16.+African+refugees

African Refugees Anna Crutcher, Nick Ireland, Katie McPherson, and Bradley Currie Why they Came to America -Like most other immigrants from other countries, the African Refugees came to America because they wanted to find a better life for themselves and for their family in the glorious country of the United States. They were escaping poverty in their homelands that was getting continuously worse. They were also coming for better education from themselves and family because the education offered in Africa was not as strong. In some African countries, war and oppression were forcing people to leave their fellow homeland to find a peaceful lifestyle. Freedom and rights in America were attracting the refugees to come from all different areas of Africa. Unjust governments, dictators, and persecution have also forced Africans to move. What They Experienced When They Got Here -They were amazed and glad to be on the greatest country in the world. They were shocked that they were finally here after the long flights on the way over. They found plenty of jobs that were low pay and minumim wage. They could also support families a lot easier. They also found lots of discrimination among them. Learning the new language was hard and many had accents that were hard to understand. They didn't have a special class to take to learn it either, but they had to learn from their fellow workers. Their bosses put them in the lowest paid position and on their way here on the ships, and they were still treated poorly. American Reaction to their Presence -Most felt accepted because of their ability to speak English, well, not as good. Some of the Americans were not as welcoming and were rude to them on how they spoke and other things that were common on where they came from. Most Americans felt that they deserved low paying jobs like fast food restraunts and house cleaners, and so that is where most of the Africans ended up. They made it very hard from them to increase their pay, and they were very hard on them when it came to their job. The Immigrants Themselves Today we will talk about the experiences the Africans had when they moved here. We will be interviewing two from Ethiopia, one of the most poverty stricken nations in all of Africa, one from Nigeria, and another from the Djibouti tribe. They all interviewed with immigration officers and their interviews were put on the Library of Congress website. Primary Sources  “Erin G interviews Gill M, Djibouti.” //Library of Congress//. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2011 .-Online Database  “Leni D interviews Muili T, Nigeria.” //Library of Congress//. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2011 .- Online Database “Mekdes A interviews Tsdeku A, Ethiopia.” //Library of Congress//. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. - Online Database “Rahiel M interviews Samoyl M, Ethiopia.” //Library of Congress//. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. - Online Database Secondary Sources (Picture Sources) <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">“Ethiopia.” //Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia// 9 Sept. 2011: n. pag. //Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia//. Web. 20 Sept. 2011.-Picture

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">//Flag of Djibouti.// N.d. //Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest.// N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2011. <http://quest.eb.com/‌media/‌image.htm?mediaId=309_365435>.-Picture

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Boxce, Wesley. //Rwandan Refugees//. 1994. JPEG file. - Picture

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">- - -. //Rwandan Refugees 2//. 8 Aug. 1994. JPEG file. - Picture

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Kanus, Hubertus. //Himba Tribe//. N.d. JPEG file. - Picture

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">“Subway.” //Auxiliary Services//: n. pag. //Auxiliary Services//. Web. 20 Sept. 2011. - Picture

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">//Travel Through Africa//. N.d. //United in Faith 4 Jesus//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2011. <http://unitedinfaith4jesus.tripod.com/‌id16.html>. - Picture

<span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: left;">//War Torn Woman//. N.d. JPEG file. Picture <span style="color: #000080; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: left;">“The Painful Tradition of Nigerian Politics.” //FinancialRed.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2011 Picture “Is English Hard to Learn?” //How to Learn English//: n. pag. //How to Learn English//. Web. 20 Sept. 2011. - Picture Here is a link to our script so that you can follow along http://www.typewith.me/QyCjUIkBsX <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 200%;">Props <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 200%;">Broom, Subway sign, Burger King Sign, Little American Flag <span style="color: #274af1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">__Script__ <span style="color: #274af1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;"> Anna-Samoyl  <span style="color: #274af1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">Nick-Tsdeku  <span style="color: #274af1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">Bradley-Muili  <span style="color: #274af1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">Katie-Gil <span style="color: #274af1; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">All: We are the African refugees, and these are our stories.

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Anna: When I was 33 years old, I came to the United States. I came from Bahra Dar, Ethiopia, because I wanted a better life for myself and my daughter and wanted her to learn English. Many people thought I came because I was poor, but I wasn't. My father and mother were rich there and had a good life. I came over on a airplane with my wife and my three-year-old daughter, and we went straight to Minnesota. There it was kind of difficult for us because our English wasn't very good. We began to learn more about the English language by listening to the others when we went to work. There was a Community Education class that was offered that my wife took for a few years, but soon stopped because we didn't have enough time. I now work at a Subway resturant, and plan on working here for couple years even though I still eat my Ethiopian foods. Along with that, I still celebrate Ethiopian holidays and speak my native language called Amharic. I would like to become a US citizen, but also would like to return to Ethiopia to start a coffee shop then return back to Minnesota. My name is Samoyl, and this is my story.

<span style="color: #0015ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> Nick: I was born in the small Ethiopian city of Qarse in 1975. I graduated from high school before I came to the U.S. I came when I was 22 years old. It was easy for me get in because my father already lived here. I came with my younger brother. We lived with my father for a year and then we rented our own apartment for four years. When I first got here I didn't know how to speak English. I took something called the ELL for five agonizing months. I am glad that I took it because now I can understand the English language. I was a housekeeper at a casino for a year. I earned $8.00 an hour and worked 9 hours a day. So if I do my math right I get $66.00 dollars a day, is that right? Anyway, I am now working at the United Children's Hospital earning $13.00 an hour. I recently brought my two sisters and other brother over to Minnesota. I really want to go to college so I can support a family and continue my education. I was engaged in 2004 and will get married in 2006. Even though I live in America I still celebrate my Ethiopian heritage everyday. My nam is Tsdeku and I became a U.S. citizen in May of 2005.

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Bradley: I came to America filled with dreams of a better life for my family. I left Nigeria and entered America through New York. My first year in my new home I lived with my nephew. I then moved to Washington D.C. This new life of mine turned out to be great. My willingness to work hard and my responsibility with money management helped me to t support my family. Much of my life continues as it did when i lived in Nigeria. I eat the same food, celebrate holidays, and religious and cultural customs as my family did in Nigeria. I miss Nigeria because it was more relaxing as when America is all about work, work, work. The good, free pulic education has made it easy for me to send my children to school. I know my children will have a better life in America than they could have had in Nigeria. I enjoy my life here and I thank those who helped me get here. My name is Muili T. and i became a naturalized citizen on August 13, 2002.

<span style="color: #0015ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Katie: I was 19 years old when I moved to America from Djibouti in 2006. I moved with my daughter, Asia, when she was one. I came to America to give my daughter the oppurtunity to live a different lifestyle. We came to America to live with freedoms and rights. We traveled by ship. We were kicked off of many ships. I was beat for boarding one of the ships. The man who caught me said that "colored" people didn't belong on the ship. When we arrived in America, I called my mother. She had been living in America for three years already. She was so surprised to hear that we were hear. We moved to Denver, Colorado to be with her. I found a job at Burger King soon after moving to Denver. It was an advantage for me that I already know English and can speak it well. I love the money I am making for my daughter and myself. I am so satisfied with my experience here that I never want to go back to Djibouti. My name is Gil and this is my story.

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__Clothes__ <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Katie- colorful vest <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Anna- African vest <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Bradley- short sleeved button down <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Nick- short sleeved button down