The Next Generation of Lowell’s Immigration Stories

I interviewed Ahn, a fellow Lowell High School student, about her experience as an immigrant from China and she shared with us her story of the immigration process. Many people believe that immigrating to the United States is a simple travel situation resulting in opportunity and freedom, but in Ahn’s case, it took a lot more work than expected. Immigrants go through a long process of getting the proper vaccination in order to live in the United States, and money is a huge factor in the process. The immigration process itself requires the individual to follow guidelines and specific rules in order to become a legal citizen. Filling out forms, getting vaccinations, and paying fees is part of the process of traveling to the U.S. as an immigrant. Ahn’s story gives an insight into an unequal opportunity, as they pay for their freedom.

Audio Transcript

Sophe: “Okay, what was your immigration process like? So, transportation, who did you come with?”

Ahn: “My mom married my step dad and he was American so I came here and became an immigrant. America has very complicated rules for immigrating, Basically, I had to… They want you to be all vaccinated and you had to get all kinds of shots and you have to get them at specific certified hospitals. Like you couldn’t just go to a local hospital and say ‘hello, can I get this shot?’. You have to go through this like... They had this list of certified hospitals that were allowed to give you these shots and would give you papers and if you couldn’t go to those hospitals you were screwed. So you basically had to provide your own transportation, stuff like that so I think this is one of the reasons why I watch the news and when people say ‘Oh just you know go through the legal processes, don’t just come into America illegally then you’ll be fine’ and I’m like you have no idea how much you have to pay to immigrate here legally. Every single form you have to fill out includes a fee and all the processes and the shot you have to get, the documents you have to provide they all typically include a processing fee too. So if you’re like a refugee, or if your not and don’t have that kind of money to spare you really can’t afford a process.”

Sophe: “It’s great you actually came here, you have an opportunity and an education that you got all that process done, now your here as a student at Lowell High. So, How did you physically get to the U.S.? By boat? By plane?”

Ahn: “By plane. I don’t know how long a boat would take. It was a 14-hour flight very tiring.”

Sophe: “But it’s worth it, was it?”

Ahn: “Yeah.”

Recently I had the opportunity to interview Eli, a fellow Lowell High School student. Eli shared with me his story of immigrating to the United States as a child. Born in Lebanon and growing up in Lowell, Eli has not always had an easy life. He told me about his family and how they risked it all to move to the United States in search of a better future. Through hard work and support from their community, Eli and his family were able to overcome the challenges that they faced to persevered in their new home.

Audio Transcript

Thomas: Can you describe your journey to Lowell and your first impressions of the city? Since you came here when you were two it doesn't really would be when you first came here but when you were growing up?

Eli: Right, so coming here when I was two, um my family not personally me but my family had to adjust to the state of living here. Um it was very difficult cause we didn’t come here with money, as most people would probably do if they were going to a different country. But, we came here because we thought that we could be able to sustain ourselves which we eventually did, but in the first couple of years four, five, six years it was kinda hard because we had my Dad had to find a whole new job. My mom didn’t know exactly enough English to actually get hired. So, she had to bring me and my brother to school, she had to take care of us at home, she had to concentrate on our grades while my dad had to go work because he knew more English than my mom. And getting the amount of furniture and the amount of money and stability uh and transportation uh was very difficult in the beginning but it all worked out at the end.

A student at Lowell High School, Izaias came to us to share his experience of his home in Brazil. Many countries have at least one violent community, and for those living in Brazil the violence influences and affects their daily lives. Access to name-brands and wealth is a common issue that can get one in trouble. Individuals often witness robbery and criminal acts, and it seems as if nothing changes to stop it. It is as if the community is immune to the situation. Izaias felt obligated to portraying his life as part of Brazil’s lower class, walking around the streets with extra precaution, in contrast to the life he lives in Lowell.

Audio Transcript

Sophe: “Social interactions like people in the community, like when you go to local places, how do they basically treat you in a way?”

Izaias: “So pretty much over there especially where I lived, like most places were pretty violent. My town was pretty violent, it still is today but for example if you go to restaurants people still treat you super nice and it’s not like over here I kind of get the sense that people who work in certain places kind of feel all the like… it feels like since they work there they have to be nice to people. Over there it’s like something you already are you know. You greet someone “Hey buddy, how’s it going?” like even if you don’t know them, but you know it’s just how it is. It’s not like something that you have to make yourself do. It’s something natural you already do. So like people weren’t violent I should say. Like I don’t know if that’s the exact way. I don’t know how else to phrase it, but like you know everyday normal people, working people, everyone was just nice to each other. It’s just how it is. It’s just how cultural it is down there. “

Sophe: “So like you since you said that in Brazil it’s kind of violent. What would you say your general living area would be? Like less violent or to the point where here that in our violent society we’re kind of be more cautious that we care about it more publicly.”

Izaias: “Yeah, over there you have to be very cautious. For example when I go over there, I don’t dress the same way I dress here. I have to dress a little more less flashy and like not wear name things cause that attract attention and that’s how you find yourself in trouble I usually don’t leave the house with my phone because especially busses, tend to get robbed pretty easily. So I tend to like leave all my life important goods at home cause it’s like you don’t know. You could be walking down the street and then someone could come on a motorcycle and just rob you at gunpoint. It’s common there, it’s not you’d be surprised to see. So you just got to be… I’m very careful there compared to here.”

Sophe: “Yeah and it seems like since all that violence and stuff it encourages you to not live that privileged life that you have.”

Izaiaz: “Yeah.”

Many people in the United States believe that immigrants come here just for economic opportunity. During my interview with Rose, a Lowell High School student, I learn about her journey to the United States. Born in Haiti, Rose enjoyed her life on the Caribbean Island. She was forced to move to the United States when she was thirteen because her home was badly damaged by a massive earthquake. This interview allows people to gain access into Rose’s immigration process and the hardships faced by immigrants forced to move to the United States to escape the effects of natural disasters.

Audio Transcript

Thomas: Can you tell me a little about you journey to Lowell?

Rose: What do you mean?

Thomas: More like your journey to the U.S. so like your experience moving from Haiti to moving here. Did you stop in any places before you came to Lowell?

Rose: Ya I stopped in Florida.

Thomas: Where in Florida. Do you know?

Rose: Orlando.

Thomas: Just tell me about those places a little bit like at each place you stopped at and how you liked it.

Rose: In Orlando was in my uncle's house, and because my mom I mean my Uncle’s wife didn't like me so I moved to my own house in Lowell.