Jul 15, 2026
In this episode of The Immigrant Experience in America, Simone W. Johnson-Smith joins Rosa Bel and the Cafecito Cultural community of educators for a conversation on what actually gets lost when we cross a border: "Are You Lost in Translation? How Culture Shock Shapes the Core of Our Identities."
Drawing from her own journey as a Jamaican immigrant and 15 years in U.S. federal service, Simone unpacks why culture shock is not a single event but a slow identity negotiation, one that can quietly reshape a person over a decade or more if it goes unnamed. This conversation explores the three stages of that reshaping (Performance, Eraser, Crisis), the invisible code-switching tax carried by high-achieving immigrants, and why the financial scripts we inherit from home can quietly work against the future we're trying to build here.
Simone and Rosa also dig into third culture kids and heritage speakers specifically, why bilingual, bicultural students so often see their own identity as something to minimize rather than a source of power, and what educators can do to reflect that value back to them.
This episode is for immigrants, first-generation families, third culture people, educators, and anyone building a life between two cultures.
"Decoding America & Coming Home to Yourself: The Immigrant Experience" by Simone W. Johnson-Smith is an International Impact Book Award winner, available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMWQ1GLR
#immigrantexperience #culturalidentity #cultureshock #immigrantmentalhealth #thirdculturekid #heritagelanguage #blacktax #decodingamerica #thriveabroad The Immigrant Experience in America
New to the U.S.? Start with the free guide to your first ninety days. → The One Who Made It Out Guide
Already established, and the financial piece of this conversation hit home? Start with the free Black Tax Boundary Kit: naming the pattern, finding your real giving number, and three scripts for the moment it gets hard. → Black Tax Boundary Kit
Ready to build the full plan, not just the number? Apply for a free Chemistry Call. → Chemistry Call
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Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of any employer.
Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.