SEPTA, Philadelphia’s Public Transport system, is on strike this week, which means that the subways, buses, and trains have all stopped running until negotiations are reached between SEPTA and the workers’ union. Employees across Philadelphia find themselves stuck, unable to get to work because of lack of transport, gridlocked traffic, or distance from work. What this means for NSC, however, is that our lobby is abnormally empty because the refugees we meet with on a daily basis are unable to get here. Typically, our office is fully alive, teeming with refugees from around the world. You walk in, met by 10 different languages, beautiful patterns from across the world, and you look around, greeted by nods, waves, and “Thank you—Hello!” each time you enter. These people are friendly, appreciative, and kind; I look forward to seeing their smiling faces at the office. Some refugees come for English classes or cultural orientation; some come to speak with theirs caseworkers, who do their best to help them navigate this new world, but I can’t help but think that many must come just for the community, an explosion of so many cultures that just seems unobtainable in most other settings. NSC provides our clients with things like housing, clothing, accessibility, and knowledge of the US and its workings, but—perhaps most importantly—NSC provides the refugees we serve with community; we function as a congregation point for people who’ve each faced their own distinct challenges, but who all share the common story of being placed as a refugee in Philadelphia. I’m beginning to learn just how strong of a bond that is.
The other day, I escorted a Syrian family of 8 to NSC. They spoke very little English and were clearly feeling uneasy by many aspects of America as we made our 30 min trek to NSC. As we were turning onto our final street, about a block away from our destination, we caught up with another Syrian family who has been with NSC for a couple of months now. The family I had been escorting brightened immediately, thrilled to be with someone who shared their native tongue. As we tried to finish explaining directions, the friendly Syrian patiently batted me away, promising he’d take it from here in making sure his new friend figured out his way around. Entering the office, I looked back to see the Syrian family already being welcomed by each family in our lobby, all eager to make friends and build their slowly growing community.
NSC tries to place these refugees in their preferred neighborhoods, but finding a last-minute apartment isn’t always that easy. Sometimes, Bhutanese immigrants wind up in the middle of a Congolese neighborhood, making it all the harder for them to find their community. Other times, our refugees come alone. I find these to be some of the most heartbreaking cases—imagine leaving your friends, family, and home to begin a whole new life on your own across the world! One of our friendliest refugees comes from these circumstances, and is always eagerly seeking to create meaningful relationships. He’s constantly inviting us to take selfies with him, come see his apartment, or just to hang out. We know we aren’t allowed to take him up on these offers because of work protocols, but we can’t help but yearn to help him find his place and his people. I think his more visible struggles reveal how many of us tend to feel but keep to ourselves. Community doesn’t tend to be an easy thing for many of us to find.
We’ve spent time in class discussing just what community is. Your community is more than just the people around you; it’s the people who love you despite your flaws and who work to help you grow. It’s an environment that makes you feel safe, physically as well as emotionally, to be your best and weirdest self. It’s companions who you fit in with, through shared values, morals, goals, appearances, and languages. At the moment, I can’t deny that my community is a little odd! We’re a group of 7 students brought together in Philadelphia to spend a year exploring, learning, growing, and figuring out the craziness of life together. We joke frequently that back home, its kind of unlikely that any of us would have been friends, but I know the seven of us are here for a reason; this is just the group of people I should be with right now. Despite how similarly or differently we may have been raised, we find new commonalities to bring us closer each day, through shared battles, passions, and goals. Many of the students here have struggled through depression and anxiety or similar situations. How comforting it is to be with a group of people who’ve experienced my own challenges firsthand and who help me to reflect on my past in order to better my future. We each have knowledge to offer each other, and we’re in the perfect environment to explore our tightening dynamics. I’m already dreading the day our little group will be split apart. Having a room to myself already seems so bizarre! I’m glad I’m stuck with this group of people, but I’m even gladder that the constraints of Philly mean they have to stick with me! (Sorry for all the puns, constant political discussions, and cheesy get to know you questions guys!) One month in Philly left!! Let's see where it takes us!!
A few pictures from our Retreat this past weekend. We visited beautiful Ocean City and stayed in my host, Maryellen's, beach house! It was a weekend of early morning wake-ups to catch the best sunrises, goofy antics from word associations to face masks, and--most importantly--new discoveries to help us appreciate and learn from each other's unique stories. Most definitely a weekend to remember!
