first meeting if you want to remember the name. Please note: English speakers say "meet" only on the first meeting. On a following meeting, say, "It's nice to see you again." (Not "meet you again.") Another option might be: "It's really great to finally meet you, Susan. Ben here has told me so many good things about you."
5. Informality: Americans tend to be less formal than many cultures and often call each other by first name. If you are a student meeting other students your age, this is appropriate. However, it is not a bad idea to show respect to an older person when you first meet him/her by using the person's title plus last name (instead of first name only). Here, you can take a cue from the person who is introducing you. Note the difference in the sentences below.
· Khalil, this is my old friend, Bob. (Your reply: "Nice to meet you, Bob.")
· Khalil, this is my friend, Bob Pesek. Dr. Pesek is director of XYZ Institute. (Your polite reply: "It's nice to meet you, Dr. Pesek.")
After a while in the conversation, Dr. Pesek may invite you to "call me Bob," which you are then welcome to do. Note: Americans use a title (Mr, Ms,* Dr, Capt, Pastor) only with a last name. Some cultures (for example, Arabic) use the title along with a first name, but this is inappropriate in English. So, for example, do not say "Mr. Alan" or "Ms. Jaclyn."
Feel Like You Belong is a sometimes serious, sometimes funny, always “touch-your-heart” real conversation about fitting into the American culture. It introduces guests who have made the immigrant journey to the United States. The stories–of both struggle and success–will help newcomers feel more confident in sharing their opinions and expertise, more likely to want to stay in the U.S., be more productive in their jobs, and fully invest in their communities.
