Wahib Laham
Occupation:
Bilingual Instructional Aide, but I have my Masters in Architecture from UCLA.
Where are you from?
Lebanon
What was it like growing up?
In Lebanon I was a very spoiled person. I had five sisters and I was the only son so I was treated like a king. Everything was good until the civil war started, my dad lost his business and we lost our home. My family sent us to France because they were sending everyone over 16 to the war. Once I got there, I couldn’t communicate with my parents because of the war and the phones split, I sent letters for one year and they just held them at the post office. I thought my parents were dead because they never responded. After the war my parents received 52 letters from me and they knew where I was.
What brought you to Cleveland?
I escaped the war and went to France. I couldn’t find a job or opportunity there. I called a friend in Brooklyn, New York and he told me to come to America. I came in 1978 didn’t speak the language so I got lost at the airport. My wife had family in Cleveland so after 5 years we came here. We thought it was better for family and less expensive. I learned English in 6 months at NYU and then I got my bachelors in architecture and I worked for the city of New York for 6 years. While I was working, I saw an article in New York Times about UCLA and applied for my Masters and was denied entrance. So I moved to LA, stayed one year and applied again and was accepted. I worked there for 3 years and then my mom came to visit me from Lebanon she told me I had to come home. I went home she made me get married so that someone could carry the name and then we came back to Cleveland. I worked for Jacobs company and then did engineering, each time I started the company did layoffs. I then started my own business, then the economy hit and I lost my business. So I was at the eye doctor met someone who told me to apply for CMSD and I became a substitute teacher. After that I became a bilingual teacher.
What were your first thoughts about coming to America? Did those change?
I was first really scared, I didn’t know any English. When I got lost I was in the police car. In order to find my lost baggage, the police had to drive me to a different terminal, so my first day that was my experience. I only had 300 ( three one hundred dollar bills) and I needed a quarter. I thought everything would be easy, easy to make money easy to work. It was not that way. People scared me saying people might rob you they might kill you, but everyone was welcoming.
What challenges did you face as an immigrant transitioning here?
The biggest one was my background, I was worried what my parents would say if I met a girl. It was a challenge because back home kissing a girls hand or cheek was serious, here everyone did it. It made me feel guilty. I was a very religious person. I noticed my religion slowly started slipping away. I had to work so much I didn’t make it to church 3 times a day. Learning English was a challenge and then learning how to drive. I took public transit for so long that once I learned it was extremely hard. I lived in Brooklyn but I had to get to Long Island so I had to purchase a car.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
When I got married and had kids, the relationships were challenges. The cultural differences like dating. The religion, money here controls everything- sometimes people take advantage of you even when you have a good heart. At home you help people without thinking, here they take advantage of you. Not always but sometimes.
How have Clevelanders made you feel welcomed?
Cleveland is a nice place. I was happy when I came here I started to compare living expenses between here and there. I forgot about the cheapness of things here but I did forget about the job market. I found myself to be over qualified and it was a challenge finding work. All this education and experiences.
What do you love about Cleveland?
There is opportunity for everyone here, education no education, poor or rich there are options for you. You can have a nice life with little effort. Clevelanders are also nice people.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Cleveland?
I like to watch nature, I like the fall and spring seasons. I love rivers and the calmness.
Why is it important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
It is very important because every time I greet someone I see them wearing my shoes. I remember myself when I didn’t speak the language and how hard it was to look for a job or something I lost. Besides their religion and who they are I treat everyone very well. I like to show people not to be afraid. It’s very important to the kids.
Why is it important to travel abroad?
Because part of my study is to see different cultures. The more you see the more design ideas you have and you are open to all kinds of minds. When you know the culture you know how to deal with people. Culture is so important and traveling is a good experience, learning new foods and languages, music.
Nicolas
Occupation:
10th grade student at Thomas Jefferson
Where are you from?
Rwanda
What was it like growing up?
It was sometimes easy and sometimes it was hard. It was easy to find food but it wasn’t easy to study. I’m Congolese but born in Rwanda, so the Rwandese treated me different, they believe many Congolese killed Rwandese. It was hard, they didn’t want their children to play with me, people were very mean.
What brought to Cleveland?
I was a refugee and my family was placed in Cleveland. I have been here 8 months.
What were your first thoughts about coming to America? Did those change?
I was thinking things would change for me. I would be able to go to school and find new friends- and that happen. I thought it would be hard for me to speak English, but I learned to speak very well.
What challenges did you face as an immigrant transitioning here?
Finding new friends was hard and to adapt to the climate. Here it’s cold but at home it’s very hot. Finding food and a soccer team was also a challenge. I was use to African food- so coming here and eating American food was different. Everyone eats chicken and I don’t’ like chicken but I do like pizza.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
Every Friday we have someone come to us from Catholic Charities to speak English but at home we speak Swahili and French. I speak five languages. Sometimes my parents cook African foods, we love to eat fish.
How have Clevelanders made you feel welcomed?
People from school and my case manager, everyone who helps us learn what American will be like and help us adjust- make me feel welcome.
What do you love about Cleveland?
I love Cleveland because I get to go to school every day and I can learn and study. Nobody can pick on me for being Congolese and I have freedom of religion.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Cleveland?
Study and play soccer at Lincoln West.
Why is it important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
Because we can help them and allow their children to have a good life and freedom.
Hassan
Occupation:
10th grader at Thomas Jefferson
Where are you from?
Iraq
What was it like growing up?
My life was scary. You couldn’t improve yourself- you were basically just trying to stay alive with all the terrorism and with ISIS there. They blow up everything, you can’t save yourself. You could wake up and go to work and school but it was so dangerous you never knew what would happen next or if you would make it home. It was just a lot of bad things there. The government just steals the money from the people they don’t care that people are hungry.
What brought you to Cleveland?
I was placed in Cleveland with my family 2 years ago. I was in a refugee camp for 1 year before I came here. There were really nice to us there, they were American and they treated us better than the Iraqi army.
What were your first thoughts about coming to America? Did those change?
I thought I would have a good life. My cousin was here and some other family and they talked about America all the time. They always told us the life was hard here but it was good, it was better. When I got here I thought that I was in a movie. In Iraq, all I knew was that it was a great country, and much different from home, I knew I was going to change from the inside, I was just so happy.
What challenges did you face as an immigrant transitioning here?
The culture here is so different. We had freedom but not in culture there, here you have freedom in everything. My religion says you can’t do this and that and we don’t do it. I could only talk to my family, I couldn’t make friends because I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t go to the store, I couldn’t play I suffered inside and just started to make sentences and write them in my notebook. My neighbor helped me practice English. The weather was also different to get used to, back home it’s to dangerously hot things could blow up. Here it gets hot but not all the time. It also gets really cold.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
We practice our religion and we still speak Arabic with my parents, English with my siblings. My parents actually don’t like us to speak English at home, they want us to preserve our culture and speak Arabic at home and English at school.
How have Clevelanders made you feel welcomed?
When the airplane stopped at Cleveland, I had my uncle wait for us to take us home. It seems the security knew we needed help, everyone had on hijabs and he told us welcome to America, and he helped us. He gave us his phone and let us call my uncle so he could find us.
What do you love about Cleveland?
I love Cleveland because most people are not racist. They don’t hate groups of people. Cleveland is my city! I love it here for so many reasons. I never want to move from here. I don’t’ want to have to start a new life again. I know everything in this city now, I know where to go to get to where I need to go, what I need to eat, I know everything.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Cleveland?
I like to go shopping at Macy’s and Target.
Why is it important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
Because you can learn about other cultures. People come here to have a better life and more opportunities.
Why is it important to travel abroad?
Because it’s important to learn new food, new people, new language and new culture. It’s always good to learn new stuff, see how people practice religion in other places.
Bora
Occupation:
9th grade student at Thomas Jefferson
Where are you from?
I was born in Congo but grew up in Zimbabwe. I have been here for 6 months.
What was it like growing up?
It was nice and I liked to go to school, life was good.
What brought you to Cleveland?
I was in the refugee camp for 10 years in Zimbabwe before my family was placed in Cleveland. It was not a good experience; I didn’t like the food and sometimes they would beat for you being late for school. I didn’t like the refugee camp, I was happy to come here.
What were your first thoughts about coming to America? Did those change?
I came here and I was happy, they don’t beat you and the school food is free. I thought the USA would be like Canada, and I thought Cleveland would be like New York - but it was different.
What challenges did you face as an immigrant transitioning here?
Well back home they teach you English so language wasn’t hard for me. The weather was a challenge because I was not use to the cold. The food here is also different from home, American’s do eat foods that we eat in Africa.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
We go to the mosque every day on Detroit road and we speak Swahili at home. I speak two languages.
What do you love about Cleveland?
I love Cleveland because it is good and the school is free. I love that my mom can buy me shoes and clothes. Back home we could only go to the farmers market. I love Cleveland because the school actually teaches you.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Cleveland?
My favorite thing to do here is to swim in the summer.
Why is it important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
Sometimes it’s war and no food in other countries, people come here to get help.
Ahmed
Occupation:
9th grader at Thomas Jefferson
Where are you from?
I was born in Iraq but I grew up in Syria.
What was it like growing up?
Life in Syria was good. You have freedom there, unlike Iraq. There were rules you had to follow, like women have to wear hijab or else you get in trouble. They can’t go outside by themselves always with a man and they have to cover their bodies. I was always willing to break the rules I can’t always control myself.
What brought you to Cleveland?
I came to Cleveland as a refugee with my family. I’ve been here a 1.5 years.
What were your first thoughts about coming to America? Did those change?
I didn’t think it would be like this. I watched a lot of movies so I thought it would be like that, but when I got here it wasn’t. It’s cool but it’s not like the movies. I saw snow for the first time, I always went to school there but school here is different. There are no lights, and the schools are really small.
What challenges did you face as an immigrant transitioning here?
English was hard for me so I was really shy. So once you improved your English. I started asking a lot of questions so I could learn words. The houses, the cars, the traffic everything is different here. People back home don’t follow rules when driving.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
At home we speak in Arabic, but I like to meet people who speak English and Spanish. In summer I lived with an American woman and she really helped me with my English. We still cook and eat Arabic food and we practice our religion. We still observe our religious holidays.
How have Clevelanders made you feel welcomed?
The teachers here make me feel welcome.
What do you love about Cleveland?
I love the people here. Most people here are helpful. The weather, the streets I just love it here.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Cleveland?
I like to play soccer and I like to act, sing, and dance.
Why is it important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
People want to start a new life, they want to start working and make money.
Why is it important to travel abroad?
Because you can see how countries are different, what the rules are. You can see how things are different and how we are the same.
Joanna
Name:
Joanna
Occupation:
9th grade student at Thomas Jefferson
Where are you from?
I’m from Rwanda but I’m Congolese. My parents are Congolese.
What was it like growing up?
It was good but if you are not Rwandese they treat you differently. They will scream and say bad words and call you Congolese. They might event beat you, but I had friends. On January 1st we celebrate the New Year, we walk, sing, dance and just do crazy things to have a good time.
What brought you to Cleveland?
I am a refugee so my family was placed in Cleveland. In Rwanda you pay for school and it’s very expensive, it’s not easy to live there or to get food. It was good but it was a hard life there.
What were your first thoughts about coming to America? Did those change?
I was thinking I would see tall buildings, so when I arrived in Lorain I was surprised. It wasn’t what I thought, I assumed America would have white people only, I didn’t know it would be so diverse. In Africa I didn’t have a phone or computer so I thought I would just be given one here, but that didn’t happen (LOL). I did however find a place after church one day and they gave me an Obama phone. There are just so many differences from Rwanda.
What challenges did you face as an immigrant transitioning here?
When I first started here I was shy, so I only have about three friends. Making friends was hard, if you were in a camp you come here and they stick together, I wasn’t in a camp so they don’t really talk to me. It was also very cold here. The food here was hard to adjust to, I don’t drink milk or cheese.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
We eat foo-foo which is a popular dish in Rwanda. We pray at home every night, we speak our native language at home- we actually speak five different languages at home and we sing.
How have Clevelanders made you feel welcomed?
It makes me happy, my parents are happy and it makes me happy to see them happy. School in Cleveland is free so my parents didn’t have to work too hard just to get me here. My teachers make me feel welcome.
What do you love about Cleveland?
I love the Cavs.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Cleveland?
My favorite thing to do is come to school and sing in church.
Why is it important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
Because they are at war and people die, life is hard in other countries. People just want to be safe and happy.
Why is it important to travel abroad?
Because you get to see the difference between you and others. There are good things and bad things about all places. The more you travel the more you know.
Lian Ngo
Where are you from
I was born in Malaysia
What was it like growing up?
I moved here with my parents when I was a teenager, I lived in NYC for many years.
What brought you to Cleveland?
My wife's relatives owned a business here so we moved here to help. I then decided to own my own restaurant. They run the sushi bars in the grocery stores nationwide, they are probably the 3rd largest in the country. I’m the head chef at the sushi bar.
What were your first thoughts about coming to America? Did those change?
It wasn’t much different, there are a lot of races and free religion. It was a new experience, I came here as a teenager, and things are changing a lot. You have to think ahead to your future. I came here and focused on what my career would be.
What challenges did you face as an immigrant transitioning here?
Language was my biggest challenge it wasn’t my native language. I think that’s the same for most immigrants English is difficult for most. Nothing helped me, I just had to learn it everyday and practice.
What is your occupation?
Chef and owner of Pacific East – I have just opened a new restaurant in Cedar Center a few months ago called Pacific Grill that is a new concept that I hope to take nationwide. I always wanted to start my own business, It's not easy but it’s good to challenge myself.
How have other Clevelanders made you feel welcomed?
Cleveland is a friendly city, they are way more friendly than those who live in NYC.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
I started cooking because of my relatives, this is how we preserve the family business. Going back to early childhood my family had a coffee shop so I helped as a child. I had experience in working in the food business.
English is not my mother’s native language so we speak mandarin at home, my children were born here so they speak in English. They understand both but it’s easier for them it’s their first language. We carry Chinese traditions like new year and different things that my great grandparents celebrated in China, who then moved to Malaysia.
What do you love about Cleveland?
Cleveland is not so big but not too small, it’s a great size. You can find a lot of different food here. There’s so much culture and it’s very international. The cost of living is great, houses are cheap- well more affordable. And good education, all my children are high school students so they are preparing for college.
Why is it so important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
It’s important to help them start their new life. Everybody has the hope of making a better a life. People come here for opportunity.
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Glory Brissett
Where are you from?
Democratic of Republic of Congo
What was it like growing up?
I grew up in Lubumbashi, it’s a small town, beautiful. I came from a royal family, there was a King but the village has its own culture and. My dad’s job moved us to the city Goma and from there I went to school. That’s when the tragedy started with political issues, people were killing each other. You didn’t have any rights, there was nobody there to defend you- there was conflict from town to town. One day in the morning, they came to my house and killed two of my brothers, I remember I was waiting to die. They beat my mother and father to death, they cut me with a machete and beat me. The people who came to take the corpse, took my parents, I was alive but couldn’t talk. I came out of a coma after two months due to the amount of blood I lost. The people who rescued me wanted to rape me. They kept me and raped me for 3 months. The only way I survived was God. The lady who cooked for those men, offered to help me if I gave her my dad’s land. I signed the paper, she told me if I left during the day I would die. She said if you leave at night you need to know where to go. She told me I had to wait in the toilet (which was 2 miles deep in the dirt). Everyone who came to use the bathroom used it on me. I hung in there for 9 hours, she came back to pull me out. I couldn’t even walk she rolled me and told me I had to go. I crawled all night, I spent 3 days in the forest. There was a river I washed my body, and I ate grass. I walked three days and made it two a safer place in Rwanda. I stayed there 2 months. I couldn’t sleep I just knew those people would come after me. I ended up at the UNCR and they flew me to Cameroon. When I got there I became a refugee for 4 years.
What brought you to Cleveland?
I got married in Cameroon and we resettled in Philadelphia in 2008. After Philly we were looking for a new place and moved to Atlanta, everything was good I started my life over. I was feeling ashamed, because of the things that had happened to me. After two years my husband died of cancer. After that tragedy I asked God why me and moved to small city in Michigan. After 6 months I find out I have cancer too. Through all of this I never lose hope. The doctors do a lot of surgeries and they make me sign a lot of paperwork. When I came to get my final results I entered a room full of doctors to tell me I was cancer free. One day I woke up and googled Cleveland and came here.
What were your first thoughts about coming to America? Did those change?
I thought I was coming to paradise. I thought it would be a beautiful place and a place where I would have peace of mind after alI I had been through. Now I feel strong, and I feel powerful. This country gave my hope and gave my life again. I can smile.
What challenges did you face as an immigrant transitioning here?
Language was huge. I didn’t speak so I couldn’t communicate. I had to teach myself. I went to the pharmacy one day and they asked for my daughter’s birthday I didn’t understand. I felt stupid. But I speak 9 languages, and yet I taught myself English. My children grew up speaking English, watching tv, going to school- it was their environment. I’m still learning English today but now I can help everyone.
What is your occupation?
I have been an interpreter for 1 year, and last month I was hired as a case manager at Catholic Charities.
How have other Clevelanders made you feel welcomed?
Cleveland is beautiful. The most important was the way God showed me to come here and this was my blessing place.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
I never changed. I am an African woman, my tradition and my culture I respect it.
What do you love about Cleveland?
I love the way that my kids love the weather. It’s not too hot and it gets cold. I love that life is good and cheap here. Jobs are here. I’m not a picky person so if I can put food in my children I am good.
Why is it so important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
That is a huge question. For me to welcome immigrants and refugees is a good because I know what they are passing through. I know how they feel and what they grieve, I know what they come from. No matter where you come from, we all pass through the same situations when you flee from your home. When you have to go somewhere else It will never be home but you will create it as your home. Not only with money or with people, you have to feel it for yourself. When we welcome them we give them hope. The beginning is always hard but you tell them tomorrow is better when you have purpose and your dream.
Diavee Chowdhury
What is your hometown?
Dhaka, Bangladesh
What are some unique experiences or memories for you, growing up?
One of the fondest memories is when I was selected to represent my high school in a Model United Nations conference in Delhi, India. It was my first time interacting with students from a different country, and being in a completely different environment for two weeks was an amazing developmental experience for me. I felt something very similar to that in my first few weeks in the US, and I've never looked back.
What brought you to Cleveland?
I came to Cleveland as part of the Summer on the Cuyahoga program, after being offered an internship at a tech startup called BoxCast.
What were your first thoughts about coming to the US? Did those change?
I grew up consuming American media in the form of American TV, American music, etc. so I was incredibly excited to come to the US for the first time and experience that culture first hand. I can happily say that I was welcomed into this wonderful country with open arms by not only the Colgate community, but by every part of America that I've travelled to in my short time here.
How have people that you’ve met made you feel welcomed?
Within my first week in America, I met a lovely couple who helped me move in, drove me to a shopping mall to get school supplies, and made me a home cooked meal. It's a relationship that has endured to this day, and they still pick me up and drop me off at the airport in Syracuse (an hour and a half away from Hamilton) because that's just the kind of people they are. This is just one of many examples of people making me feel like this is a home away from home.
Are there any traditions or customs that you continue to practice?
I love cooking, and cooking Bengali food is something I do daily.
What do you love about Ohio?
I love how open everyone is about trying to help. I reached out to people needing help for various things and I was met with a positive response every single time. The people I met in Cleveland have been amazing, and I can't wait to go back.
Why is it so important to welcome international newcomers?
It's important because having a home away from home is an essential part of finding happiness in foreign environment. I know that I wouldn't have been nearly as successful academically or professionally if it wasn't for how I was welcomed here.
Cigdem Slankard
Where are you from?
I am from Turkey. I was born and raised in Turkey, but I come from a Crimean Tatar family who arrived in Turkey as refugees in the 1940s.
What was it like growing up?
I had a good childhood. I was fortunate to receive a good education, which allowed me to grow my world in every sense of the word. I lived in big cities, such as Ankara and Istanbul when I lived in Turkey. So I had never lived in a house with a yard until I came to the US.
What brought you to Cleveland?
My husband accepted a job at Cleveland State University and we relocated to Cleveland from Huntington, WV.
What were your first thoughts about coming to America? Did those change?
I first came to the US as a graduate student. I've always been interested in American culture. In fact, I minored in American Studies during my undergraduate study. The value of personal freedom in American culture has always attracted me. I came here to pursue a creative career and I was fortunate enough to succeed. I have lived here for the past seventeen years, a period of time during which I built my career and my family. I often say I was raised in Turkey, but I became an adult in the United States.
What challenges did you face as an immigrant transitioning here?
Bureaucracy and paperwork are not my strengths. The biggest challenge for me was to navigate the system and to make sure that I was doing what I needed to do.
What is your occupation?
I am a college professor. I teach Film, Television and Interactive Media production at Cleveland State University.
How have other Clevelanders made you feel welcomed?
Cleveland is a wonderful community. We were fortunate enough to find so many different friends in the past eight years. My identity as a mother and an artist has allowed to meet so many others.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
Turkish food, literature, music are a part of our family life. We visit Turkey often, and also celebrate some of the Turkish holidays.
What do you love about Cleveland?
I love Cleveland's diversity, both in terms of its population and lifestyle. All the cultural institutions, educational opportunities, a rich cultural heritage and access to beautiful parks are things I appreciate. I am grateful to Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Public Library and the Metroparks every time I visit their sites.
Why is it so important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
Our communities get stronger and more interesting with diversity. Immigrants and refugees contribute to their communities by bringing different perspectives and culture among other things.
Why is it important to travel abroad?
The world is so much bigger than us. There is so much to to see, so much to learn. Traveling abroad allows us to not be limited by our own borders.
