Assignment task:
After reading this story reflects on what you learned, how your mindset did not change and why? Note: should be focus on the social capital - community resources.
For my community resource project, I chose to interview my family friend named Ilda who had immigrated to the United States and raised her family here. I used the questions provided and added my own as we went along with. The interview was based on around eight main questions but was conducted more as a conversation. I have always asked her some questions about her moving to the U.S. However, I had never asked her what helped her succeed and adjust to living in the U.S. My first question was to gain basic information to set the scene. I asked: How would you describe your life in Albania? How were the schools? What kind of resources did you have access to?
Ilda is in her late 40s and was born in Albania. She was the 2nd of two children. She described her life in Albania from childhood until adulthood as a good one. At that time, Albania was still a communist country; even though it was a quiet life, she enjoyed all the system's perks and endured all the disadvantages. Her childhood was happy and full of good memories. She shares some moments here of her life and school experience. After finishing school and homework at home, she was allowed to play outside with friends various games such as puzzles, competitions in math or literacy between blocks in the neighborhood, chess, mini concerts, rope game, and many other physical activities until she completed middle school. The limited time the TV program from the system and the lack of internet or other sources made the books the only sources that connected me with the world outside. Of course, not all books were allowed to be read because the system controlled everything. Like every other child in Albania, she was a library member in her neighborhood. Even though the main focus was education, the school system was outdated. There was a lot of mechanical by-heart learning, where the system emphasized individual achievements more than group work or discussions. On the other side, there was respect for teachers, and school was considered an institution for learning, not just for having fun as today. I want to highlight here what she had to say about middle school. In 7th through 8th grade, in the program were Home Economics classes which taught them how to cook, sew, embroider, and make baby clothes. She liked these because it taught her basic skills that she felt were necessary for real life. In her high school, she mentioned that was the time when the communist system fell, and it was a big transition for Albania, which impacted the education system, all the system, and people's life too. Life was not quiet and secure. Ilda noted that during college, she did not have many available courses. Even though she attended the Computer Science program, the laboratories were outdated; she remembers a computer lab was set up but never saw it operational. No internet, no updated books in the library at schools. Her parents bought her a PC when she started college to help her to facilitate school learning.
My next set of questions consisted of finding out why she moved to the U.S., what feelings and emotions came with this decision, and what her expectations were for a new life here. She applied for a green card visa through the U.S. lottery system, and her name was picked up, but still, she and her fiancé at that time had one more semester left to complete college. So, she and her partner came to N.Y. for a few weeks in 2005 and returned to Albania to finish college. She and her partner moved to the U.S. officially in 2006, just after they finished college there. The decision to move to the U.S., specifically the Bronx, was hers. She had family here already, and like many people who moved, she felt like she could start and build a better life here in the U.S. America was a dream for her, and she was so happy that her dream came true and could be fulfilled. Ilda expressed that it was hard to leave her home country and her parents, especially after her brother had moved to the U.S. a few years before her. Her expectations fit mostly with reality here. She was neither enthusiastic nor disappointed with the new life here. She knew and prepared herself it would not be easy to make it.
The next two questions focused on the specific relationships/people that helped her adjust and the type of access she had here that also helped her. Ilda spoke about how once she moved to the United States, she was lucky because of the resources available. Ilda had her brother and sister-in-law, who helped her the way as much as they could. They helped her find an apartment in the same building where they lived on University Avenue near 176th Street in the Bronx; even though it was an area with a bad background history of gang violence, or drug and gun activity, they were happy to have a roof where to stay. Ilda and her partner did not have much money to bring with them. Her brother helped Ilda with money to buy the furniture and to find a job as well. Her brother worked as a waiter, who helped Ilda's husband to work as a waiter part-time at the same restaurant in City. Her sister-in-law also spoke with her previous manager at JCPenney, where she used to work before, and found Ilda a part-time job as a cashier at JCPenney. She looked around the area for another full-time or part-time job to meet living expenses. Ilda remembers that one time was being interviewed by the pharmacy owner, who sent her away and told to return when she "learned how to speak proper English." Working at JCPenney in the Bronx, located close to the Albania community, Ilda had contact with many customers, many of whom were from Albania. One of them was my aunt who told Ilda that her boss was looking for a new employer. A few days after the interview, Ilda was called to start a second part-time job in the bakery store on Arthur Ave in the Bronx. Ilda said that working and being in this area it was another open network opportunities to navigate her new life, to meet and have more connections with Albanians and made many new friends; where she learned how to be applied and got health insurance from the state, she learned about "Vatra" Albanian organization where she and her fiancé started to participate in the events to celebrate the Albanian holidays. She and her husband had to do any job regardless of the degree they brought with them from their home country. After a few years of working hard, she and her husband felt ready to get into college for an advanced degree. Her sister-in-law helped them again to investigate schools and assisted them with FAFSA forms and scholarship applications. Ilda and her partner ended up attending MPA at DeVry University in NYC. Ilda expressed how lucky her husband was to find a full-time job as an I.T. junior in the Insurance Company. After completing his master's degree, one of his clients in the restaurant, where he continued working for five years, told him about open positions in the company where he worked and was the reference name in his application. A few months later, Ilda started a better job as a coordinator in the Early Intervention Program Ameri-Med, after she was told and recommended by one of her new friend she made in the parade celebrating Albanian Independence Day. She believes that she would not have been where she is now without the support of community gave her and her husband.
When I asked about her family values, aspirations, traditions, cultural practices, beliefs, and practical supports that helped sustain her during these times, she spoke about how her parents were hard-working people like many and many Albanians known to be hard workers. She was raised seeing her parents work long hours and take their duties seriously, sacrificing and not giving up, and Ilda stuck to the same approach and brought all the traditions here with her. She said she didn't want to lose any of it. She also took all the family values she learned from her parents, like respecting everyone and ensuring you care for your family and household. Ilda told stories about working any shift they would offer, such as split shifts, holidays, or nights. She also said that she wanted her children to have more opportunities and better futures. When I asked if she regretted moving here, she answered no. Ilda and her husband let a possible return to Albania as a last resort. She said that she always encouraged herself; if other people had made it, then I could too.
After living here and adjusting, she got used to the customs and life here. My favorite words she said were, "Albania will always be my first home," and "U.S. is my second home as an adult."
She has held onto different artifacts, pictures, documents, and souvenirs from her home country and immigration journey, many stand on a shelf. Ilda still keeps her original Albania passport or the picture her brother took of Ilda and her husband the first day they arrived here. Ilda expressed how often she talked to their daughters about their life back home and the life at the beginning when they came to NY. She tries to pass them the same positive values and sculpt a strong identity. "Teaching them all this is the best document of our story."