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Interview of Natalie Neighbors
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. -
Interview of Asha Simon
Asha Simon chronicles her journey from South Africa to Thailand to the United States. Her journey addresses issues of cultural adjustment, discrimination, and family. -
Interview of Ok-hi Lee
In 1930, Ok-hi Lee, was born in Seoul, Korea. For several years she experienced what life was like under Japanese occupation until the Japanese surrendered in 1945. Not long after, she witnessed the chaos and destruction of the Korean War. America, with its abundant resources and opportunities for education, became her goal. With the help of a department head at Evanston University, she immigrated in 1957 and finished out a degree in art education. After moving around the New York area, she finally settled down in State College, Pennsylvania with her husband. Together, they raised a family of three sons in a small town they could proudly call their slice of the American dream. This was the new Korean-American family. -
Interview of Chak Beh
This interview chronicles the immigration progress of Chak Beh in his peregrination toward America. Chak left Malaysia in 1979 as a result of the ethnic discrimination that he faced; as a minority he was subjected to the biased laws of the ruling majority. Currently Chak is an avid fan of cooking and woodworking as well as raising his three sons. Chak tells a fascinating story of his trials, hardships, and successes – all of which led him to become the person he is today. -
Interview of Regine Dunlap
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. -
Interview of Adriana Busti-Carioti
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. -
Interview of Natalia Siegel
This interview entails the stories of a Ukrainian woman's immigration to America, her life in Ukraine, and describes how she persevered through the immigration system in order to be with the American man with whom she fell in love.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST428M: "Foreigners as Citizens: Recording Oral Histories of Immigration" (Fall 2015). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the History Department, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for the New America. -
Interview of Immigrant from Sri Lanka
[Name Redacted] is a 19 year old first generation Sri-Lankan Immigrant. Sinhalese, Buddhist and Queer by birth, he’s lived a largely happy life despite feeling like an outsider in the places they should feel at home. This transcript details some of his life experiences and the formation of a rich and complex identity informed by a vast array of life-events. Specifically, the narrative focuses on their decision and process of coming and living in United States. Initially, he came to America seeking an education but in many ways he has found acceptance and a place that he belongs. This process has greatly influenced his life and how he relates to history.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST428M: "Foreigners as Citizens: Recording Oral Histories of Immigration" (Fall 2015). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the History Department, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for the New America -
Interview of Roberto Colmenares
This interview with Roberto Colmenares, a Venezuelan immigrant to the DC area, shows the life of a man who moved in the pursuit of art. His life is filled with difficult situations stemming from political unrest and the search for greater opportunities. His story is an example of why artists need to live in a place free of tyranny, as dictatorships in Venezuela forced him to move away from the country. Fleeing the regime of the Venezuelan socialist party in 2012, Roberto was able to find work in an acting company in the capital city.
This interview was conducted as part of an undergraduate final project for the University of Maryland, College Park course HIST428M: "Foreigners as Citizens: Recording Oral Histories of Immigration" (Fall 2015). This course was led by Professor Anne Rush of the History Department, College of Arts and Humanities, and was sponsored by the Center for the New America. -
Maryland Day 2016 Interviews
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.