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This interview between Antonio Palas and Antonia Sfiriou is a comprehensive look at the experiences of Antonia as a female immigrant to the United States from Greece. Born on a small Aegean island, Antonia was brought to the United States by her parents when she was very young. She details her story of leaving Greece and settling in a Greek neighborhood in Baltimore, her struggles to learn English, her ambitions to enter the healthcare profession, and the obstacles that she faced to attain her dream. Antonia’s interview shines light on the attitudes and beliefs of Greek culture on women. She recounts how her story fit and broke the mold on women assembled by Greek culture.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST 428M (Spring 2021). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the Department of History, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies.
The individual interviewed preferred to remain anonymous. For this reason, specific names have been removed from the text. Whenever this occurred, it has been noted. The interviewee details her childhood in India before coming to the United States as a young woman entering into an arranged marriage. She details her experiences as a working mother of two in a different culture as well as the process of becoming an American citizen.
Thea LaFond relates her immigration to the United States from Dominica as a young child. Her account details her initial perceptions of America and popular culture, her family's move to DC Metro area, as well as immigrant assimilation in the United States.
Edwarda M. Buda-Okreglak discusses immigrating from Poland to the United States as a young girl in the 1960s. She especially focuses on her education in the U.S. and her journey towards becoming a medical doctor. Dr. Buda-Okreglak also illuminates the Polish-American community of the mid-Twentieth century.
