Immigrant Stories
"Agnes Under the Big Top" centers around four immigrants to America. We met with a group of students from an English as a Second Language (ESL) class at Gateway Community College right next door to Long Wharf Theatre to learn about their experiences as immigrants to America. They were warm, generous, and eager to share their stories. Below is the unedited text of their interviews. You can also read excerpts in our lobby as you enter or exit the theater.
SIMPLICE
Burundi
Hi my name is Simplice. I am from Burundi. I came here from Tanzania and I was there for ten years. I came here as a refugee because the country where I am from there is a war going on and my Dad decided for us to go to a different country which is Tanzania and then over there there is you know UN? So they take people and help people to come here and then my dad decided it was good for us so we come here.
When I was back in my country I used to think coming here would be like coming to heaven. We don’t have to work hard. We could just get money. Both of my parents they were educated. They have degrees over there. Like when they come here when my daddy was trying to find a job because we use French over there for my native language we don’t use English my dad was ready for his interviews and everything thinking he was going to get a good job like he had over there. They told him to take off his suit because they would not give him a job at Burger King. We was very disappointed. And then my mom used to be a teacher over there but when she came here she could not get that kind of job over here. We used to think here everything just sort of nice life is just so easy but when we come it was different story. It was very hard. The food, providing, getting job, having the language barrier was very hard for like people. It was very hard when we got here and like where I’m from we have nice weather. The winter my gosh it was freezing it was too much for us. It was a very big change. When I was back home I never thought it was going to be like this. I’m thinking I’m coming to heaven but it was a different story.
I didn’t know that in America they had homeless people. When I saw homeless people I was so shocked that these people was asking for money. I didn’t speak English but I was like oh my god I thought you just get money you just go to school and everything and it’s so easy and everyone get along like that but it’s a different story when you get here you get to see like what America is. It’s not what they tell you when you get here. It’s just so different. My father used to be like an engineer he used to work with the environment. Now he do automotive technician at Yale. It was very crazy when like everything we thought it was going to be like it’s not. It’s very different. It’s hard. Especially when you come here because of the English you know you try to work hard even though you want to do things you want to get a better job because of the English it’s very hard.
My mother is not working right now. She’s going to school now. I just finished medical assistant. I went to school for medical assistant. I am looking for a job right now. But it’s hard because the job market is so bad. So I’m hoping to get something soon. And I’m here because I want to do nursing. I want an RN. I hope to get my associate degree in two years hopefully.
Over in Burundi we had a very nice house. My dad had built like a very nice house and everything but because there was a war over there my family we couldn’t stay over there we had to go to a different country which was Tanzania. Over there we have nothing no family no nothing nobody lives over there. Where we lived over there. Because he was the one who went over there first then he asked people if they could help him to bring us to where he was in Tanzania. And over there it wasn’t really nice. It was different. But it was better because there was no war over there. Because like if you’re not a citizen over there it’s different you don’t really have rights or anything. I was six years old when my father left. It was hard because no father and there was a war. We didn’t care what we had over there all we cared about was being in a safe place. If you are not from there you can’t live with the people you have to go to the refugee camp. That’s why after a while for my dad decided to ask the immigration if they can help him to bring us over here. The U.N. was helping him. Other people wanted to come but only people from Burundi or Rwanda were allowed to come. When I came here I thought some houses were nice. It depends what kind of living you’re making. If you’re not making a good living you are not going to be able to afford a nice house. If you just if they just bring you here they don’t put you in a nice place they put you somewhere old building but when you make some money you can buy your own nice place.
I met a lot of friends once I started speaking English. I did meet somebody very special to me which is nice but it’s not the reason why I’m staying here. It was nice because I have my friends and well I don’t want to say the boyfriend word but I guess because we don’t do that kind of stuff but I do miss special people.
ABDULRHMAN
Iraq
I left Iraq because the situation there was very hard to live.
Some people came to our house and they put the gun on my father’s head and said we will kill you and your family. After three hours the American troops came and did what they did.
They rescued you?
Yes. After that, my mother and father decided to go to Jordan. We shared our story with the United Nations and they brought us here in 2008. The big problem was my mother was taken in Iraq, so she couldn’t come to Jordan. After two years in Jordan and one year here, my father went to Rosa DeLauro. She is really a very perfect person. She helped us.
I was thinking that I could not see my my mother again … the distance from Iraq to America … it’s too complicated.
What’s the best thing about being here?
My country, you can’t prove yourself. Here, you can prove yourself. Here, you can make your dream come true. The United States was the only one to help my family … other countries closed their doors to all of us.
In my last year of high school, I was trying to take my bio exam. When I was trying to go to the school, I found at a long distance that the school was encircled by troops. I asked one of the troops what was going on … I said I want to go there, I have a test. They told me I should go home. I said “why?” They said, “there are people in your school and they killed a student, you cannot go there.” He said “do you want to try?” I said “yes.” He said there is another soldier over there. Ask him. If the situation is ok, they will let you in. When I went there to check, the second soldier told me, no you can’t go there.
I saw bodies in the street.
Bodies in the street? Who kills people?
Nobody knows.
JOSEANE
Brazil
My name is Joseane. I am from Brazil and I have been here two years and a half already. My father came to America two years before I came and he told me how he loved America and how nice was living here and I was not thinking about to come to America because I was in a relationship for seven years already but when I was nine years with my ex-boyfriend I decided to just change my life and I was not happy with him anymore and I didn’t know how to break up so I thought maybe America would be a good thing to do to just see what would happen.
I just decided to come and I came as au pair in a program that wasn’t that expensive and when I decided to come I didn’t know English at all so I had just three months to try to learn some English and then I was like going to try but it was really difficult because I didn’t know how to speak English but here I am. When I came to America I thought it was going to be really a dream. Like really good. Easy. Easy life. But well when I got here it was really hard. I had a hard time because I came as au pair and I lived with a family that I had never seen in my life before and they were really straight so they gave me a hard time and they want to send me back because I don’t know how to speak English but thank god they help me in the end and I am grateful. But it was hard in the beginning I was thinking about going back. But now I love America and I am studying also to be a nurse and I am doing my prerequisites now. It’s hard I am having a hard time working because it’s not easy taking care of three kids and they are ok but three kids is hard to take care of. I am studying and working and I am going to be a nurse in the future.
Living with a family that I didn’t know at all was hardest. They were strict. I had to be home at like 11 o clock. And I don’t know anyone I was feeling alone and that was hardest part. My family was far away and I was missing my ex that was nine years with him. It’s just hard.
This program like we come as au pair. They send you mail when people come to America. They send mail to you that a girl just got the same as you. And I start to meet people. Then I go to school and I start to meet more.
I had my apartment so I was living downtown in the city close to the university and I was walking to the university or to my work and I was working for banks so my life in Brazil was pretty good. Different here. I lived in a city not big but 300000 people. And it’s a little dangerous there. Here I can drive during the night but there I can’t. It’s a little dangerous in Brazil if you drive by yourself at night. I lived with my ex boyfriend. We were living together. Getting married. We were living in a nice apartment. Here I live with a family and just have a room. There I was living better than here. There my job at the bank was so much better. There I was a supervisor and here I am nothing like that. I just take care of kids and I don’t even have my house. I just have my car which is good. But yeah it’s going to get a while until I get to where I was in Brazil.
Friends in America is hard to keep. In two years I already had four best friends but during these two years I stayed like one year with a friend and then she move back to brazil and then I met another one and we were really best friends and then she moved and it’s just hard to keep a friend if you’re friend is not American. So it’s really hard now I have my best friend but she might be going back to Brazil also. So it’s hard to keep a friend here. They change your life and then they move and you get really sad and it’s really hard.
NAJAT
Kuwait
My name is Najat. I am from Kuwait. I have been here one year. I came in USA because I want to improve my language and I want to study. I came with my family. My husband and my three boys and one girl. I came here with a sponsor. My brother in law. I wanted to come to improve my language and speak English very well. It was different and difficult in my country. USA and my country. In my country it is very hot but here it is difficult for me. Cold and the snow and rain. When I came here it’s very difficult. No car, no places. My life, it’s difficult. No friends. But now it’s better than before. No friends no people no places at first. Now it’s better. Six months before I had friends. Now I have a place. I have everything. And a car. I found it. Because I want to study.
In my country the weather it’s very nice. You can move anywhere. Here is snows and just raining for people. In USA here working always always always. In my country no. You can work in the morning and then half day and then get dressed and you can go anywhere you and your husband and your family. I live in the city. I lived with my family there in an apartment. Different than here. My apartment bigger. And my life was very nice. In my country rich rich rich very rich. You know Kuwait. But here it’s better you know I study. Better than my country. Really when I study here I am better now than before. I study study study. In my country no study. I bring children. Here now I want just study. In Kuwait my husband was a manager. Here he does customer service. My oldest is 16, and then 13 and 11 and my daughter is 7 years. They like it here. They remember Kuwait and like America better. They very fast learn English but for me hard. Now I am better. I improve. Step by step. Because I want to learn. Now I have a little bit friends. Nice friends.
I don’t know what to say but I don’t have a best friend. But I have a little bit friends here. Yeah I have a lot of friends in Kuwait. I always talk with them on the phone.
TAM
Vietnam
Maybe in the future I’ll get good grades here. Then I’ll get a good job and I’ll get to go back to be with my family.
I never saw snow before.
FLUTUR
Albania
My name is Flutur. I am from Albania where I came here from Italy. And I have been here almost one year because I came in March. Last March.
I live here with my cousin and my family lives in Italy. I came here because there is a program for foreign workers and students. It is called a lottery. It is the program to the United States that gives you the possibility to live here and work legally so I won that lottery and came here. Well when I came here it was really different than I think when I was in Italy. When I was to the airport I was waiting for my cousin to bring me home and I was checking at the bar for a cappuccino and I couldn’t find it and also I didn’t know how to speak English because I wanted to call my mom and say everything is ok and the trip was so long. And on the way coming to the house everything was different. Like the nature was like beautiful. The trees. It was March but I could see the snow almost melting and at first I didn’t like the houses. How they were. Was different. Everything. Wasn’t like in Italy. Was so different to get used to everything. The food and also everything.
I used to live in Italy in Rome. So I lived in that big city and everything was very nice. So for that I didn’t’ like too much when I came here. Like she said there is not too much public transportation. There we had everything. I could reach school in 20 minutes with the subway and everything was modern. But when I came here it was so strange looking the train they are like everything is older. It’s more modern in Rome. The train and the public transportation. I lived in an apartment. It was so nice and so clean. When I came here I am sorry to say that the building that we used to live in smells so bad and I said oh my god they never clean the house. In Rome I lived with my family. And also I think people here just work and work and work and just work day and night and there people work but also they spend a lot of time having fun or going out. I still think it’s right that I am staying here. It’s a good decision.
Well I decided to stay here because I met my fiancé. So that is the only reason that I am staying here. Because otherwise I would go back. He is Albanian. And I am very happy that I am with him because I always wanted to meet a boy like him. He is so nice. We are going to get married and for that I am staying here. He does not ever want to go back to Albania. He is happy here. He has been living here for ten years. He has a lot of friends here. I miss everything there. When I am going to move to New York maybe there is more public transportation and more stores that I like. When I was in Rome on Saturdays I used to go to the fashion stores. When I came here I said to my cousin please bring me to the stores. But here it’s nice that things are cheaper here than in Europe. In Europe life is much more expensive.
TSEIRING
Tibet via India
Hi my name is Tseiring. I am from India. I have been here almost ten years. I come here because Tibet was taken over by Chinese so we are refugees in India so we got help from his Holiness the Dalai Llama that a thousand Tibetans could come here with their families and everything else and so my father did and after he was here for five years he sponsored my family.
When I come here I was clueless. I was thinking everything was different but my friend and everybody used to tell me in America it’s like heaven it’s not the same as us. I found everything is different better than India what we have. Jobs.
I try best I can to go to school and support myself and my family and I’m happy. It’s like my dream come true. Someday I want to become an RN. Hopefully it works out.
For me I was living in India in refugee camp. All the houses are built by my father and friends and we don’t buy houses we build and we help each other to build houses and they help us build our houses. And we had a good house. Good enough to live in and sleep but over here it’s much better. It’s American house. Much better than India.
I don’t wanna go back to India and live there. Maybe someday I can visit again. I like it in America. I miss my friends and my relatives. That’s all.
ROSA
Colombia
When my daughter finished high school in Colombia, she decided to come to college in the United States. So when she finished her classes she decided to stay and got married here. I am already retired and I came here to help her with the two children. I use my free time to learn English, because in this country you have to learn English to be in meetings or something like that. It is a good opportunity to learn … I have two grandchildren. Gabriela is nine years old and knows capoiera, portugese, Spanish. The other one is Sergio. He is five years old. He also goes to many many sports and speaks Spanish and English.
I think this culture is great for the young people, but for the old people like me, it is very hard.
(I am here) to see my grandchildren grow up. I approach (this as) the time where I can learn about another culture.
India Tell me what it was like where you were living in India. In my country there isn’t enough time. Studying is really hard. Whether you study for one day or one week you wont pass. We don’t have computers we have to write down everything so it takes a lot of time. I like it here … You can do anything (here). No one cares what you do. Venezuela Besides the weather, the food is really good. You can go party until five in the morning go to the beach the people is really really nice. And here you need to start to meet people and start to improve yourself to be friends with somebody. It’s really hard when you’re alone like me. I came by myself and it’s hard. And also my country you can find whatever you want on the corner if you want to go to a party at seven o clock you can go. T here is no restriction between hours here the clubs close at one o’clock and last call is at 12:55 here everybody is working and working. Caracas is kind of like New York City. I lived with my mom. My mom and my dad are divorced. We do everything together and I miss my family because we do everything together parties and birthdays and everything. In 2008 was the last time I saw my mom. She came here. She did not like it here. She just came to visit. I miss her. I miss my dad and my brother. Everybody in my family I miss. I am brave I got my suitcase and said you know what I am going to another country. I am going to America because I want to learn English and I don’t know what the future has for me maybe an MBA maybe I can stay there and be a better person or I come back here and have more opportunities. I met a lot of people since I came here but one of the people that makes me happy here is my friend who is from Venezuela but I met her here in Connecticut and now she became my best friend. We talk every kind of conversation. She has a daughter. So we are close together. She misses her family, I miss my family. When we have any problems in Venezuela with our families her mom or my mom we talk about it. We are good friends and I am so glad to meet her. Morocco I came here six months ago by lottery with my family. Many people in my country apply for the lottery. And maybe just one year if you have a chance the lottery comes to you. The (United States) government selects who comes over. I applied for many years because all of my family was here. I applied before and I did not care about the lottery more and more. But I applied this time and they gave me a chance. I have work, I have bills in my country I have my family and my children I have my own business. I came because of the experience … When I came here, I didn’t find a job. My husband didn’t find a job either. The children like it, but me and my husband, we didn’t like it at all. That’s why I took classes to improve my English. I have Masters in marketing from France. Maybe if I get a chance here, I can take a course for my MBA in human resources. (In Morocco) I have a real estate business and I work in a big telecommunications company too. It’s very hard … Children here have more possibilities to improve themselves. It makes me patient to stay here when I am having a hard time.
UDIT
I came here to have a new life with my family and to get a good education to study more and get a better job.
KAREM
My name is Karem. I am from Venezuela and I have been here for three years. I came here by myself. I came here with a program. The name is au pair. And after I finished, I took care of three babies, I moved to Connecticut and now I am working in a restaurant. I have a Bachelors degree in my country and to have a good job you need to speak English and Spanish. My language is Spanish but I need English. And also now my country’s economics and politics are really bad. I just wanted to find opportunities for my future. The first thing when I came here I didn’t speak English at all. So the first time when I was waiting in the airplane for somebody to pick me up and they speak English and I didn’t know what they say to me. I didn’t know anything about it so it was really difficult to me for six months. That was the first time I came to USA and also for me was really different. In my country in Venezuela all the time it’s summer you can wear sandals you can go to the beach any time any weekend. Here was so cold. In my opinion the people was really cold. You try to speak with them you try to be friendly and the people was really cold. This is my country. Or something like that. The first time I talked to somebody in English they said I don’t understand what did you say where did you come from what is your accent. That was a really difficult time. Also the house. The natural. In my country you can find public transportation everywhere anytime. Here you need to have your own car and some places are so far away to the mall or the restaurants. It’s really difficult. For me most difficult is the weather. I didn’t know was horrible the weather. And you know I need to put a lot of clothes and carry the jacket and in my country no. In my country too much cold is 59 degrees. I miss the weather and the food of course.AFIFA
