Refugee Parent Roller Coaster Tales
As some of you may know, our 2021 Freshman move-in experience for us first-timers was full of
crazy bloopers and a twisted sensory wonderland of WtFs.
Fast forward to the 2.0 sophomore 2022 experience.
The Mrs had everything planned. Car rental, hotel, arrange to pick up and drop off for the other 2
high schoolers (love the American way of collaboration between parents coordinating kid
activities, transport, et. It sure beats chasing the stolen donkey to get to uncle’s house in Kabul).
The week before the move-in, the mom gets a call from Son that he fell hard yesterday and may
have a broken arm. Mind you, the kid was visiting a friend at UC River when this happened.
He goes to the ER. They confirm it is a fracture, put him in a splint, and advise him to see
Orthopedic surgeon for casting and follow-up.
What followed this was a 4 day battle against insurance companies, state agencies, consulting with
advocacy groups, this Cal Poly SLO Parents Tribe, multiple doctors in Riverside, SLO,
Sacramento regions.
One moment the insurance company on the phone would say you are good to go to Orthopedic
in SLO. When you call the SLO clinic, they’d tell you that they don’t take your insurance. The same
exact thing happens for Riverside Ortho clinics.
Now everyone’s stress meter is off the charts as the Friday the 16th move-in date is quickly
approaching. Now the Sophomore wants to take. Gap (??WTF??) quarter. As a refugee, we
thought Gap was that store where they sell tight uncomfortable clothing.
So I managed to get him a graveyard (only available) Flixbus ticket from UC Riverside to
Sacramento. We have an orthopedic surgeon appointment as soon as he gets off the bus.
We are hoping and praying that we can finally move him on Saturday.
The price of car rental, and hotels, have doubled due to weekends,s and mom’s endless runs to Costco
and Target while battling a super bad flu has made this saga even more suspenseful.
I have lost 2.89 pounds and I have bamboo crazy fast sudden growth of my toenails, nose, and
ear.
Cal Poly = “Learn by Doing”
Refugee Family = “Learn after screwing up.”
There are no templates, user guides, or FAQs for refugee/immigrant parents to navigate
the k12 and college system. You just wing it and hope for the best. By your third,/fourth kid, you
are a pro.