Melissa Villalba

Prof. Christianson

EDU - 280

April, 5 2015

Immigration Interview Artifact #2

I had the pleasure of interviewing Arjun Randhawa who is of East Indian ethnicity. He

had moved to America in his teen years and his family was hoping, as most immigrants do, to

flourish in a supposed land of prosperity. Arjun was very delighted to answer my questions. We

phoned our interview and he is my old co-worker. I remember he was telling bits of an

immigration story while we worked together. I like how diverse Las Vegas is, people from all

over the world find this place to be home to them.

What is the immigration process and experiences you have coming to America? I

began the interview. Like all persons who move from one socioeconomic structure to another

Arjun had an interesting story to tell. East India he started off, is a very great place and I

love it there, because most of my family is there. My mother, father and myself all came to this

new place together and my sister was born a year after we settled. We are from Odisha, East

India and our first destination was Las Vegas Nevada. I can still thankfully speak my native

language of Hindi. We speak English in India very little, but it was an easier transition to an

American school knowing the language. He said his parents forced him to learn English

throughout his childhood and it definitely paid off when adjusting to the states.
 I asked another question. Explain the Visa process, cost, time and challenges? Also what

was the reason for immigration? He then said To become a citizen was very expensive and

time consuming. My parents came to America on an employment based visa and I only

remember them complaining of how exhausting this was process was and must be for most

people. It took my parents about year, but I do not remember in detail about the challenges they

faced.

I asked Arjun What were your challenges and expectations when you first came to

America twelve years ago? He said; I really did not know what to expect in terms of challenges

in America, I am a Hindu and there are not that many Hindus in America or so I have read, so I

mainly just had problems with differences, people staring and looked at us for the way we were

dress. One time group of young adults called me a towel head, they were very rude on the flight

here. I thought people would accept us. In my country we accept the diversity and to not get the

same here was first very awkward and unwelcoming. I thought this situation was similar to the

Muslim cultural and religious tradition from chapter five page. Because many Arabs are

Muslims their dress and traditions are misunderstood. People sometimes stereotype men with a

Galibiya or body length robe, and women wear a Hijab or a scarf to cover their head as they are

religious fundamentalists. (Manning pg.105)

What was most difficult? I asked. My family has slowly adjusted to the American

culture. This was overwhelming at times more when I was younger. I was just thankful to know

basics in English to get by the first couple rough school years. School was only difficult at first,

because I had trouble understanding the curriculum and I felt my education American teachers

always went at a fast paced. Throughout the text book language is a common barrier for

immigrants when attending American schools. It is our jobs as educators to help Make school
expectations clear to both students and parents (Manning pg. 133). I was involved in ESL

classroom which helped my grammar, however I still had tough time with understanding

homework assignments and my parents we not much help. ESL students are very common now

and many schools have this program available to students like Arjun. An ESL program is

structured language instruction designed to teach English to students whose English-language

skills are limited.(Manning pg. 254). He continued My parents insisted on my college

education since the day I was old enough. I have not yet decided to fulfill my education but I am

making plans. Similar to the Arab American Culture and many others, parents have a tendency

to push their kids to do better anyhow. The text book states Most important Arab Americans

invest in their children through education, which is seen as a social asset and religious duty

necessary for the survival of both individuals and groups. (Manning pg.109).

What do you like about life in the U.S? I get to appreciate my culture and my birth place

a lot more than I did when living in East India and maybe because I am older now to do so. He

expressed he likes the job opportunities in Las Vegas as well I understand why my family made

the decisions they did. Our needs are met and my only struggles living here were my early years

of school.