When I was completing my MSW, I interned at a law firm that works with “indigent” (their disgusting choice of a word) unhoused people and it was the most infuriating semester I’ve ever experienced. They had us social work interns working for free to provide services for their clients, but we ended up teaching the law interns how to be decent human beings and not belittle the clients and their experiences. It enraged me to have to work against a system that already does it’s best to deprive people of much needed services while also having to interact with entitled, silver-spoon-fed law students. I couldn’t wait for the semester to end.
Have you seen His House? It’s another horror film about the immigrant experience set in England. It’s a ghost story, but the real horror is the lengths that war makes people go to to live and be “free”.
Oh Starbie, don’t even get me started on the way some of my colleagues would speak about the clients we worked with! Just remembering it is breaking my heart and making me livid all over again. It’s really awful to witness first hand how little care people have for others despite them working jobs where you’d expect them to at least know how to exercise empathy.
And no, I haven’t seen His House but that description you just gave me? I’ll be checking it out as soon as I get the chance! Thank you x
I loved this Chimoa - so eloquently written and thought provoking. I cannot imagine being in the job role you’re describing - it is heartbreaking. I love the film recs - I haven’t seen any of them so adding them to my list! I have been thinking about doing a book post about books that discuss refugee/migrant/displacement experience soon bc it’s world refugee day in June. So I appreciate reading this & the film recs that tie with the themes I have been thinking of! Out of the films, which is your favourite?
I’d love to read a post from you about books following characters dealing with displacement; initially, I wanted to include book recommendations in this post but I found that I didn’t have any new recommendations to give that I haven’t already gushed about in an older post. (I’ve been in a pretty intense reading slump lately 😔 so hopefully a recommendation from you might drag me out of it)
On the topic of my favourite movie out of the three… hmmm… I’d have to give it to Limbo. It’s been about a year since I first watched it but I still think about it often.
What book recommendations would you have included if you hadn't gushed about them previously?? I wonder if we have any of the same! I am so sorry you're in a reading slump! I was a bit slumpy in May too tbh - I read so much in April I think I slightly burnt myself out haha! I pray theres a rec from me that can drag you out of it!! Let me think if I have any books that would be great to end a slump. brb while I think.
Thanks for naming your fav - I'll give Limbo a watch first when I get the chance xx
PS so sorry for spelling your name wrong - it was a slip of the finger on the keypad :(
such a great piece of writing — this broke my heart a little.
it reminded me of this book coming out in jan next year called mothers and sons by adam haslett. though it isn’t singularly about immigration (more so about queerness and family and loneliness), it’s written by an immigration lawyer (i think) about an immigration lawyer and he writes about some similar ideas. i had access to an early copy and just finished reading it, and i’d had this post of yours mentally bookmarked for when i finished reading it.
When I was completing my MSW, I interned at a law firm that works with “indigent” (their disgusting choice of a word) unhoused people and it was the most infuriating semester I’ve ever experienced. They had us social work interns working for free to provide services for their clients, but we ended up teaching the law interns how to be decent human beings and not belittle the clients and their experiences. It enraged me to have to work against a system that already does it’s best to deprive people of much needed services while also having to interact with entitled, silver-spoon-fed law students. I couldn’t wait for the semester to end.
Have you seen His House? It’s another horror film about the immigrant experience set in England. It’s a ghost story, but the real horror is the lengths that war makes people go to to live and be “free”.
Oh Starbie, don’t even get me started on the way some of my colleagues would speak about the clients we worked with! Just remembering it is breaking my heart and making me livid all over again. It’s really awful to witness first hand how little care people have for others despite them working jobs where you’d expect them to at least know how to exercise empathy.
And no, I haven’t seen His House but that description you just gave me? I’ll be checking it out as soon as I get the chance! Thank you x
I loved this Chimoa - so eloquently written and thought provoking. I cannot imagine being in the job role you’re describing - it is heartbreaking. I love the film recs - I haven’t seen any of them so adding them to my list! I have been thinking about doing a book post about books that discuss refugee/migrant/displacement experience soon bc it’s world refugee day in June. So I appreciate reading this & the film recs that tie with the themes I have been thinking of! Out of the films, which is your favourite?
Martha! Thank you so much for reading!
I’d love to read a post from you about books following characters dealing with displacement; initially, I wanted to include book recommendations in this post but I found that I didn’t have any new recommendations to give that I haven’t already gushed about in an older post. (I’ve been in a pretty intense reading slump lately 😔 so hopefully a recommendation from you might drag me out of it)
On the topic of my favourite movie out of the three… hmmm… I’d have to give it to Limbo. It’s been about a year since I first watched it but I still think about it often.
What book recommendations would you have included if you hadn't gushed about them previously?? I wonder if we have any of the same! I am so sorry you're in a reading slump! I was a bit slumpy in May too tbh - I read so much in April I think I slightly burnt myself out haha! I pray theres a rec from me that can drag you out of it!! Let me think if I have any books that would be great to end a slump. brb while I think.
Thanks for naming your fav - I'll give Limbo a watch first when I get the chance xx
PS so sorry for spelling your name wrong - it was a slip of the finger on the keypad :(
such a great piece of writing — this broke my heart a little.
it reminded me of this book coming out in jan next year called mothers and sons by adam haslett. though it isn’t singularly about immigration (more so about queerness and family and loneliness), it’s written by an immigration lawyer (i think) about an immigration lawyer and he writes about some similar ideas. i had access to an early copy and just finished reading it, and i’d had this post of yours mentally bookmarked for when i finished reading it.