Radio Piece - Interview Script
You never stop learning, this is true for me at least. I thought I knew all there was to know about my mother, but little did I know. She’s lived and endured through so much before I was brought into this world. Leaving her family behind in Sudan and immigrating to the U.S. Learning a new language, culture and a way of life that was so foreign to her she was confused when other people referred to her as so. When I asked her how this great change affected her she replied with, “At first I was very scared, I knew nothing of American culture, all the things I’ve heard made me scared. But I had to come, I hated leaving my father, me and him were so close. I still miss that the most.” I didn’t realize how much living here made her long for Sudan and her family. I never really stopped to think about how she felt, being thrust into a world you’re an alien in. It must have been really hard for, and I often take that for granted. I asked her if she ever regrets moving to America she said “I don’t think I regret it. But I would have done some things differently, like visit family more often and be more connected with them. It’s good to be with your family always, but I made a new family here, so I could never regret that.” I could only imagine how she felt, I see my mother and father and siblings everyday, and could never fathom life without them by my side. But coming to America also came with its benefits, “If I stayed in Sudan, I wouldn’t be working or able to drive. I probably would get my Bachelors, get married and never go back to school or look for work. Many of my cousins and sister are in this state, I am grateful to be give an opportunity to test my limits and go to school.” Even though it was hard, coming to the States allowed my mom to explore and have control of her own future.
This is just one of the many challenges she’s faced, but one of the hardest she said was learning to adjust to American lifestyle, “Everything was so different. In Sudan it’s normal for you doors to be wide open throughout the day. It’s normal for your front doors to be open and your neighbor can walk in for tea or lunch at any time. It was not like that at all here. There the whole village was family, even if you weren’t related. Here, everyone is strangers.” I can definitely see the difference in the way people interact with each other in America versus Sudan. “It was also hard at work too, some clients would call my boss and as for a different special instructor to work with their children. It was because of my accent, and hijab. I looked different than them and they were scared. When it happened at first, I was shocked. I got my Bachelors in Psychology and Masters in Education, just as qualified as any of my co-workers, nothing sets me apart from them. But people’s fear controls them more than their sense of morality.” I didn’t fully conceptualize the life of an immigrant until now. My mother had to endure so much pain and hardships to give me a better life and more opportunities, and for that I am forever grateful. This just goes to show that immigrants are more than the job-stealing bunch America defines them as, they are hard-working people who want to simply live better.