Welcoming Families From Around the World

I will be welcoming a family from the country of Estonia. I have no knowledge of the cultural values of Estonians, therefore this will be a challenge for me. To prepare for the arrival of the family I will be working with, I will first learn about the primary language of Estonians and work to establish a point of contact that will be able to offer translation or linguistic help as needed. It has been stated throughout the duration of this course that language is often abandoned as it does not fit with the language of the dominant culture. I would like to establish the native language as a rich learning experience for the center in which I work as well as the new family. Next, I would learn about the history of Estonia. This would give me insight into the evolution of the Estonian culture and society. I would also try to discover the family culture and family structure of Estonians, as working with families and children this is a key component to successfully communicating and respecting the family values. I believe that determining what type of social policies Estonia subscribes to would be important as well to help link the new family to social resources without impeding upon cultural values if necessary. Determining the values placed on physical and emotional interaction would be necessary as well, such as eye contact, handshakes, tone of voice, or physical proximity. This would allow for boundaries to be established and maintained without invalidated or insulting the family. I believe that determining religious values as well as ethnic values would be imperative as well. Throughout the course of preparation for the family I hope to learn how I can be supportive to the family, welcoming in an unobtrusive manner, as well as respectful of their family culture and individual cultures as well. This will allow me to learn from the family as well as to be a supportive resources as the family transitions. It is my hope that the family will feel values and respected in order to maintain their cultural and social identities as they establish themselves in a new country and environment.