"There was a time that I would reject those not of my faith.
But now my heart has grown capable of taking in all forms.
It is a pasture of gazelles.
It is an abbey for monks.
A table for the Torah.
A path for the pilgrim.
My religion is love.
And whichever the route love's caravan shall take,
that shall be the path of my faith." - Arabi
On February 13th, American embassy officials from Bangkok visited Mae Ra Moe. In a camp that sees most families resettle in Canada, they were very curious to learn what the American staff would say about the new possibility of resettling in the United States. Though I missed the hour long presentation at the football ground, many families attended, returning home with flyers written in Burmese and Karen about resettlement in America. For the next week, I heard more questions about America than I ever had here. I have tried to be a welcome, to be a face of hospitality to those who might come live in America or another third country, a simple reflection of the welcome that so many Karen had extended to me. But I was unprepared to answer all of the questions. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Are American people friendly?
- How much does it cost to live in an apartment? A house?
- What does American money look like?
- How long does it take for me to become a citizen?
- If I am a citizen and have an American passport, can I return home to Burma to visit family?
- I have heard America is expensive. If I couldn’t find a job, would my family have to sleep under a bridge?
- Who will help me find a job?
- What kind of job could I have if my English is so poor?
