Parents and schools should place great emphasis on the idea that it is all right to be different. Racism and all the other 'isms'​ grow from primitive tribalism, the instinctive hostility against those of another tribe, race, religion, nationality, class or whatever. You are a lucky child if your parents taught you to accept diversity. Roger Ebert It has often been said that if we fail to understand history, we are doomed to repeat it. Nothing is truer to this than in the are

“There is nothing more powerful than the made-up mind.” ― Lewis Gordon Pugh The intention of this book was to introduce you to what is possible, and no attempt has been made to treat any of the subjects introduced in great detail. This resource was put together to prevent you from falling through the cracks, as many before you have. Instead of taking responsibility, they resort to blaming everybody and everything under the sun. You have overcome a lot of odds to make it to th

“Starting your own business isn’t just a job - it’s a way of life.” ―Richard Branson Most people were raised to believe that they go to school, get a good education, and get a good job, and that will guarantee a successful life. This formula works to a certain extent, but to excel, one needs more than a job, and the United States of America has lots of opportunities to start and own a small business. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a good place to start.120 It is a

“Money is a good servant but a bad master.” ―Sir Francis Bacon “You have to learn the rules of the game, and then you have to play better than anyone else.” ―Albert Einstein Most countries in the world do not have a functional and well-organized money market. As such, most immigrants are clueless about the American money market and how to take advantage of it. This chapter exposes the immigrants to what is available and how to take advantage of it. In his book The Richest Man

“The PC has improved the world in just about every area you can think of. Amazing developments in communications, collaboration, and efficiencies. New kinds of entertainment and social media. Access to information and the ability to give a voice [to]people who would never have been heard.” ―Bill Gates What you put out there will be there for a long time and can come back to hurt you. Social media has become a ubiquitous part of our lives, and immigrants can harness its power

“Culture is the process by which a person becomes all that they were created capable of being.” ―Thomas Carlyle There is always the nostalgia of what was, and some parents send their children back to their country of birth to learn their culture. This chapter addresses the pros and cons of such a move. This discussion is not to discourage you from meeting your culture or passing it to your children. It is geared towards highlighting the dangers of majoring in minors and faili

“The United States Constitution has proven itself the most marvelously elastic compilation of rules of government ever written” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt The American Constitution is a road map to the benefits of being a US citizen, and all immigrants are strongly encouraged to read it. You cannot defend what you do not know; that is why learning about the constitution will help the continuation of our way of government. There is no excuse for not reading and understanding the

“Voting is a civic sacrament.” ―Theodore Hesburgh “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.” ―Franklin D. Roosevelt In most countries, elections are conducted regularly, but these elections are rigged on many occasions and, as such, people feel their votes do not count. Therefore, most people do not vote because they feel that their vote does not count. Only th

“The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” ―Wayne La Pierre Before any immigrants talk about the second amendment, they should carefully weigh the matter and ensure that they understand the reason Americans insist on owning guns. Most countries in the world have strict gun laws, although the bad guys always have guns. The number of mass shootings in the United States of America is always shocking to many who move here for the first time. Accord

“I’ve lived on the equator all my life and we never had to change clocks. Now they’re telling me time goes forward an hour after midnight? What is this, Narnia?” ― Joyce Rachelle Some immigrants come from countries without time zones, and the clock is not moved back and forth at specific times during the year. This can be a source of embarrassment, confusion, and missed opportunities. If you are from a country where the clock is set in stone, you may be in for a rude awakenin

“If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.” ― Winston S. Churchill To excel, one must learn to be a good communicator, and public speaking is one of the quickest ways to build self-confidence. That is why it is not surprising that public speaking will enhance your self-efficacy. One of the most valuable skills that cuts across

“Cooking and eating food outdoors makes it taste infinitely better than the same meal prepared and consumed indoors.” ― Fennel Hudson One way to be exposed to the United States of America and make an occasional escape from the confines and stress of city life is to go camping and smell the roses. This chapter points out what is available and how to camp. Not too long ago, a friend from Africa rejected the idea of going out to camp because, according to him, he had had a hard