In 2002, the International Organization for Migration provided pre-arrival cultural orientation training to 905 Vietnamese Montagnard refugees living in a transit processing facility on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. The training was specifically designed to prepare the refugees for third country resettlement to the United States. It provided tools and information necessary for beginning new lives in the United States. Classes were intended to dispel misconceptions and unrealistic expectations about the new society; provide accurate information about the country of resettlement; and inform refugees about social and community services available to them. Other topics included refugees’ rights and responsibilities, laws, cultural norms and values of the receiving country, and information regarding transit. The Vietnamese Montagnards presented a unique challenge because their sheltered, tribal way of life in the Central Highlands rendered them ill-equipped for the technologically driven world they were poised to enter. Post-training assessment was not possible, but overall, refugees were eager to attend the courses. They had very little knowledge of the United States or modern culture. Few had worked outside the home or farm. It appeared that the training allayed some of their fears, dispelled misconceptions, and taught them how to survive in the western world. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education.) (SM) (ERIC No. ED476245)
