Most users find switching between an Apple product and Android product disorienting. The buttons are no longer in the same places, nor do they mean the same thing. Even more disconcerting is the differing built-in automatic functions that each device has. Simply put, the new device is incredibly unfamiliar. Most definitely, this experience of switching smartphones cannot be compared to the experience of refugee resettlement. However, it is a somewhat relatable illustration of the type of discomfort that refugees often face when resettling in the United States of America. As many refugee camps are temporary and ad hoc settlements, they often lack the basic infrastructure that US housing is generally equipped with. UNHCR estimates that 30% of refugee camps lack adequate latrine facilities and waste disposal. Thus even the operation of a toilet, which most of us take for granted, can prove to be a challenge for refugees who have spent decades or their entire lives living in camps.
In addition to this, subpar camp conditions and the lack of preventative health infrastructure in camps encourage the proliferation of many new illnesses and aggravate pre-existing conditions. Lastly, the physical and psychological trauma that is imposed on individuals by the experience of being persecuted and fleeing must be considered in caring for resettled refugees, who must often surmount various language and sociocultural barriers in the US. In this article, I will introduce these challenges in the context of the Bhutanese refugee crisis in order to increase awareness about a population that requires interdisciplinary assistance in order to realize the American dream.
In addition to this, subpar camp conditions and the lack of preventative health infrastructure in camps encourage the proliferation of many new illnesses and aggravate pre-existing conditions. Lastly, the physical and psychological trauma that is imposed on individuals by the experience of being persecuted and fleeing must be considered in caring for resettled refugees, who must often surmount various language and sociocultural barriers in the US. In this article, I will introduce these challenges in the context of the Bhutanese refugee crisis in order to increase awareness about a population that requires interdisciplinary assistance in order to realize the American dream.