My husband and I are considering offering our guest room and bath to a hurricane refugee. But we are very conflicted. We live in the country quite isolated from the nearest town of any size (no real shopping closer than 10 miles).

I'm also worried about my own health because I have mental illness and emotional problems and get stressed out by people really easily. I don't want to get in a conflict situation with this person, making their life even more stressful. When my sister was living us for a few months, I ended up getting really ill from the stress, and it was a real mess.

So I don't know. I hate to be selfish, because we have a place to offer. I just wish it wasn't in our actual house, but in a separate building...for privacy.:sick:

What do you all think?

you're not being selfish if you cannot offer someone a space. it's ok to recognize that you have personal needs that need to be met first.

i recommend organizing an event in your area to feel personally involved. I'm organizing a YOga-thon to raise money in our area. Perhaps you could get together with neighbors and friends to make "Kid-kits" of school supplies or do a book drive to send books and supplies to the astrodome (I recommend checking through the salvation army).

Doing something pro-active can help you achieve your need to feel that you're doing something to help, without compromising your physical and emotional health.

Your heart is in the right place, just find a different avenue to express it that will be healthier for you.

Thank you zoebird, this gives me something to think about.

We're planning to buy a bunch of food and diapers, and take to the donation station in town. We've already donated $ to Red Cross, and may also donate $ to the Salvation Army.

I just want to do something.

Don't do it if your heart is not really in it. Help in other ways. Taking strangers into one's house can turn out to be truly dreadful and if one is not strong, it can really screw up one's lives. Living with people we love is hard enough sometimes.

Maybe if there is a refugee camp not far from you, you could take some kids out for an outing or something. (Not MacDonalds though - LOL!!!!)

lol i know this doesn't matter..

but can you try to not call these citizens refugees? the way the media portrays them as refugees has gotten on my last nerve.

Sorry about that, but they are people seeking refuge from Hurricane Katrina. Hence, "refugees."

*shrug*

You can call 'em whatever you want. :nana:

I think that if you can, you should offer people help. But if you really feel it would be impossible to do so...you shouldn't. It's a tough decision to make opening up your home to a stranger, but it does carry the possibity of being rewarding to everyone involved.

Ah well, do what you can.

B

Some people are better suited to opening up their homes and lives to strangers than others. If you decide this would be too difficult, maybe there are some other ways you can help - like fostering animals of the displaced people until they can take them back - I think there is a need for that too. I was just reading about how many people were separated from their pets, and those animals who survived need to go somewhere until people can get on their feet again.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050903/ap_on_re_us/katrina_pets
http://hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/recent_activities_and_information/the_animal_victims_of_katrina_reports_from_the_fie ld.html

What's wrong the the term refugee?

What's wrong the the term refugee?

because these people are not refugees. when people think of refugees, they typically think of people from different countries and have to be taken care of. but these are our fellow American tax paying citizens.

it puts it into better perspective because then people can wonder..."where did their tax dollars go?"

Have you not seen the news? Of course these people are refugees. Do you think they are leaving New Orleans because they are sight seeing? There are people fleeing from New Orleans, seeking refuge, because the city was swamped. They are refugees. Refugees do not need to be from another country. Saying there are not refugees from this situation is sticking your head in the sand.

because these people are not refugees. when people think of refugees, they typically think of people from different countries and have to be taken care of. but these are our fellow American tax paying citizens.

it puts it into better perspective because then people can wonder..."where did their tax dollars go?"

Using any other term is making it easier to swallow. Would you prefer the term survivor? or evacuee?

I prefer the term refugee because it keeps it in everyones face that these people are now homeless, don't have anything but what they could fit into a garbage bag, most don't have jobs, no money...etc. I would love to see my tax dollars go to helping the refugees find housing, food, clothing, jobs, get their kids back into school, medicine for those who need it, grief counseling, and financial help to bury their dead relatives.

Most of us know where our tax dollars go. We don't wonder.

Sorry to derail the thread.

Refugee is not considered politically correct. It was explained on CNN. It was very interesting. This is how I understood it:

Refugees are for nasty third world countries. And they are usually only black people - from Africa for instance. Now the trouble is, there are WHITE refugees (oops!!! sorry!!! I mean "survivors") amongst these people and this is just NOT SUITABLE. (Also, if they were only Mexicans that would also be okay to call them "refugees".)

I bet you my new pair of socks (they are white with an orange witch on a broomstick on them) that if there were only black people being evacuated, no-one would have any problems with the term "refugee".

I think that's sad....that the term refugee does somehow not fit American people when it has never had a problem fitting people from other countries. (ie black, asian poor) Why is it not correct for ANYONE seeking refuge. If it is not correct to use this term for certain people seeking refuge, then it is not correct to use the term for anyone, and we should stop using the term.

B

I read one piece where the term insurgent was used. And it was on armylife.com. They said it looked like Little Somalia in NO. Both blew me away.

CNN needs to not worry about what's politically correct at this point.

3 entries found for refugee.

n.
One who flees in search of refuge, as in times of war, political oppression, or religious persecution.

Function: noun
: an individual seeking refuge or asylum; especially : an individual who has left his or her native country and is unwilling or unable to return to it because of persecution or fear of persecution (as because of race, religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion)

n : an exile who flees for safety