The first visit is always a tough one. Showing up to an apartment complex slightly off campus, with absolutely no way to communicate to the grandmother at the door except by nervous laughter and crazy gestures. On top of that, the only person who speaks English is a 6-year-old that informs us his neighbor will be home at “3:75.” This encapsulates what happens during the first interaction Bridge Builders have with their new ‘family’. Bridge Builders is a program run through the Refugee Community Partnership (RCP). This program strives to forge bonds between two very different communities: college students and families from Burma. Most volunteers upon entering the program know very little about Burma or the refugee community in Chapel Hill.
Throughout the Bridge Builders program, we’ve had two different families. We’ve helped switch auto insurance companies, fix bugged computers, worked with social services, taught English, and played more than a few solid games of Charades. With our combined experiences as Bridge Builders we can both agree that we don’t subscribe to the traditional idea of what giving is. The relationship here isn’t one sided and there is no set giver and receiver. RCP emphasizes that although we may have more knowledge about life in America, we are learning just as much from our families as they are from us. We’ve learned which spices will burn your tongue, the traditions and celebrations within the culture, how to communicate with someone when the only thing you both understand is a smile, and how amazing it is to be a part of community that extends far beyond campus borders. Differences are arbitrary when the similarities outweigh them; through shared experiences and patience we dissolve all barriers of language, culture, age, and gender. We all love our family, eagerly wait to see them excel, and seek to experience joy.
With this experience in our hearts, we became more involved with Bridge Builders as assistant program directors. RCP was founded in order to address the many disparities that the refugee families face; the Bridge Builders program is one direct way to help families with their transition. It focuses on empowering them with the skills to become self-sufficient. We have helped volunteers and families access local resources in addition to planned trainings that benefit the community focusing on common issues such as traffic violations and domestic violence.
RCP is about mutual understanding and community, both of which the world could use a bit more of right now. Giving is about reaching out to others and overcoming language barriers and perceived cultural boundaries. Giving is a two-way relationship. Giving is love.
Written by: Meagan Clawar & Bo Chon
Learn more at equitycollab.org
Review from #MyGivingStory