The Immigrant Advantage What Rest Of America Can Learn...

The Immigrant Advantage: What Rest of America can learn from the fresh Immigrants. Cultures for Longer and Happier lives Inspired by her culturally diverse life in Houston, award winning journalist and author Claudia Kolker investigates the attitudes and traditions towards education, hard work and health that have been imported into the United States by immigrants from different nations. She addresses the fact that natives to the United States have so much to learn from foreigners and that they should not be viewed form only an outsider point of view but should instead be embraced for the diversity they introduce to America. She argues that it is meaningless to fuss over their exploding population when they are in essence present legally†¦show more content†¦She also investigates and implements the South Korean practice of hagwons, which are demanding after school programs where students are tutored to help them better understand concepts in school work. This helps her daughter learn math. Some of the other topical issues she explores include the Vietnamese ‘com-thang’ tradition, also called the ‘monthly rice’ as part of a fresh, inexpensive and delicious guide to good culinary practices. Lastly, she introduces the Jamaican multigenerational living that helps in home ownership and the South Asian practice of matchmaking that is different from the American freedom of choice. Kolker’s explorations help to not only teach, but also to entertain and involve her readers in her expositions. I found Kolker s book a much-needed guide in trying to understand the immigrant community that is now part and parcel of the American nation. The issues addressed and raised are especially a significant insight in some of the most important stages of our lives. As she attempted to get solid answers, Kohler would approach her subjects with the question on what the smartest thing is back in their home country that they would continue doing. The Mexican practice of guarantee is perhaps the most outstanding practice that intrigued me due to its healing ability. ‘Cuarantena’ is also practiced by some traditional Indian homes whereby mothers are