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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.
Kachisiso Achebe (pseudonym) describes the transition from Nigeria to the United States, differences in culture, the effect of the economy on immigrants and their employment, as well as education in the USA.
Natalie Neighbors (pseudonym) is a 33 year old Western German Native who grew up and lived in Germany for 29 years. She attended the University of Mainz and earned a Master’s Degree. In 2007 she met an American Airman that was stationed in Germany at Ramstein AF Base. They had a daughter, moved to RAF Alconbury, England in 2009, and married in 2010. In 2013, Natalie’s husband received orders to move to Fort Meade, Maryland that prompted her to obtain her green card. While three months pregnant with her second child, Natalie moved her daughter, dog, and all their belongings to Maryland where her husband was waiting for them. Natalie tells a story of experiencing culture shock and missing her native German customs. Her family has to find a balance between the differences in her German culture and her husband’s American culture while raising two dual German and American citizen children.
Asha Simon chronicles her journey from South Africa to Thailand to the United States. Her journey addresses issues of cultural adjustment, discrimination, and family.
The following is a transcript of an interview of Regine Dunlap by her son, Kevin Dunlap, that took place on October 11, 2015 in Suitland, Maryland, U.S.A. The interview was done as a class assignment for “Foreigners as Citizens: Recording Oral Histories of Immigration” to record oral histories of immigrants settling in the DC metro area. Over the course of the interview, Kevin asks questions about Mrs. Dunlap’s life in America versus her life in Germany. She responds with some of her experiences in both countries. Kevin also asks her about her immigration to the United States and her reasoning behind settling in the DC metro area. At the end, Mrs. Dunlap talks about some of her political ideas.
This interview was conducted on Sunday, October 4th 2015 with Adriana Busti-Carioti a native of Spoleto, Italy. Born in 1946 and immigrated to the United States and settled in with family working as chefs at the Italian Embassy shortly after her 19th birthday. High unemployment in Spoleto and the whole Umbria region following World War II left many young people desperate for work. A short peak in employment hit Spoleto every year with their Spoleto Festival which features performances and exhibits attracting people from around the world. In the past fifty years of living in the United States Adriana has gotten her Cosmetology certification, she has raised 5 sons, and currently works part-time cutting hair at a retirement home or doing some her favorite actives like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
The Center for the History of the New America sponsored a booth at the annual Maryland Day celebration at the University of Maryland (2016). In addition to other activities on immigration history, we performed a series of "mini" interviews with some of our visitors.
This interview between Lauren Wise and Azhena Abraham explores Abraham's experience as an immigrant to the United States from Albania.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course IMMR400 (Spring 2016). This course was led by Professor Thomas Castillo of the History Department, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies (formerly the Center for the History of the New America).
This interview between Kayla Gibson and Anastasiya Lyudkivich explores Lyudkivich's experience immigrating to the U.S. with her family as a child and her shared Russian and American cultural identities.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course IMMR400 (Spring 2016). This course was led by Professor Thomas Castillo of the History Department, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies (formerly the Center for the History of the New America).
This interview between Angelina Dirina and Dysia Sobol explores Sobol's experiences as an immigrant to the United States from Azerbaijan/Russia.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course IMMR400 (Spring 2017). This course was led by Professor Esther Lee of the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, and was sponsored by the Center for Global Migration Studies.
