Introducing America: A Guide For You

Mike Mcmullen, Tarek Hussein

Description

We decided to write about the topic of introducing this country to you. You have made a great choice. You chose to come here, and I believe you have made a great first step towards achieving better things in your life. You have to be ready and responsible for the consequences. You can have a great and wonderful life if you understand the environment in which you live. This is very important because you are coming from a different culture with traditions and habits that might be different from traditions and habits in this country. We're not asking you to change; in fact, we are encouraging you to keep your identity, but you always need to seek improvement in everything you do or plan to do. That includes learning how to integrate into the society in which you have chosen to live.

We wrote this book as a resource to guide newly arriving immigrants to the United States.

We used straightforward language and a simple format so that everyone can easily find, interpret, and understand the information. We hope you will find it informative, resourceful, and a joy to read. To give you insight, we will provide the information we have gained while living in the United States.

If you read this book and try to use it in your daily life, you will avoid many consequences that might cost you more than you think. Do not try to figure out everything on your own. You might wrongly understand an issue because of differences in cultures. Discussing the issue with many different people will help you learn many perspectives and may help you understand the issue better. I hope to provide you a positive perspective and some understanding of how to go about solving some of the challenges you may face coming to a new country. So, to successfully find your way in American society, I encourage you to use this book to become familiar with the ways of living in the United States.

Sujets

• Social Science
• Sociologie, société et politique

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 14 février 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780999879306
• Langue: English

Extrait

Introducing America
(A guide for you)
Tarek Hussein, Ph.D.
Mike McMullen, Ph.D.
 
Introduction
12 Points to Keep in Mind as an Individual Living in America I ntroduce yourself. Do not expect others to know who you are. N urture the needy people through donating money to good causes. Check whom you are giving money to. T hink before you speak. Once you utter the word, it controls you. R etain documentation for everything upon dealing with people such as receipts or conversation, write the date and the time. O bserve the media. Do not get emotional when you listen to any controversial issue. D ifferentiate between speaking firmly and loudly. No need to raise your voice. It is considered rude. U nderstand the culture of others. Do not impose yours but explain. C ooperate with federal agency’s staff. Do not argue or raise your voice. T each others about your culture and religion if they are willing to learn. Choose the right time and the right occasion. I nvolve yourself in the voting process by endorsing candidates you believe will serve the community and use your right, as a citizen, to vote. O pen a dialogue for discussion. Never give an answer if you do not know. N avigate the information your children are acquiring. Spend time with your children. Do not leave it to the media and the environment to raise them.
Copyright © 2018 Tarek Hussein and Mike McMullen
All rights reserved.
 
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
http://www.eBookIt.com
 
ISBN-13: 978-0-9998-7930-6
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contact us at: introducingamerica.org
Contents
Acknowledgments
Dedications
About Dr. Tarek Hussein
About Dr. Mike McMullen
Words from one of the Authors
The Motivation to Write This Book
Why the United States
Book Chapters
Chapter 1: Home and Family Life
Raising Your Children
Dealing with Other Family Members
Receiving and Sending Mail
Making Phone Calls
How to Dress with Modesty
Chapter 2: Community Life
Getting Along with Your Neighbors
Speaking English
Greeting others
Having a Conversation
Having Fun with Friends
Eating and Drinking in Public
Observing Your Religion in Public
Dealing with children
Dealing with the other gender
Dealing with Gay or Transgender People
Chapter 3: Work and University Life
Dealing with a Contractual Agreement
Documentation
Special Accommodations
Being Prepared and Punctual
Making Mistakes
Conflicts with Coworkers or Classmates
Classroom Behavior
Plagiarism
Working on Your Thesis or Dissertation
Chapter 4: The Medical Environment
Medicine
Visiting the Doctor
Visiting in the Hospital
Patient Privacy
Emergencies
Chapter 5: Finances
Shopping
Making Reservations
Renting
Dealing with Banks
Dealing with Credit
Buying a house
Paying Taxes
Donations
Sending Money Overseas
Chapter 6: Legal Matters
Pedestrian Safety: (When You Walk Down the Street)
Driving in the United States
Avoiding Traffic Tickets:
Gaining Citizenship
Process:
Chapter 7: Dealing with Stereotyping, Racism, and Discrimination
Hearing Negative Statements
Understanding the News Media
Damage Caused by Unjustifiable Fear
Chapter 8: Participation in Democracy and Making a Difference
The 1st Amendment in the Bill of Rights
Joining Civic and Political Organizations
Voting
Volunteering
Participating in Your Child’s School and the PTA
Chapter 9: Conclusion
Appendix A:
 
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank their family members for participating in this effort and being patient throughout this process.
The authors would also like to thank Ivy McMullen, Angela Miller-Mooring, and Chelsea Graham for their assistance on editing and research, and Yara Attia for the cover page art.
Dedications
We dedicate this humble effort to write this book to every individual who resides in the U.S. and does not get the chance to understand the society he/she lives in.
This book is also dedicated to all those who are willing to come to the States either for a visit or to consider it home.
 
Mike McMullen
I dedicate this book to my wife, Katie, and daughters, Ivy and Maya.
 
Tarek Hussein
I dedicate this book to my parents, wife, Seham, my children, Asmaa, Mariam, Sarah, and Mohamed, and my lovely grandchildren, Hedayah, Eesa, and Nour. I’d like to dedicate this effort to my inspiring professor who taught me how to be a hard working individual, Dr. Ebtesam Khattab.
About Dr. Tarek Hussein

Tarek came to this country on March 3, 1992 from Cairo, Egypt. He used to be an lecturer in the School of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt. From day one he decided to be an American. It was a great challenge for him and his family. He graduated with a Ph.D. degree in physical therapy from Texas Women’s University, Houston in June 1999. Also, he graduated with a Master’s degree in Sociology from University of Houston-Clear Lake in May 2015. His study of Sociology helps him to understand the environment and be a better citizen. He is currently an Adjunct Sociology Professor at UHCL. He is introducing American society to the reader in a simple way, so you don’t have to learn from your own mistakes, but from someone else’s mistakes. He is very active in the community building bridges between the Muslim community and other faith communities. He is also active with the civil right advocacy group promoting justice for all.
About Dr. Mike McMullen

Mike McMullen is a professor of Sociology and Cross Cultural Studies at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in Houston, Texas. He received his doctorate from Emory University (Atlanta, Georgia). He is the author of The Bahá'í: The Religious Construction of a Global Identity was published by Rutgers University Press, and The Bahá’ís of America: The Growth and Change of a Religious Movement by New York University Press. His areas of interest include the sociology of religion, the Middle East, organizational development and change, and conflict resolution and mediation. Dr. McMullen spent a year living in Cairo, Egypt as a Fulbright Scholar, teaching at American University in Cairo during the 2009-2010 academic years.