Settling In: An Intern’s Mid-Point Reflection

We’re in a time of settling in. By “we,” I mean myself (N2N’s August intern), the refugee families who have arrived, and Nations to Neighbors itself. In the space between a start and feeling settled, there’s a lot of movement, some questions, and a little apprehension – though less than before. We’re settling in…but what does it look like?

For me, it has looked a lot like intense learning and increasing confidence. At this midpoint of my internship, I’m reflecting on how much I have learned–about Billings, the real people who have arrived, and the community that wraps around them. I feel more secure in my place in this web of support and empowerment than I did a few short weeks ago. But I still have more to learn about how best to come alongside, and each day, after resting and refueling, I’m ready to dive in to support however I can. 

For our newly-arrived refugee families, settling in looks immensely different. Culture shock, language learning, a mountain of appointments and paperwork, and navigating loads of logistical hurdles are all exhausting. I am inspired by the way the kids in our Summer Program arrive each day with smiles on their faces, ready to try new things with people they barely know. I see them grow in confidence as they learn more English and relax into laughter with their tutors. I see them settling in as they encourage one another (and sometimes the volunteers) and become familiar with our routine, beginning to trust what is coming next. Their parents and grandparents display incredible resilience as they settle into new houses, jobs, relationships, and ways of life.

For Nations to Neighbors, settling in looks like establishing relationships and a rhythm our new neighbors can count on. It means valuing our volunteers–the tutors, van drivers, activity coordinators, American kiddos, and lunch crew–and establishing ways to communicate often and well with them. It means creating policies that emphasize equity and sustainability. We’re navigating the needs of the newest members of our community and discerning which gaps we can fill, all while ensuring we have capacity to come alongside them in support and friendship over the long welcome.

In this time and space of settling in, there is room to grow, reflect, and adjust. Though none of us has it all figured out just yet, we’re moving in the right direction. I’ve been reflecting on how to define “success.” In such a relationship-heavy endeavor, if we are connecting with the kids and they are beginning to trust us, then we are succeeding. If the women in TLC (Tea, Learning, and Conversation) or the men in English tutoring are connecting with their adult tutors and learning some functional English, then they too are succeeding. If I can find small ways to connect with the kids and volunteers while somehow chipping away at my to-do list, then I’m succeeding as well.

It’s both challenging and beautiful to embrace this place we all are in, to see how far we have come, and to know that we’re just getting started.

-Brenna Ketchum, N2N Intern