Reasons of stress at work: the migrant“I wish I were back home with my own people. People I can understand. I'm not at home here. They say nasty things. Rude things. Call me "Old bastard". But they seem to like me. I can't understand. I'm not a bastard. I hate it. They laugh. It spoils my life. I wish I could go back to my own country.” Local idiom and local slang are always confusing to the newcomer. His brain cannot integrate conflicting messages. They seem to like him, but still call him a bastard. Far from being a matter of vilification, 'old bastard' is a term of endearment in the Australian vernacular. I remember, some years ago, the cool reception I received when I addressed the head nurse of an American hospital as 'sister'. In Australian hospitals the word carries strong overtones of respect, while in America it is a term of familiarity. In matters as simple as this, the misunderstanding can be rectified by simple explanation. But without such explanation, the individual lives in an atmosphere of uncertainty which can form a background for the development of stress. If we are secure enough in ourselves these misinterpretations lose their ill effect. We can stand by, and assume there was something in the conversation which we did not understand correctly. *7/98/5* ANTI-DEPRESSANTS «Pain Medications Without a Prescription» |
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