Moving to another country is one of the significant and fundamental changes to life. After arriving in the new country, every immigrant goes through the immigration process, through which immigrants try to get rid of all the internal effects that have befallen their lives as a result of the change in their situations. These effects must be dealt with even when moving. It can also be very severe between countries with similar cultures when the difference between the home country and the new country is very noticeable.
People deal with change, especially fundamental change, individually, with their reactions influenced by childhood experiences, age, gender, education, ethnic and religious background, culture in the home country, reasons for moving, harsh traumatic experiences, the length of time they must wait for asylum, associated uncertainty and ambiguity, and attitudes towards migrants, in addition to the presence or absence of social support.
Migrants plan their departure. They usually seek to improve their lives and conditions in one way or another, so they may move to another country to study, to ensure a better future for all family members, or to experience living in a new place and a distinct environment.
Regardless of the reason for leaving, everyone is forced to leave something behind when moving to a new country. They all go through a phase of adjustment and adaptation to the new situation. For some, change may be painful, inspiring, and full of curiosity, enthusiasm, and positive thoughts and feelings, while for others, it may take many years. It is painful to get over it and move on. Still, immigrants also face a difficult challenge in terms of integration into the new society, and in most cases, adaptation requires a lot of time and effort.
Most people are aware of the amount of effort and stress that it may take to live and settle in a different society and culture that they are not accustomed to. The tension, pressure, and anxiety that result from this are also a natural response to changing surroundings. We may all sometimes feel that life is strange and difficult. Many people may also suffer from People experience feelings of despair and frustration. It is familiar and routine, and many may experience other strong feelings and violent reactions, which may be confusing and frightening. However, these things are a completely normal reaction to change, and even after these challenging times, there is usually a new beginning—ambitious hopes and dreams to discover ways and means of adapting to life in the new country.
_Immigration process
Waiting excitedly Moving to a new country is often a positive and optimistic time. Cultural differences do not cause inconvenience but are a source of fascination and admiration. Enthusiasm, relief, and gratitude are the feelings that accompany this period. Therefore, newcomers usually have high hopes and expectations. They firmly believe they will learn the language and find a suitable job. They also have a lot of vitality and energy to arrange their lives and situations.
The conflict between hopes and possibilities:
Attitudes towards the new country become more realistic after some time: people see life’s problems everywhere. Enrolling in educational institutions in the new country or finding work is difficult. They then begin to feel… Unlike what they found in the new country, all aspects of life in their home country were excellent and comfortable. At this stage, they often feel inadequate and suffer from many problems. Feelings of loneliness, alienation, and disappointment are common feelings.
Strong reactions and feelings: Uncertainty about the future and the lack of usual lifestyles cause a lot of stress and tension. Focusing on new situations requires more strength and energy, which is mentally exhausting. At the same time, a person must be able to form new relationships to compensate for the absence of family and old friends.
_Below are common feelings and reactions among many immigrants during this stage: · Fatigue, weakness, frustration, and despair
· Discomfort, anger, and hatred.
· Insomnia and nightmare
· Fear and lack of confidence
· Inability to do anything or communicate with the new society
· The individual consumes much energy and makes an exaggerated effort to arrange his life.
One of the things that often helps immigrants is knowing that negative feelings are a normal part of the natural migration process and that this stage will pass as well. Sometimes, people feel afraid that their personality has changed forever and that adverse reactions and feelings will remain a part of them. This is not true. Absolutely, as they will overcome this stage when they deal with their thoughts and feelings, but failure to do so may lead to deep crises or depression.
Achieve more balance: Expatriates will begin to see positive things in the new country little by little and have a more positive attitude towards the future. They will also regain confidence in their ability to adapt even in the face of difficulties. They will have enough courage to benefit from living in the new country emotionally and physically.
A long time may pass without a person even thinking that he has immigrated and left his home country. Therefore, many immigrants are surprised when a temporary setback occurs during their settlement process in the new country, for example, due to current events in their country of origin. The strength of the reaction may depend on the distance that separates them from their country and the possibility of visiting it. In the case of refugees, the lack of guarantee of safety prevents them from doing so. Still, for immigrants, the funds necessary to do so may prevent them, so it is essential for the person to remember that this setback is temporary and that the journey will continue.
The main feeling at this stage is sadness, which also results from a feeling of homesickness. Sadness is natural and cannot be avoided at this stage. Therefore, the expatriate must leave the past alone so that he can focus on the future. After the stage of sadness for the things that he lost has passed, you can look to the future and see the possibilities available in the new country. Sadness is a sign of readiness to move forward, so the past becomes a driving force, and memories become permanent assets.
At this stage of the immigration process, immigrants will begin to notice the positive aspects of immigration, meaning they will become people who combine two cultures and know how to deal with each. Thus, mixing cultures leads to an enrichment of life and provides several new possibilities.
_The migration process and the crises associated with it:
People can get stuck during the different stages of the immigration process. They can seek help if they feel in a bad mood for an extended period of time and feel they are not moving forward or improving. All crises, even severe cultural crises, can be resolved when they are actually dealt with seriously. Seeking professional help is a shame, but it’s a good idea if you’ve been in a bad mood for an extended period of time.
Stimulation to remember the traumatic event may lead to a strong feeling of alleviating the severity of the situation. However, most people try to avoid those situations in which this could happen, which may cause difficulty in managing daily matters and dealing with others. In this case, the person is always very careful and afraid all the time and avoids establishing close relationships with anyone. Feeling nervous and expressing constant feelings of anger is also common, and thus, this may lead to isolation and loneliness or the outbreak of conflicts within the family.
Trauma is often accompanied by sleep disorders, memory disorders, and attention problems, affecting the ability to live, adapt, and learn, especially when learning new languages or working. In this case, people may feel that the opportunities available to build a future are diminished, as well as resentful and easily insulted, and interpret environmental events incorrectly or negatively. It is beneficial for them, and they may find it very difficult to trust others, but they can learn how to live with psychological trauma, even when what happened cannot be changed.
_How to adapt?
You can have a significant impact on the way you think and feel, and listed below are some proven techniques that may help you adapt to a new country. Noting that you have the option to control and influence things is already a big step in the right direction.
• Realistic and actual expectations about the new country and its people.
• Focus on living right in the present, even if you are thinking about returning home.
• Invest in permanent things even if you have not decided to stay in that particular country forever.
• Trying to learn the new culture to deal with new roles and avoid conflicts, as this new culture will not make you lose your previous culture, skills, and personality.
•Set appropriate goals and strive to achieve them with steady steps
● Start getting to know the country through the areas near your home, and you can expand your tours to more distant areas later, as moving alone helps increase self- confidence.
• Start practicing an exciting hobby, for example, exercising, which will help you relax and improve your mental health.
Remember that your feelings and reactions are expected, and talking about your experiences and feelings makes you feel comfortable and in a better state. Meet with friends and loved ones, speak to others and express your feelings, as they may have similar feelings and thoughts.
