We were not treated as refugees - we came as immigrants. |
Wangyal Ritzekura |
Tibetan |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Immigration Policy, New Immigrant Experiences, Work |
There were other minorities present - it didn't feel like you were the only outsider. |
Tenzin Khando |
Tibetan |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, New Immigrant Experiences, Youth Experiences |
Living with sponsors: We wanted to stand on our own feet. |
Wangyal Ritzekura |
Tibetan |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Community, New Immigrant Experiences, Ties to Homeland, Travel to U.S. |
By becoming U.S. citizens you can do a lot that you cannot do otherwise. |
Wangyal Ritzekura |
Tibetan |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Citizenship, Civic Engagement, Ties to Homeland |
The lack of ruling in the class by the teacher – that was very different. |
Tenzin Khando |
Tibetan |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Education, Youth Experiences |
Parents strive strongly to make sure their children have all the opportunities that they didn’t. |
Tashi Lhewa |
Tibetan |
Becoming Americans, Community, Family, Opportunities in America |
Law is one field which can come in very helpful to the Tibetan community. |
Tashi Lhewa |
Tibetan |
Becoming Americans, Civic Engagement, Education, Work, Opportunities in America |
A lot of opportunity, if you are willing to work hard. |
Tashi Lhewa |
Tibetan |
Becoming Americans, Economics, Opportunities in America |
Here in Minnesota, you are all the time encouraged to be only thinking money. |
Gyatsho Tssering |
Tibetan |
Becoming Americans, Economics, Generation Gap, Problems in America |
There are few families who will stay Tibetan families. |
Gyatsho Tssering |
Tibetan |
Becoming Americans, Cultural Centers, Generation Gap, Problems in America |
We have a lot of delinquency problems with the youth over here. |
Tashi Lhewa |
Tibetan |
Becoming Americans, Generation Gap, Youth Experiences, Problems in America |
The change of culture was striking to this son. |
Tenzin Chodon |
Tibetan |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Education, Youth Experiences, Problems in America |
People don’t have the time here. |
Tenzin Ngawang |
Tibetan |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Time, Problems in America |
We can’t see our family. |
Tendell Sangmo |
Tibetan |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Time, Problems in America |
Finding work and loneliness in a new country. |
Yangchen Dolkar |
Tibetan |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, New Immigrant Experiences, Religion, Ties to Homeland, Work |
There was loneliness in us because all our friends and relatives were not here with us. |
Kim Yang |
Hmong |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Family, Language, New Immigrant Experiences, Ties to Homeland |
You don't understand the word 'eat' - you just say 'no'. |
Cher Vang |
Hmong |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Education, Language, New Immigrant Experiences, Youth Experiences |
We got to come and live in this great country. |
Kim Yang |
Hmong |
Becoming Americans, Citizenship, Freedom, Identity, Opportunities in America |
education will open the doors to many things. |
Mai Neng Moua |
Hmong |
Becoming Americans, Education, Gender Roles, Opportunities in America |
If our American friends don't have to do it, why do I have to do it? |
Yang Cha Ying |
Hmong |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Generation Gap, Problems in America |
If you want to be a farmer, to start a business, you have to have money. |
Mai Neng Moua |
Hmong |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Economics, Food, Work, Problems in America |
Immediately after 9-11, there were major challenges. |
Abdisalam Adam |
Somali |
Becoming Americans, Discrimination, Religion, Problems in America |
I always feel that we're under pressure and short on time. |
Abdisalam Adam |
Somali |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Time, Problems in America |
It has been a real challenge, parental involvement in the schools. |
Abdisalam Adam |
Somali |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Education, Problems in America |
Where do you pray? |
Abdisalam Adam |
Somali |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Religion, Problems in America |
The first time that I had to take bus, I didn’t know what to do. |
Hared Mah |
Somali |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, New Immigrant Experiences |
A good opportunity where everybody can make his own life. |
Hared Mah |
Somali |
Becoming Americans, Freedom, Opportunities in America |
They have to make some accommodations. |
Hared Mah |
Somali |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Religion, Problems in America |
You are like a little kid that cannot even speak. |
Hared Mah |
Somali |
Becoming Americans, Education, Language, New Immigrant Experiences, Problems in America |
Everything I have to do on my own. |
Maryan Del |
Somali |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Family, New Immigrant Experiences, Ties to Homeland |
They’re immigrant people - they’re like me. |
Maryan Del |
Somali |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Discrimination, Youth Experiences |
America is hard, but you can do it. |
Maryan Del |
Somali |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Education, Language, Religion, Youth Experiences |
Can you imagine just sitting there without knowing what they are talking about? |
Maryan Del |
Somali |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Education, Language, New Immigrant Experiences |
You're supposed to take care of your parents. |
Maryan Del |
Somali |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Family, Problems in America |
We are expected to just leave, to start living. |
Mohamed Jama |
Somali |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Community, New Immigrant Experiences |
We have a lot of work to tell them, 'Let’s get involved.' |
Mohamed Jama |
Somali |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Civic Engagement, Politics |
Young people are not losing culture, but they are entwining with American culture. |
Mohamed Jama |
Somali |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Generation Gap, Youth Experiences |
You can become who you choose to become. |
Mohamed Jama |
Somali |
Becoming Americans, Freedom, Opportunities in America |
The job is so hard for me to do it, because I'm new in this country. |
Chamreun Tan |
Khmer |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Cultural Centers, New Immigrant Experiences, Work |
When they go to school, they have another law that they must follow. |
Chamreun Tan |
Khmer |
Becoming Americans, Generation Gap, Problems in America |
It's really frustrating for them to learn the other language. |
Chamreun Tan |
Khmer |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Language, Problems in America |
I don't use the word 'meeting'. |
Henry Nelson |
Khmer |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Cultural Centers, New Immigrant Experiences |
My first teacher in Minnesota tried to encourage me to speak to anybody on the street. |
Thaly Chhour |
Khmer |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Education, Language, New Immigrant Experiences |
Kids grow independent very quickly. |
Lincoln Gada |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Family, Problems in America |
We came in January to Minnesota, which was quite a shock in itself. |
Nayana Ramakrishnan |
Asian Indian |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Food, Language, New Immigrant Experiences, Travel to U.S. |
We had never used silverware in our lives. |
Nayana Ramakrishnan |
Asian Indian |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Food, New Immigrant Experiences |
Finding a balance. |
Deepak Nath |
Asian Indian |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Bi-Cultural |
According to them, I’ve become very Americanized. |
Bash Singh |
Asian Indian |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Economics |
Whatever country you live in, be fit for that country. |
Abul Hasan Siddiqui |
Asian Indian |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Citizenship, Religion |
Integrated into our wider community. |
Lisa Gada Norton |
Asian Indian |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Bi-Cultural |
I am probably going to become a citizen very soon, because I think now I am vested here. |
Nirupama Misra |
Asian Indian |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Citizenship |
It was different, very different, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. |
Prasanna Mishra |
Asian Indian |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, New Immigrant Experiences |
The Beatles, Indian culture, and America in the 1960s. |
Nirupama Misra |
Asian Indian |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Youth Experiences |
Pulled in two directions. |
Ravinder Manku |
Asian Indian |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Bi-Cultural, Generation Gap, Identity |
There is more access to knowledge. |
Prasanna Mishra |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, Education, Opportunities in America |
It is better to stay here, because, as a woman, I have more rights. |
Deep Shikha Gupta |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, Freedom, Gender Roles, Ties to Homeland, Opportunities in America |
In those days, they took only 100 immigrants from India. |
Sudhansu Misra |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, Immigration Policy, Work, Opportunities in America |
Everything is not all great and good, but it just gives you the freedom to do so much here. |
Nayana Ramakrishnan |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, Freedom, Opportunities in America |
It's definitely a taught hatred, and it's taught ignorance. |
Deepak Nath |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Discrimination, Youth Experiences, Problems in America |
I didn't grow up here. |
Kusum Saxena |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Generation Gap, Problems in America |
I didn’t know what a library was. |
Nayana Ramakrishnan |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, New Immigrant Experiences, Problems in America |
You're the bridge. |
Rajiv Shah |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, Bi-Cultural, Generation Gap, Problems in America |
We didn't know how to ask anybody for directions. |
Pennamma Cherucheril |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Language, Travel to U.S., Problems in America |
Sometimes we make our kids live in two different worlds. |
Deep Shikha Gupta |
Asian Indian |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Generation Gap, Identity, Problems in America |
The new normal was cold and quiet. |
Maryam Beltran Shapland |
Filipino |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, New Immigrant Experiences |
They just gave up on the idea of learning the language. |
Adelbert Batica |
Filipino |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Language |
I think they expected that we would date outside of our community. |
Maryam Beltran Shapland |
Filipino |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Youth Experiences |
I would love to be able to speak Tagalog. |
Patrick Faunillan |
Filipino |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Language |
At the beginning, I didn’t quite embrace the Filipino culture. |
Patrick Faunillan |
Filipino |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Food, Identity, Youth Experiences |
I get to choose what I want to do. |
Maryam Beltran Shapland |
Filipino |
Becoming Americans, Education, Youth Experiences, Opportunities in America |
America is giving me more of a chance to be my best. |
Patrick Faunillan |
Filipino |
Becoming Americans, Language, Opportunities in America |
We get medicine here, to make your life longer. |
Victorino Alojado |
Filipino |
Becoming Americans, Family, Opportunities in America |
They did not expect the discrimination and prejudice that took place here. |
Belen Andrada |
Filipino |
Becoming Americans, Discrimination, Work, Problems in America |
That really caused a change in the workshops. |
Belen Andrada |
Filipino |
Becoming Americans, Discrimination, Education, Problems in America |
It was a very hard year. |
Maryam Beltran Shapland |
Filipino |
Becoming Americans, Education, Language, New Immigrant Experiences, Youth Experiences, Problems in America |
I just never looked the part. |
Maryam Beltran Shapland |
Filipino |
Becoming Americans, Discrimination, Problems in America |
The initial impression is always that we are subservient. |
Maryam Beltran Shapland |
Filipino |
Becoming Americans, Gender Roles, Identity, Work, Problems in America |
It’s very rare that we talk in Spanish. |
Anna Amaya |
Latino |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Education, Language |
There were very, very few Hispanics going to school. |
Martha Castaňon |
Latino |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Education, Identity, Youth Experiences |
I call myself a Minnesota Norteňa. |
Martha Castaňon |
Latino |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Gender Roles, Identity |
My English was absolutely zero. |
Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin |
Latino |
Assimilation, Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Education, Language, New Immigrant Experiences |
I noticed the need for Latino ministers also in this country. |
J. Pablo Obregon |
Latino |
Becoming Americans, Language, Religion, Travel to U.S., Opportunities in America |
Education has to be a top priority. |
Emiliano Chagil |
Latino |
Becoming Americans, Economics, Education, Opportunities in America |
I would like to see more people involved in the political area. |
Mario Duarte |
Latino |
Becoming Americans, Civic Engagement, Education, Politics, Opportunities in America |
The schools here were free. |
Martha Castaňon |
Latino |
Becoming Americans, Economics, Education, Opportunities in America |
The whole story behind refugees is that they’re running for their lives. |
Emiliano Chagil |
Latino |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Immigration Policy, Politics, Problems in America |
I knew he wasn’t coming to tell me ‘Happy Easter’. |
José H. Trejo |
Latino |
Becoming Americans, Culture Clash, Language, Youth Experiences, Problems in America |
I was not given the interscholastic exams. |
José H. Trejo |
Latino |
Becoming Americans, Discrimination, Education, Youth Experiences, Problems in America |
Sometimes we blame on anything our own inability to solve our own problems. |
Ramón León |
Latino |
Becoming Americans, Civic Engagement, Language, Work, Problems in America |