Describes the essence of the experience of immigration and resettlement for migrants who lack access to ethnic communities of their culture. Previous research has revealed that culturally isolated immigrants find especially stressful the process of resettlement and can exhibit higher incidences of psychiatric disorders as a consequence. Study subjects were 20 men and women between the ages of 23 and 51 who came from Poland, El Salvador, Lebanon, Syria, Vietnam, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic and had been living in Moncton, Canada, for less than 3 years. The common themes, or essential structures, of the experience of being a culturally isolated immigrant included sudden cultural immersion, discontinuities between past and present, heightened sensitivity to others, effort applied to get a foothold in a new society, and an orientation to the future. Even though resettlement significantly disrupted subjects’ emotional equilibrium, these immigrants were determined to resolve crises. Furthermore, their realistic and pragmatic assessment of situations propelled them to learn English and find employment, actively pursue new friends, and accept social relationships with people from other cultures. Health-promotion interventions that bridge linguistic and cultural barriers are particularly needed during this initial, stressful period of resettlement.
