Missouri
ABDUL
KANSAS CITY, MO
“People talk much about success, independence, liberty, cultural aspects, but I will say the best thing that I have learned from this country that no any other nation have it, is the constitution – whereby your rights is defended. It may take years to defend it, but you have that opportunity to defend your speech, to defend your right to liberty, and to be who you want to be. Yes, someone can say, “We don’t want hijab! Oh, we don’t want these Muslims!” But the truth is, that constitution will defend you however it may be. And so you can get equal rights in terms of the law.”
Photo Credit @joy.bittner – Painting in photo by Abdul
I am from Somalia, and came to the United States in 1999.
There is the story – or a mantra that was given to me one time – that I follow. If you invite two insects in your house – that is a housefly and a bee – if you invite them and tell them, “Get into my house, eat whatever you can eat.” Ask yourself, “Where will the bee be going to first?” The bee will be going where there is perfume, where there is water, where there is sugar. To the bedroom. The housefly will go directly to places that you will not love: to the restroom, to the dirty places, to the garbage. And after the day is over, they are all satisfied. Just bring them to the table and ask them, “How do you feel?” They will all tell, “May God bless you. Thank you very much, we have eaten from your house.” Then ask them the second question, “How was my house?” The bee will mention all the beautiful things in your house, whereas the housefly will mention all the negative stuff in your house, right? You will not love when the housefly opens the mouth. And so, the choice – the first choice of the housefly – was negative. And so whatever will come from the mouth of the housefly will be negative. And the other thing, which is another good lesson, is the bee. And so the bee had a positive choice and whatever that came out of its mouth is positive.
I don’t want to be a housefly, I want to think like a bee. And so one that I know humans wherever they live, there is something to like and something to hate. But I want to choose the best, which is what I like about the United States that you do not have in the other parts of the world. People talk much about success, independence, liberty, cultural aspects, but I will say the best thing that I have learned from this country that no any other nation have it, is the constitution – whereby your rights is defended. It may take years to defend it, but you have that opportunity to defend your speech, to defend your right to liberty, and to be who you want to be. Yes, someone can say, “We don’t want hijab! Oh, we don’t want these Muslims!” But the truth is, that constitution will defend you however it may be. And so you can get equal rights in terms of the law. Maybe you will not get justice, because it’s humans who are doing it. But the truth is there’s no any other nation that has that, and that’s why the U.S. is a super power.
To say the truth, racism is here in United States. It’s too unfortunate that it will be existing. You may think that they are thinking that they are not racist, but they are racist to the core. And not because they want to be racist, it’s because the environment has been putting them into that situation. But the only thing that racism can be solved with is you stop, think, and ask yourself – talk to yourself. Who am I? And how am I impacting everyday life in everywhere? And so, to be a black – it means you are not a racist? No, you can be a racist while you are black! You can be a racist while you are in the minority line. What should be done, is first for people to think “Who am I?”
And that is impacting our schools. Urban schools – most of the teachers are white, female, from rural areas… And so how can you teach what you do not know? And so the expectation is that their life is what these people should be taught. And the experience of these individuals is totally different experience that has been created by centuries. And this is one of the things that I will say the refugees are introduced to. Because of safe, secure, and affordable housing they end up in the urban areas, and they end up in the urban schools. And as a result of their trauma and their past experiences, they are introduced to centuries of – how will I put it? People who have been underprivileged. And as a result of that, a refugee has a high obstacle. To get out of their own and to be able to lift the community they came with so that they can end up. For example here in Kansas City, you will find that the places that were abandoned, the houses that were abandoned were bought by the refugees and they started doing some malls. The started doing some business there. And I think it’s a positive thing but it is strong weight to lift yourself up from.
One of the things that I have been thinking, and in fact I will be doing the plan right now, is how to pay back to United States – although I do it secretly – but right now, I want the refugees to participate, and the migrants, and anybody who came to this nation. Either through their hearts, or anybody… But the whole concept is that as refugees we have been helped, so we want to help. And so now we are starting a food kitchen, and we want to start it small and then elaborate it. And we are starting with the veterans right now. And so we will be feeding some of the veterans who will be in the streets, and so that we can give them transportation – and refugees who are taxi drivers, who are uber drivers, will participate in this. And so whoever who wants will be driving from there – the food will be prepared. So we are starting with veterans, and as we grow, we will be pulling more people. So this becomes as a pay. And this is how we introduce to “individualism.” And so that’s part of the community, that we have to pay back also to the community. And taking the both positive of communal society and the positive of individual so that they become the best, right? And so that’s one of the things…
You asked me about my education – I still do not know what I will do with it. But my hope is to do a lot of research and be able to help a lot of children in the world. I always think of going bigger impacts, but I do not want to be, you know, thinking small too. So I will start small, but I also want to think big.
MESHACK
Kansas City, MO
“There’s a lot of African countries with conflicts which a lot of Africans need help. For instance, I mean, I am more of a political refugee in South Africa. But I mean, with the documents you get in South Africa you can’t work, you can’t apply for student loans – so you are on your own! So it’s quite difficult for a refugee being in South Africa in a country that’s still developing, that’s trying to look out for their people before they can look out for refugees.”
Photo Credit @joy.bittner
I am originally from DRC Congo. I spent most of my life in South Africa. I have been in the United States for three months.
The flight was long. It was a 15 hour flight from Johannesburg to New York. That was exhausting. But I mean, everybody was friendly once we got here. I mean, everybody was friendly. And as soon as we got to New York, we took another flight to Kansas City. When we got to Kansas City, my brother and sister that’s been here a year – they came to collect us from there. And it was a joyful moment, I mean, seeing them again. So yeah.
After the whole banning of immigrants – that’s what delayed our case, because we were supposed to come the same year as my brothers. Before you travel to the United States, you do a medical check-up. Which is – how long does it take before it expires? Is it 6 months? Yeah, so we did that and it expired, so we had to do it again because, I mean, we got delayed and that sort of thing.
There’s a lot of African countries with conflicts which a lot of Africans need help. For instance, I mean, I am more of a political refugee in South Africa. But I mean, with the documents you get in South Africa you can’t work, you can’t apply for student loans – so you are on your own! So it’s quite difficult for a refugee being in South Africa in a country that’s still developing, that’s trying to look out for their people before they can look out for refugees. Then you get people that come from refugee camps which you don’t even get proper toilets or anything like that, so the condition is very bad. I mean, I understand for most people you have to experience it before you can understand the situation out there.
My brother was saying that he doesn’t think he will be going to Africa any time soon! He loves it out here! Yeah, I mean, he’s been from state to state because he is doing electrical engineering as well. Yes, because he was working under Amazon So now he is in Colorado, he has been to different states, and he loves traveling. My sister is studying at UMKC, and I mean – she likes it. I mean, she tells me how friendly the people are. In my experience, I haven’t had much experience with Americans but with those that I have had experience with – they seem quite friendly.
We are on the northeast, so there is a lot of Afro-Americans on that side. Which sometimes the accent passes me byway. We can’t really have a proper conversation, but yeah – we get along.
JVS – the service that they give at JVS has been very much helpful. Yeah, I mean, they try to help us within each and every problem that we have. They got me a job at the Casino in electrical maintenance. So yeah, that’s what I will be doing from now on.
Okay, within five years I am thinking of completing my studies. I did two years of electrical engineering in Cape Town. So yeah, I am thinking of getting done with my studies and get some work experience. Yeah, I think I will go into the engineering field and see how that works out.
America got nice food – especially your cereals of you guys! I went all out with those cereals. It’s good. But also I am gaining weight – that’s a problem!
AMINA
St. Louis, MO
“I think being American means, you know, having good values, close relationships with family, friends. Valuing God obviously. Living a simple lifestyle. You know, getting up everyday making sure that I am doing something productive. You know, hard work and having a good end result in something. Being passionate about something. Living life to the fullest.”
Photo Credit @joy.bittner
So I was born in Berlin, Germany, and I have lived in the States for over 22 years – my whole life in St. Louis.
So they were both originally born in Bosnia. They were raised there. My Dad grew up in the city over there, my Mom grew up on the farm. And both of them, for the majority of their lives, lived in that world. And then around the earlier 90’s, war started happening. They kind of met around that time, a little bit before. They decided to get together. They were married, and then the war started happening and then my Mom got pregnant with my brother in Croatia, because the war was happening so they moved to Croatia. They had him there, and then at that time the war broke out and spread to different parts – not only in Bosnia, but in Croatia. So it was starting to get hectic and crazy there, so they decided to move to Germany where it was safer. Where they thought they could have more opportunities to work, to raise a family – so they thought. And then my mom got pregnant with me. So I was born in Berlin. We stayed there for three years – just over two to three years, and then my Aunt decided to move to the States. Growing up, my Mom and my Aunt – her sister – it was their dream to move to the States. You know, it’s America – the big dream! You can live your life they way you want to. So my aunt told my mom she was going to move to the States, St. Louis, Missouri, and just give it a shot. And then my mom, my dad, me and my brother – we were still living in Germany. They thought, “Well hey, why don’t we move over there?” My mom really wanted to be closer to her sister. And so my aunt had sent over papers to my Mom. It kind of just to get the process started for them. And then cut to a year later, my Mom and my entire family, we moved to St. Louis, Missouri.
But I guess before the war life was really simple. There were a lot of businesses – businesses were booming! Work was great. You know, it was peaceful and then the war broke out. And then you know, families were shattered. They were – you would see families being torn apart. Homes were destroyed, you know, work was… People were getting laid off. People were going everywhere. Families were separated. But before the war, it was great!
During the 90’s, you know, there were tons and thousands of families not only immigrating from Bosnia, but all over Europe. And a lot of those immigrants, like my family, were placed in a specific neighborhood or town, like St. Louis, where it was affordable housing. And the market for a particular home or neighborhood was affordable for them, so they would all get kind of grouped together. So you were essentially, you know, living your own life. You know, you had a home or had an apartment, but you were also sharing a neighbor who was a recent immigrant from the Soviet Union, or Bosnia, or you know Austria. You know, they were all going through and dealing with those same emotions or hardships such as language barriers, or not having enough money, or doubting yourself or – you know, the fears of everyday life. You know, can you make it? You know, trying to figure out how to get to downtown and you don’t even know where you are going or how to say a word like “downtown.” You know? So I think, knowing that you weren’t ever alone. That there was someone older than you who had recently immigrated – in our situation, that was my aunt who had come here a year before our family did. So she was already telling my Mom, you know my family, things that she would pick up on. You know, how to get to downtown, how to say this word, you know, when does rent have to be paid here. There is such a thing as rent over here! Where in Europe at that time, we didn’t have mortgages and all that. So she would tell my parents, my Mom, that we have that here and you need to save up this amount. You know. And then going back to time, I think it was over the years – you know we have lived here for twenty plus years – that every day, every month, every year that goes by it just gets that much easier. You know, you are always learning. You know, every year it gets easier. I think just the time. You know, you adapt quickly and I thinks it helps having come from Europe at a young age. You know, picking up on that language really quickly through TV shows, and school, and just meeting American friends. Say where my parents work, having their bosses speak American. Having TV access to them. You know going out, you know, with your family to a restaurant you learn new things. You know, those simple things I think that people forget – that’s what honestly taught us how to survive here for twenty plus years.
Yeah, I always like to say that I have grown up having the best of both worlds, because if it wasn’t for my name people would just assume I am American and really wouldn’t know I was, you know, ethnic or had this whole other life before America. You know, it’s nice because my entire life my parents would speak to me in Bosnian. They just have accent, but they I know English so I grew up obviously knowing English and then also Bosnian. So at home I would speak two languages, mostly Bosnian, and then school and work it would just be English. And I also still have family overseas in Croatia, Bosnia, Austria as well. So I visit during holidays or summer vacation.
I think being American means, you know, having good values, close relationships with family, friends. Valuing God obviously. Living a simple lifestyle. You know, getting up everyday making sure that I am doing something productive. You know, hard work and having a good end result in something. Being passionate about something. Living life to the fullest. It is interesting because when you go over there, they don’t necessarily have that much work and stuff. It is interesting to be here and see some of your values change and stuff, and seeing that kind of – that difference.
I think the majority of people, especially Americans who have just – you know, were born and raised in America, I think they just don’t know. And I don’t think they ever will know. But I think it’s more so of that just kind of educating them. And I think if you were just to tell them and show them and show some of the hardships that immigrants have gone through and are still going through, such as like language and income and all that kind, I think that they would be open up to the idea of opening up the system again to refugee families for future generations too.
ABDULAZIZ
ST. Louis, MO
“When I was in Thailand and after that when I got the chance to come to United States, I was very happy because my past life it was – I struggle so a lot. And also I been in Thailand waiting for my process for four years. I have some friends which is come from America, they used to help me before when I was in Thailand. When I arrived in Missouri airport, they come and pick up me and get me to St. Louis City.”
Photo Credit @joy.bittner
I am from Ethiopia. I been in United States only now just one month. I come May 11.
When I was in Thailand and after that when I got the chance to come to United States, I was very happy because my past life it was – I struggle so a lot. And also I been in Thailand waiting for my process for four years. I have some friends which is come from America, they used to help me before when I was in Thailand. When I arrived in Missouri airport, they come and pick up me and get me to St. Louis City.
Yeah, you know the United States is a big country! So also it is like a democracy country – everyone has his right. I like so many things, so… But I am still looking around, learning so, make so… You know, I am still looking for make friends. But I really love them, United States.
My dream – before my dream already to get the freedom, but now I already get freedom. So for that, I thank God. So now I am hoping also if I get the opportunity to study and work, and after that make family, and buy a house – yeah, it’s like that.
I am beginning to start my life now. So, same like you know? I don’t just… For the past, because God helping me to be alive also, but I was not – I was not have enough something what I need or something what I want. But right now, so I can have opportunity to get what I want. So for that, thank you God really.
Elvira
St. Louis, MO
“We grew up like a big family, and we grew up like everyone together. Like all my cousins that lived close to me, we all played together and it was seven houses. So it was pretty much like one subdivision. And we all lived next to each other, we played together, we sleep over in each others house, we eat in each others house. And when we came here, we all separated… We visit each other. So they surprised me for my daughter’s graduation when she finished the high school. They all invited themselves.”
Photo Credit @joy.bittner
I am originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I have been here since April 29, 1997.
Well, first day like I didn’t have – I didn’t see anything, I didn’t know… My cousin picked me up from the airport. We had a little baby. She was a month old when we came to the United States. We came to to their house. She prepared the Bosnia food and that’s what we ate the first day, and then two days later we moved to our apartment. But it was so hard because we didn’t speak any English. So wherever we go it’s like, we try to say like two words or something and um… We had the International Institute where we would go for anything we needed. To get us papers or whatever we needed for the first days. And then we will take the bus – they showed us how to do it! So we will take the bus to there.
Overall, it was okay. The only things that we knew about the United States was everything over TV when we watched the movies and listened over TV – nothing else. So it was okay for us. We didn’t expect a lot, because we were in a refugee camp for two years. So whatever they offered to us, it was better than a refugee camp.
I was 20 years old when I came here, so they gave us all opportunities to – we could get the jobs, even though we didn’t speak English, we didn’t have any – I didn’t work back there. So you can go in school when you are 20, 30, 40. You could work as much as you can, as much as you want even without English.
And then my husband went to Meramac and spoke with the counselor in the school, and he was telling him, “What’s the best school to go to so I can make money? I don’t have time to go like 4 years or 6 years for a lawyers, doctors, or anything like that. I would like something I can finish in like 2 years and I can make money with that school.” And ahh he told him, “That’s good heating and air conditioning” So he finished that. And then he opened up on June 1st, 2004. And it was really hard – like you have to get a lot of stuff to start the business. In first years we had to get lot of tools, and some vans, and next year – he was working by himself – and then the next year he got an employee, and then he got another employee. And then it was, like we had a business with three guys. And then we employed two more people – how business was spreading. Then we got some more people, and then we were for so long between 5 and 7 people. And maybe like two years later, three years later – with the real estate, I had to work Saturdays and Sundays. And we were used to, since we got married, to be like at least the weekends together. But with this, we couldn’t. And then I started working for him because he needed someone to do the paperwork, and so I’m like, I will do that rather than real estate and be home together on the weekends. But he worked a lot. He was working seven days a week, unless we steal one weekend and go someone on vacation or to see the family. That was the only time that he wasn’t working.
We have hopes that we are going to make it a little bit smaller so that we can easier handle all this, and we travel a lot. And other dream is maybe buy a condo in Florida so we can go more often there and relax from all of this.
We grew up like a big family, and we grew up like everyone together. Like all my cousins that lived close to me, we all played together and it was seven houses. So it was pretty much like one subdivision. And we all lived next to each other, we played together, we sleep over in each others house, we eat in each others house. And when we came here, we all separated. And it was so hard for me because I was really close to them, and today we talk to each other like pretty much every day. And they call me every time when we have something in the family going on, either bad or good. We visit each other. So they surprised me for my daughter’s graduation when she finished the high school. They all invited themselves.
Well all the things that we have, it’s in St. Louis. All the things that we need for us it’s in St. Louis. Like me and my husband, we start from scratch. Back there, like when my parents were alive, that house, everything there… Mine and his parents they worked for that and that was theirs. But here like we made a home together, and that feels like a home. It’s nice to go back in the Bosnia and see all your cousins and all your god-aunts, but after two weeks I just want to go home.