Interview with Winta Rose
“America is seen as the ultimate goal”
For this project, I was able to interview Winta Rose about her and also her families collective experience immigrating to the United States. The stories of hardship, determination, hope and fear are all laced into this story that unfolds with this interview. Winta was able to share what pushed her family to leave their home country and move to the new land that is America. This place that is called the “melting pot” where the streets are golden and there are opportunities fresh for the picking. The reality and hardship of what it is truly like to move to the US is evident in the candid words spoken by this young women. We are able to see the human behind the statistics that are usually posted on social media. Giving voices and showing the faces to those that are either not heard or seen. Through this interview, we are able to see the push and pull factors, processes, and also how immigrants integrate and receive membership in the United States.
Winta Habtab is a 27 year old, Ethiopian born, Eritrean woman who currently resides in Seoul, South Korea teaching english. She is the youngest of ten children and carries an child like spirit as you speak and interact with her. She was born in and lived in Ethiopia for the first five years of her life. Ethiopia is a country that is found in on the horn of East Africa. Her parents and the five youngest siblings migrated to Eritrea, her parent’s home country, which is right above Ethiopia when she was five years, to stay there until they finally moved to the US at the age of eleven.
In the theories of migration, migrants experience factors that push them to leave their home countries and also things that push them to migrate to a certain country. Through a cost benefit analysis, individual actors are able to calculate and decide on movement and if the benefit will out weight the cost. There were several factors that “pushed” her family to migrate to a different place or costs they experienced in Eritrea. One of these reasons were that people in Eritrea, were experiencing religious persecution by the government if they practiced Christianity through the Church of Pentecostals. Winta had a specific memory of this persecution that was very vivid, she says. At a church meeting that her family was attending, ““there were some soldiers that came busting into the door and taking the pastor in front of all of us, children, adults, everyone was there.”. After this event, the family was forced to leave the home after watching their own pastors be arrested right in front of their eyes. The confusion of this moment clouded Winta’s mind at the young age. The curiosity caused her to ask her parents why something like this would happen or why she was not meant to tell others that she is Pentecostal. She expressed that in her culture, the parents are meant to protect them to knowledge like this so that they are able to maintain the innocence of their children. Until, “I was, I was in sat down by my parents and told that, um well, if anyone asks, you can’t say that you were Pentecostal, because and I said, Why? And so they said, because the government doesn’t want people to be in the Pentecostals.”. The shock set in, of the moment of realizing that your faith is something that could be detrimental to you and your family.
“And I just remember being, um, confused as to how a government can decide what your relationship with God is. And because I grew up learning that your relationship with God is your relationship with God. So it just to me was crazy that a government can intrude in than that. But it slowly started to become a norm, it started slowly start to become just a thing that is normal.”
This moment where a child with a view on the world that was so innocent but then coming to a realization that the world doesn’t operate in this way. This became a norm for Winta and her family, as she said in the statement above. The desire for religious freedom is one fo the main reasons that her family desires to leave their country.
The second push factor was for opportunities for the children in the family. Her father saw potential in the children because they received good grades in school. There was a level of success that he desired for his children, that he did not see as achievable in the place that they were. Winta mentions that in her country, once someone graduates high school then they are meant to complete a mandatory military service. “So there’s not really a future. Um, so he wanted us to flourish, and he thought it would be best to take us to a place of opportunity. “. So, Eritrea wasn’t seen as a place of opportunity and due to this they began to search of where to go.
Why America? What pulled her family to leave the only place they have known to go to the United States? Through, the network immigrants go to places that immigrants have already gone. This process is self feeding process. The fact that migration is a social process is seen through her families decision to go to America. Winta’s older siblings had migrated to the US since they were all older and seeked economic opportunity. They would tell her parents, “they were telling my parents about how much of freedom there is, and how great this country is for opportunity and all that stuff.”. Since past migration encourages present migration, her parents were able to decide to move to the US. The benefit was that they would have freedoms afforded to them and their children that they did not have in their current country and also they would opportunity to advance and succeed.
Although, this decision was something that her family desired. They faced challenges in the process to acquire exit Visa into the US. It becomes evident that not just anyone can leave the country to go the US without resources and also sheer luck as she put it. The migration network is also influenced by familial ties. You are much more likely to be able to come to the US, if your family that is here on a legal status is applying for you to come. In the process of applying for this exit VIsa, her father becomes ill and the medical care he received is not enough. In pursuit of better health care, he is able to leave to the US where Winta’s three older sisters live and receive health care. This was the thing, that she expressed, that expedited their families process to migrating.
Some of the challenges that her mother and siblings now faced was that this process required lots of money, time, and needed prior connections to family that was already present in the site you desired to go. Her family’s sole income was now being provided by her older sisters and they were also sending money to expedite the process. Winta expressed that, “And it also costs a lot of money.”. There was also the rarity of getting an exit visa from Eritrea to the United States. This further proved migration being a social process. Not only is it a social process but also a political act that involves the sending country and also the receiving country. Eritrea required proof that she had family in the United States and also a legitimate reason for leaving so that the government knew that you weren’t trying to evade military service. Due to her father’s condition and the connection and network of her sibling and the resources that they were receiving, they were able to pursue this process. .
“And so I think when my dad went to America, is when the process I would say, like we can from just a thought and like a plan to like a set in stone like we’re doing this, you know, um and it took from that moment, it took four years of process until we get to America.”
This process was not out of a lack of consequences, cost or time. Their family just realized that the cost of this would not outweigh the benefits. It took them four years after her father went to the US for them to receive the go. Once they received their exit visa, they were able to leave the country within two weeks. Another cost that she faces was the fact that she was leaving her grandparents, her cousins, and all of her neighborhood friends. She explained this moment as bitter sweet, and that as many tears were shed, it was also filled with joy and laughter.
Language barrier is one of the largest challenges that immigrants face as they integrate into the receiving country. This is a challenge they faced as soon as they left the Eritrean Airport and landed in Germany for their layover. The integration process starts as soon as migrants are on the move. As they stepped foot on American soil for the first time, she was surprised that it was not how she imagined or even how it was portrayed in the movies and tv shows. There were not white picket fences and children riding on their bikes. Winta and her family were able to leave their country and be received by her sister and father when they arrived in the United States.They received a social security card and a green card and were there under permanent residency status.
There were resources that her family found as they integrated into this new culture that proved to be helpful. Her family was stepping into a network and community that had already been formed over time. There were groups of Ethiopian and Eritreans and immigrants of other countries that had already set roots in the Washington DC area which is were they were received. There were Eritrean churches, family friends, stores that housed food that was familiar to them, and also ESOL classes that her and her siblings took to learn the language. As they entered school, Winta has a vivid memory of a person that she holds dear to this day and she credits this person for being an integral part in her learning English and getting accustomed to her surroundings. This person was her ESOL teacher. Her interactions with this teacher is what led her to pursue a career in teaching students in other countries English. She also learned english through assimilating and surrounding herself with non immigrants so that she would be able to grasp the language easier.
The experience of going to church for the first time is when she realized why they really had migrated to the US.
“I was literally just looking at people worshipping freely. And I’m like, wow, this is what it’s like, you know? Um, so I guess that’s when it hit me. Oh, this is why we moved. And this is the reason we moved, you know, this is one of the reasons we moved.”
When they were able to go to an Eritrean church, she was so shocked that it felt surreal. The promises of religious freedom did not impact her until the moment where she was witnessing people worshiping and praying freely and without fear. The innocence that was once stolen from her in some ways seemed to be falling back. Allowing this young girl to realize that she was free to worship and free to belief what she desired to believe. This was why her family uprooted their lives.
In terms of membership, this seemed to be some of the most challenging moments for Winta. Migration is a political act so to be naturalized, and to be a citizen, she either had to get it through one of her parents before she turned eighteen or be a resident for 5 plus years and apply herself. Since, her father did not get his citizenship until she was already eighteen, she then had to choose for herself.
“But um I also later on when I was, as I was growing older learned that like there is dual citizenships and all these things but Eritrea or Ethiopia don’t participate in the dual citizenship with the US. So, if we were to become a US citizen, then we had to pretty much deny our citizenship in um both those countries. So, it-it took me a while to have to decide um what I wanted to do. “
There was a struggle of if becoming a US citizen meant that should would have to deny or denounce her Eritrean identity. Winta made this decision in college when she was battling with what she wanted to do with her life. How did her interaction with this institution lead her to decide that getting a citizenship in the US outweighed the costs that were present? What did that mena for her connection to the “old country”? Well, the decision came when she realized that hse desired to travel and work in countries to teach English. In order to do this without the hassle of being a permanent resident, she would need an American passport. This was the key to unlock the dreams she desired.
The ways that she was interacting with institution like work, travel, perceptions by other countries changed due to her citizenship statues. When applying for teaching english in Korea, she expressed that if she did not have it she wouldn’t even have been able to apply. There are systematic and institutional benefits not only in the United States but also in the eyes of other countries. She was able to get the job that she desired and move to a different country because of this status.
Finally, as we concluded this interview she was able to express the roses and thorns of living in the US as an immigrant.
“So I think that, I guess the roses, would be just having freedom again like I still to this day remember the shocking moments of seeing people worshiping freely you know. Um, and seeing people choose to go to the army and not have to go to the army and choose to just do something else you know if they want to with their lives after high school. So, seeing that and um as an adult now, knowing that um I have those opportunities and not only that but I can like I can also bring my child into this country where my child, he or she, will also have that opportunity.”
Further expressed, that the sacrifices that her parents made were things that she and her children would not have to face. That they would be afforded privileges and opportunities at the cost that her parent went through as pioneers. This continued to show the experience of 1.5 and second generation children. While the thorns that she expressed was that as an immigrant there is always a sense of being other. That she was seen as some exotic person which made her feel as she was so different that this is how they categorized her. This sense of other and not fitting in is common to the experience of children of immigrants. This was the concluding statement of this interview leaving the listener with a sense of introspection.
The methods for this interview included setting up a time that worked for both of us because she lives in South Korea. We had to make sure that it was a time that she was not at work and also that since the time difference was 14 hours it was difficult at times. The interview was done over zoom and that went pretty smooth because she is used to the features on it.
Yordanos Tewolde 0:00
Hello, welcome to this interview. Um, so I just want you to tell us a little bit about yourself. Um just questions like, how old are you? Or where are you currently residing, and any additional info that you want to add to help us get to know you?
Winta Rose 0:22
Okay. Hello. Hi. So um I’m Winta, and I was born in Ethiopia in 1993. So I’m 27 years old now. I’m, I lived in Ethiopia until I was five. And then my family and I moved to Eritrea, when I was five. I lived there for another five years. So around 11 is when I moved to the United States. And I attended middle school, high school and college in United States. Currently, I am a college graduate working in South Korea. So that’s where I’m residing.
Yordanos Tewolde 1:02
Um, so can you tell us a little bit about where you grew up and your family? And yeah.
Winta Rose 1:10
So, I guess I would say I grew up with a little bit of ,a little bit in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the US. But most of what I remember is in Eritrea, and in America, um because I was in Eritrea since I was five to 11. Um and then I live in America, since I was 11, until two years ago, but um I am the youngest of 10 children. So um my parents had 10 kids, eight girls, two boys. And during us migrating to all the different places, my parents only had the younger kids. So it was only the youngest five, because by that time, the oldest five were already old enough to go out on their own and do their own migration. So yeah, I grew up with the younger siblings, and my parents, and we migrated together.
Yordanos Tewolde 2:19
What was your relationship like with? Uh Like your place of birth? So Ethiopia? What was, do you have, like a fond memory of?
Winta Rose 2:29
Um, so yeah, I mean, I don’t know if it’s because I remember or because of the pictures, but I would like to claim that I remember that, um. It was a really cool place, because that was also where, um, all my siblings got together. Um, all 10 of us were together, um a lot in Ethiopia. And that never really happened after, because we all just went in our own different ways. But I also, um, think that I remember from my childhood in Ethiopia, because I went back into the 2016. Um, on a missions trip with the univer–my university. So I was able to see my birthplace, I was able to see the house that I grew up in um. And looking back, I just thought it was a really fun and magical place. Even though that’s not the reality, but from a child’s perspective, when they’re surrounded with family at all times, and it’s all happy and party is what you would think. Yeah.
Yordanos Tewolde 3:40
Um, so moving on to your transition into US. Um, so why did your family and you decide to leave your home country?
Winta Rose 3:56
So, when we left, we left Eritrea to go to the US and living in Eritrea, although we are Eritreans, um there were many things that my parents didn’t like per say, especially for the future of their children. Um, One of them being, um, freedom of religion, and we are, we were Pentecostals, we still are Pentecostals. Pentecostalism is illegal in Eritrea, and um, the church of Pentecostals were shut down and the pastors were arrested and after that, if you were caught, or you know, worshipping or praying as a Pentecostal, or holding the Pentecostal Bible, um or even having a Bible study, um you are to be arrested as well. And that was one of the reasons, um another reason being, opportunity for education and after education. Just jobs and things like that I, um my parents, especially my father saw potential in all five of us that were living with him. At that time, he saw that we were doing really well in school. But in Eritrea, once you’re done with school, you have to serve in the military. So there’s not really a future. Um, so he wanted us to flourish, and he thought it would be best to take us to a place of opportunity. And those are the two main reasons I’m sure there are a lot of other reasons too. But those are to main reason.
Yordanos Tewolde 5:38
As a child experiencing this, I guess, religious persecution, um that you and your family were experiencing? Do you remember feeling fear? Or do you feel like you weren’t as aware of what was happening? or What was your experience of that?
Winta Rose 5:56
So as far as the religion persecution, I was eight, I believe, eight or nine. And I remember, it was a Sunday that we went to church, as we normally do. And I was standing um in the same corner that I would usually stand at church. And there were some soldiers that came busting into the door and taking the pastor in front of all of us, children, adults, everyone was there. And we were told to spread out go home. And that was the first confusing aspect of what was happening. And that was, it was just a lot of questions, um that I wanted to ask. But culturally, adults aren’t supposed to tell their kids and things that are happening. And detail they just see you as a kid, you need to be a kid, you don’t need to worry about, uh adult things. And so, um, I just had questions, and I was just asking and asking, but after weeks and weeks of hearing all these pastors from other churches were also getting arrested. I was, I was in sat down by my parents and told that, um well, if anyone asks, you can’t say that you were Pentecostal, because and I said, Why? And so they said, because the government doesn’t want people to be in the Pentecostals. And so that’s when it all starts to make sense. And I just say, I just remember being really shocked. And I just remember being, um, confused as to how a government can decide what your relationship with God is. And because I grew up learning that your relationship with God is your relationship with God. So it just to me was crazy that a government can intrude in than that. But it slowly started to become a norm, it started slowly start to become just a thing that is normal.
Yordanos Tewolde 7:59
When did you your–you and your family? When did you go from a thought of like, uh we want to get out of this place, or we want to leave for better opportunity or um freedoms to an-an actual plan? Or do you remember the period where your parents may have told you we’re actually leaving or?
Winta Rose 8:26
So um, I think as soon as we moved from the very beginning, when we moved to Eritrea, it was nice, because we are Eritreans, my grandparents lived in Eritrea, so it was nice to have some time together and just live in our country. But, um, by that time, my older siblings were already some of them were in Italy, and somewhere were in America, and they were telling my parents about how much of freedom there is, and how great this country is for opportunity and all that stuff. So, um, I think, from the very beginning, my parents just knew that this wasn’t what they wanted for their younger children. I think they wanted to reunite their younger children with their older children at a better place. But I think the two things that were, um I guess hindering us from making it an actual plan was first, they wanted us to have as much time with our grandparents before we could leave the country. Um which worked out nice because by the time we were able to leave, I would say we’ve spent years with our grandparents. But the second reason was not being able to get visa, which exit visa from Ethiopia or from Eritrea to America is very rare. It’s you don’t just get it, especially if you have older kids that need to serve in the military. They see it as if you’re trying to escape them from using, um, serving in the military. And the younger ones, if you have younger kids, it’s just a lot more complicated, you have to show that, like, you have family there, you have to show that the reason that you’re taking them is not so they can miss military, but for, you know, a legitimate reason. Um, and so you just kind of have to get lucky. And it also costs a lot of money. So, um, I guess, to answer your question, the plan was, always there, it was a matter of when, and uh when we get the Visa.
Yordanos Tewolde 10:44
Um, did you receive any aid from your siblings that were in America or Italy?
Winta Rose 10:52
Mhm Yes. So, um, when we moved to Eritrea, my, uh, parents opened a restaurant slash a bar. And, um, they also opened a convenience store. And that was our source of income. Um, and my dad was working the restaurant, my mom, and I-uh was running the convenience store. And we would be also helping out as chores. But my father got sick. And we had to close down the restaurant first, and then close down the convenience store. So at that time, my siblings were, um, sending money every month, and they were our main source of income, I would say, but um they, when they explained, it made a lot more sense, because they were single, um working full time, and just living in where they were working. So they don’t really have to pay rent or anything. So it was a lot easier for them to send money than my dad thats ill to uh get a job or my mom to leave the kids and get jobs.
Yordanos Tewolde 12:08
Um, so through this process of deciding to leave, and also the challenges of actually leaving the country, when did you guys overcome those challenges and get your visa and have the resources to finally be able to leave?
Winta Rose 12:29
So um, I guess, all this time that they were, um, applying for visa and getting denied and just being given like really random reason, and then trying to fix that reason, and then going trying again, and it just like, cost us up like years, you know um. But within that time, my father got sick, as I said earlier, and um, I believe, uh, he had hernia that needed a procedure, like a little, uh, surgery that then the doctors were, they messed up his surgery, so um it was a bigger deal than just hernia now. So he needed to go out of the country to get medical treatment. So when he chose America to where my sisters were, um, it kind of expedited our decision making, because at this time, at this point, our father was already in America, our siblings, were already there, my mom’s just there with the kids. And so it just made a lot more sense to just speed it up and do everything, we can pay extra money, to speed up the process, and just be with uh the rest of our family. And so I think when my dad went to America, is when the process I would say, like we can from just a thought and like a plan to like a set in stone like we’re doing this, you know, um and it took from that moment, it took four years of process until we get to America.
Yordanos Tewolde 14:13
So to clarify, your father ended up leaving to America before you guys left.
Winta Rose 14:19
Yes, four years before us. So while he was getting medical treatments, and in the US, we were expediting the process and all that even with expediting it took four years. So we were apart from our father for four years until we met up with him again.
Yordanos Tewolde 14:39
and on your way to the airport, like to leave Eritrea and go be reunited with your family and your father. Um, how were you feeling about like leaving this country that you’ve lived in for so many years?
Winta Rose 14:55
So I actually have a really vivid memory of the day that we got the visa, because we had kind of given up. And, give-you know, just, we thought there was just no hope. It’s been four years. It’s just dead end at this point, this is our last meeting with the embassy. So we went, it was a-a rainy day, I remember and I was um, let out of school early, so I could go be present in the embassy. And um, when we attended the um, meeting, and they said, like, Oh, I just they were talking a lot about school. And my mom said, Yeah, well, in America school starts in um, September. So we really would like to get them enrolled in school as soon as possible. So that I just they said, Oh, well, you know, it’s already the summer now. So they need to be in America before the summer ends. And she was like, yeah, that’s what I’m saying. And he said, Okay, well, they all got exit visa. And then he just like, you know, gave her all the paperwork. And it was, we moved in July. And so and it was, we were going home, with our visas in our-in hand. And it was just the craziest feeling, because we were really happy. And we were almost in tears, because we were really excited to go to America and see our Father and our sisters. But as soon as we got home, and we saw our relatives and our friends and our neighbors, it, we it hit us that, Oh this also means we’re leaving our family, it’s not just, oh, we’re going to America, it’s going to be a great, it’s going to be so much fun. But then we were reminded so quickly that we’re leaving people behind as well. So then it turned into, I guess, a bittersweet moment of just laughing and crying at the same time. Because um, from that moment, in two weeks, we were gone. So we only had two weeks to say goodbye to all our family and friends. In my case, it was just my cousins and the neighborhood kids that I played with. That’s who I cared about the most. And the day we left, I have a photo that I kept um, while we were in the airport, because I cried so much. I threw up and I had the headache. Because it just meant that, Oh, I’m leaving all my favorite cousins behind and all my favorite, you know um, family and I knew that I was going to see my dad, but at the same time, it was just really sad to leave. So, um, all my siblings and my mom, we all cried, but I guess being a child, you just cry and you puke. So um, I had a headache. And they took a photo of me looking like that. And I still have that photo. So yeah.
Yordanos Tewolde 18:04
And now that you guys are at the airport, you’re flying. So what is your destination? Where did you guys end up going to first?
Winta Rose 18:13
So we went to Germany first. And that was our layover. And then we were gonna have a second layover in New York. And then we were going to we were going to arrive in DC, Washington DC. And um, we got to so we, again, we don’t speak um, english well, none of us knew and, uh so we were literally okay in the Eritrean airport because we spoke the language and all that. But we got to Germany and well, I still don’t know I maybe I should ask my mom about what happened because I just didn’t understand. But something happened that caused us to stay in Germany for about a week, because there was some kind of delay in something and it was it. I tried to like think of why I’ve done like a grown up perspective now. And I’m like, it wasn’t snowing because it was a summer. It wasn’t rainy. I don’t know. But I think it had to do with like, missing a flight. Um, the flight was delayed or something and then we just didn’t make it in time. But it wasn’t our fault because it was our flight that was delayed. So um, they put us in a hotel, and they allow us to have meals in hotel for free and all that stuff. They took care of us. Um, but yeah, we stayed in Germany for a week. And now that I look back on my Oh, we got a little trip out of it, you know, but that time it’s like we just want to see my father and my sibling. You know, we were just very aggravated-aggravated, um, then after Germany, a week in germany, we flew to New York. And from New York, we went to Washington DC.
Yordanos Tewolde 20:08
So stepping foot on like American soil for the first time after maybe having seen it through like movies or TV shows, was your experience of it different than what you had imagined it to be? Like?
Winta Rose 20:23
Um, yes, because um in movies. Um, it’s very vivid in my mind that like, every time I watch a movie or anything, I just, I expected America to just be like, these cookie cutter houses with green grass and white fence, and kids on bikes, eating apples, those were exactly my thoughts of America. Um, but yeah, my sister’s house didn’t have a fence, she did have the grass. Um, and her house wasn’t like the typical cookie cutter house that was shown in, uh the TV or like the movies. But um, just stepping out of the airport, it just felt pretty much the same as Eritrea. Like, it wasn’t any different. Oh, we also arrived at night. So like, It couldn’t really see much. Um, but then going into my sister’s house, I was very shocked to see how big the house was. Because and the fact that it’s all in one, it was like, there’s upstairs downstairs and the basement. We’re just not used to that we were used to houses where you have your living room. And then if you want to go to the kitchen, you have to get out of the house. And like walk a little bit. And then that’s your kitchen. And then on the other side of the gate is um, your bathroom is like the bathroom usually the furthest of the way. Because of like the flushing and the plumbing system isn’t the same. So yeah, the house was the first thing I noticed. And it was very different. And I’m just like they have a toilet or they have a bathroom, inside the bedroom. Like how did that work? Does it not smell? Like that was just what I was thinking about. And then I quickly learned that. Yeah, plumbing system in America is great.
Yordanos Tewolde 22:23
So from what I’m hearing you guys were received by your sister. So did you and your family end up staying with your sister? or What was your living situation like, when you arrived?
Winta Rose 22:37
Yeah, so It was my dad had his house that’s, um, he was living in it. Before we came, and it was more like a-a one or two people kind of house it was like an apartment. Um and then my sisters, my three sisters, older sisters that moved to the US had their own houses. And so it would just it made more sense for us to get-go into my sister’s house that is big enough for um, us. Plus, my dad then can come and join rather than all of us just cramming in my father’s apartment. Um, so we did end up going to my sister’s house, and my dad came there and we all gathered there.
Yordanos Tewolde 23:31
Did you find the transition into living, technically, in someone else’s house, even though it’s family? Did you find that transition to be like difficult or smooth.
Winta Rose 23:43
Um, so not really, because um growing up with, um, nine other siblings, um, the houses always packed, you know, and even when all of us weren’t together, um, there was always guests over and things like that. So, um, I was used to the crowded household and so this is what just it reminded me of just being at my sister’s house and also being Um, so my siblings had only only one of them had a kid by that time and they were like babies. So we were just, wow, like, there are kids in our house. So they really treated us nice, and they were just trying their best to make us feel at home. Um, but I really had missed the crowded living style, especially after my dad left. It was pretty quiet in our house. So I was just really glad to be in house full of people. And so I didn’t find it change I didn’t find and we also had our room we were given a room to ourselves. So when I did need to be away or quiet then, um I had the room. So um yeah, I actually just I was just overwhelmed with disbelief of just being there and seeing my siblings and my family that like that, that didn’t occur to me, maybe to my mother, it did because she was an adult, you know, and as an adult, you think about, oh, I don’t want to step my boundaries. I don’t want to, you know, so. But I didn’t think that at all. I was just like, wow, like, the stairs to the basement is very steep. Like I was thinking about, you know, just cool aspects.
Yordanos Tewolde 25:28
So I think you mentioned earlier that it was like, summer when you guys arrived,
Winta Rose 25:33
and I think we arrived in July,
Yordanos Tewolde 25:36
then going into the school system, was, what was your first impression of the school system? And then did you experience any challenges? Um, integrating?
Winta Rose 25:49
Um, so yes, so we arrived in July, and then we started school, in September, but, um, between July and September, we had to take placement tests, to see where we’re at. And we had to do a, we had to do a lot of the tests. Um, and, um, so I just remember, dreading it and like, just not wanting to go to that place, because we did it in the education board or something, it was like an office. So it was just like, uh I just want to see the school already, like I just, you know, and so we did a lot of tests, and we were placed. And so I was supposed to be in fifth, I was supposed to be ending fifth grade going to sixth. Um, and then my siblings are also like place and so we also replaced an ESOL in English Speakers of other language. So um, I was just very interested to see it. So when we first went to school, like, I guess, like, the first week was just really overwhelming. I didn’t want to go back again, it was just weird, not being able to fully conversate with people. Like, in Eritrea, you know, and it wasn’t a school, was-schools were longer, we’re like at school for almost eight hours versus in Eritrea, we were only there for like, half a day. And we had to eat lunch at school, which I wasn’t really, um a big fan of the American food at first. So everything was just miserable. And the only, um, the little nice part, I guess, I would say is, um, seeing my siblings in between classes, or like in cafeteria and just being like, Oh, isn’t it so bad. It’s horrible. Yeah. Okay, I’ll see you later bye. Like, you know, and so that was like, the only good part that came out of it. Um, but slowly, we start to get used to it, especially with our other ESOL classmates, because we rea-quickly realize that they’re also going through the same thing. Um, and they were experiencing the same thing. So then we quickly started to bond.
Yordanos Tewolde 28:19
Um, what was your interactions with students of like other ethnicities? Or did you have students that were Eritrean or Ethiopian in the school that you went to? Or was it just you and your siblings?
Winta Rose 28:35
Um, so? Um, well, when I first started sixth grade, I think it was like the first two weeks or so they said that, besides my English, like all the other subjects, I am advanced in because I don’t, like the school, the curriculum is different. And I’ve already learned whatever sixth grade in America would be learning. I learned that in Eritrea already. So they let me skip to seventh. So, I started seventh grade, I guess, because it’s already been like, a couple of weeks since school started. I was the new kid on top of being an immigrant. So but then the kids were really nice. And the ESOL kids were really nice um a lot of them, I guess just living in DC area that was like one of the advantage is it’s a really diverse place. So my class consisted of other Africans, Hispanics, Asians, and really diverse but I was the only one that was from Eritrea or Ethiopia in the ESOL classe, but I did found out that like, previous year or two, there were Ethiopians and Eritreans in the ESOL classes that now have (unintelligable), but they still go to the school. So I made friends with some of them. But I made it a point to not always hang out with Ethiopian or Eritrean, so I can learn English, so stuck with him. We also, with the little English, we knew we were able to communicate and like, talk about how hard it is, how hard it’s been for us, you know. Um, so yeah, and I really like them. Some of them are my friends till now and it also helps that my ESL teacher was a really sweet lady, um, that I’m also friends with, until now. So she helped a lot, I think, with the process.
Yordanos Tewolde 30:47
Well, actually, I was gonna ask you, if you had like a memory of a specific person that was helpful in your journey of kind of getting used to being at school. So can you talk a little bit more about your relationship with this Teacher?
Winta Rose 31:01
Yes. So, um, absolutely. So this, um, but yeah, she’s a great. She was a great teacher. And, and I remember that she just so nice. She was so sweet. And she, I think, I don’t know what she studied. But she spoke Spanish as well. She’s not Hispanic at all, but she, I think took it in school, and she spoke Spanish as well. But she also like visited Hispanic countries and kind of like, knows how it feels to be an outcast kind of thing, you know. So she really treateed us very nice. And, um, she then after ESOL also became my science teacher, she also was teaching science. And when I was leaving Middle School, and going to high school, a different school, um, I remember just crying because I don’t want to leave her. Like, she was just the main person in the school that I just didn’t want to leave. And so, um, I think it was like, the party, we had the last party, we had like a goodbye party in her class, I started sobbing and she like, took me outside to the hallway, like what’s going on. And I was like, I was like, my broken English, I was able to explain to her, like, I don’t want to leave her and that I might not find a good teacher in high school, that-that would understand that I’m, you know, my situation, and she was like. No, like, you’ll find you’ll be fine. But she said something to me that I’ve never heard before. I mean, like in English, that I started using after that, which is like something I still remember. But she told me that she said, um, you taught me a lot as a teacher, and you will always have a special place in my heart. And I actually had to go home and like, use a dictionary to put the words together to see what those words meant. And then it just brought me so much happiness. And after that, I kept emailing her back and forth. Even when I was in high school, she was almost like my mentor. And um just in 2017, I graduated with English and Intercultural Studies. And I was going to South Korea to teach English as a second language. And I messaged her saying that, if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be where I am now. And she was so thrilled. And I also generally meant that because she was, she did play a really big part in my life.
Yordanos Tewolde 33:47
That was beautiful. So, as you were learning this language, um, did you grasp it pretty quickly? Or do you think it took a while for you to like, learn all of the rules of English and how to speak this way or that way? Yeah, what was your experience learning the language?
Winta Rose 34:11
At first I would say that it was very frustrating. Because not just like, speaking but like even writing like. You know, how we put the verb comes after verses in Tigrinya the verb comes first. So you want to put the layout the same way. So even when I did learn the words like the vocab, it I still was really bad at, you know, the layout and like, just putting them in the correct order. So it was really frustrating. Um, but, um, the first year ended, I kind of saw a lot of progress. So I was like, Okay, well, I need to you know, just be patient because In this one year, I’m able to watch a show, you know, and this one year, I’m able to have a basic conversation like so I was just wanting to be fluent like the kids I saw in my school. Um, and I just envied them a lot, which I looking back was just not the best thing because later on, I start to understand well like, you need to understand, like, this is your third language, you’re learning a third language versus the kids that you’re envying. It’s like, that’s the only language that the kid knows, you know. So I started to have a little bit more mercy on myself. But at first it was very frustrating. But um, the second summer so like, not the summer we came, but like the next summer, we hung out a lot with our relatives and family friends, our our age, and I think that helped a lot as well, because they spoke both English and, Amharic. So we were able to speak to them in English, and then when we don’t understand like they switch, so it was really helpful.
Yordanos Tewolde 36:05
So as far as like, your experience with not only your schoolmates, but just people around you in general, do you think that your reception by non immigrants or citizens that live in the US was welcoming? Did you or your family experience any situations where you encou-encountered like hostile behavior or passive aggressive behavior? Yeah.
Winta Rose 36:37
Um, so yes, I think, um, I was just so oblivious to everything, because I was again, I was only 11 when I first moved, but, um, maybe my older siblings did. But I would just, um, I feel like now if I look back, I would be like, wow, I think I had ADHD, I was just, like, really distracted by so many things, that I didn’t really pay attention to little things like that, you know, um, maybe my older siblings did, though, now that I think about it. Um, but I start to notice to notice that these things later on in high school, when I am, or especially in college, actually, is when I start to hit me, but it’s silly, because by this time, I’ve already learned to speak English. You know, I’m, I was majoring in English, so it was just like, weird, but I guess just being a minority was paid attention to but like, that was like, later on. But when I was younger, I actually didn’t really see it. But also, um, if they did, like, if kids made fun of me or anything like that, I wouldn’t know because I wouldn’t understand what they said. So I’m just thinking oh they’re giggling you know, so, um, but yeah, I didn’t really think that I didn’t experienced that. And the first American women that I ever came in contact with, again, was my teachers that treated me so well. So yeah, I think I would say overall, like it wasn’t, I didn’t experience that.
Yordanos Tewolde 38:21
So did your family, like receive any governmental aid, or like, local resources that were available to you, maybe not only financially but emotional support? Or you mentioned how you guys desired religious freedom, do you think you found a community at a church or? Yeah,
Winta Rose 38:46
Yes. So um, the first, not well, so we arrived. And then I guess, like, people from my sister and my sisters and my father’s church that they’ve been attending in America, which is an Eritrean church. Um, the people from there were coming to visit because it’s a big deal. Like, you know, blah blah’s family just came to the US like the entire family. So we got to go say Hi, we got to go, you know, bring them more gifts. So, for the first week or two people from the Eritrean church congregation like just came, and we’re just so sweet and nice, but in my mind, I’m just like, Wow, my siblings and my father, they just have a lot of friends. You know, I didn’t know exactly where they’re from so but the first Sunday that I guess it was like, during the week, they said, okay, like, this Sunday, we’re gonna go to church. And it threw me off because I was just like, are we gonna have the church in the basement? Is that what you guys have the basement? You know, because I’m still in the mentality of like, no, it’s illegal. And that’s a normal thing. You know, and I guess it didn’t really sink in that um, America, when they said that, like, there’s freedom of religion, like I actually didn’t grasp the full meaning of that. So when they said that we were going to church on Sunday, I was really shocking. I was just like, there’s no way that they’re gonna we’re gonna actually go to a real church, like, let’s see how this goes like with my sister, you know, with my sister that’s close in age with me. We were both very shocked. And then, sure enough, we drove to an actual church, and no one was, you know, looking over their shoulders to see if they’re going to get in trouble for worshiping or for. And I don’t think I prayed or sang or anything that day, like at church, I was just mind blown. I was literally just looking at people worshipping freely. And I’m like, wow, this is what it’s like, you know? Um, so I guess that’s when it hit me. Oh, this is why we moved. And this is the reason we moved, you know, this is one of the reasons we moved. And I guess, because it’s already become a habit to just look over our shoulders and, you know, lie about our religion. It was, I don’t know, it was a really fatal moment. I just remember from now very vaguely.
Yordanos Tewolde 41:05
So, at this point, what was your family’s status? Were you guys, um was it through a green card that um? Were you permanent residents? Um, and then for you at any point, did that change? Did you decide to become naturalized and be a US citizen?
Winta Rose 41:30
Um, so um yes my father did the process of bringing us. So whenever in the Eritrean embassy when they were like well you have to show proof that you’re, that you have family and all that stuff. We were giving my father’s information. And financially though my father and my sibling were the ones that helped but um yes we came as permanent residents. So, I think the next day after we arrived, we went and got our social security, um and later on we got our green cards so it was all set. And I guess after five year of having your permanent residency or your green card, you can apply for citizenship but 5 years I was only 16. So, it was just um for me like that was not like I didn’t even know about all of that process or anything like that. So at 16 I was just in high school, just doing my thing. But um I also later on when I was, as I was growing older learned that like there is dual citizenships and all these things but Eritrea or Ethiopia don’t participate in the dual citizenship with the US. So, if we were to become a US citizen, then we had to pretty much deny our citizenship in um both those countries. So, it-it took me a while to have to decide um what I wanted to do. And because my father or mother weren’t citizens, we weren’t automatically citizens. Um, when my father became citizen, we were already-I was already over 18 and I am the youngest. Um, but in college, when I declared my major I started to think about okay well what do I want to do. Um, and with my degree I knew I wanted to travel and teach english in different countries but I needed a US passport to be able to travel anywhere cause otherwise I would have to ask for Visa you know prior and just a lot of hustle. So, that was what made me decide to become a citizen and i think it was in 2018 actually. Nope, not 20-it was like maybe 2016 while I was still in college right before graduation cause I knew I was going to graduate and travel. So um I then became a citizen in 2016
Yordanos Tewolde 44:16
Um, can you elaborate a little bit more about the tension of almost having to deny a part of your identity by renouncing your citizenship from Eritrea, um was-how how did that struggle play out for you?
Winta Rose 44:39
Um, so I was just a hot mess like I just knew that I was doing this just so I can live out my dream you know. Not because I genuinely wanted to be an American more than an Eritrean you know um. So, it kind of made me feel guilty. And, um I was talking to my mom about and eh I was just like Mom I don’t know I just feel so guilty and my mom is like you get-you can’t back out now you paid all, close to a 1000 dollars just to be a citizen. Um, so um my mom told me how it is, how it works, how citizenship works. And so she said, in America you are a citizen because you are born in America and that’s simply it you know um. In Eritrea though, you can’t be an Eritrean citizen unless you’re by blood Eritrean. So, that meant no matter what nationality I took and no matter where I go and you know declare my citizenship and in whatever country of-when I go back to Eritrea by blood I am Eritrean. They’ll always except me as an Eritrean. Um, I will be entitled to everything as an Eritrean um. So, she says to me that it really doesn’t make a difference in Eritrea, it will only makes a difference to the eyes of the Americans and in the eyes or airports of other countries when you show up with an American Passport. But you can always go back to Eritrea and you can always um, go to your Father’s village or my village, you are always entitled to land. You’re always entitled to-they they don’t care about what your passport says, they see blood and that actually motivated me to go and um be a citizen and not have to worry about all of that. Cause I still have my Eritrean ID, I still have my, um birth certificate, I still have my parent’s um certification that show that they’re Eritreans. So that’s whats more important than the passport.
Yordanos Tewolde 47:10
So, in your time in the US, did you end up going back to Eritrea or Ethiopia and what was your experience like? Do you feel like you saw it through new eyes?
Winta Rose 47:28
So, I went back to Ethiopia in 2016 with my school and um i just-I didn’t, I didn’t get a chance to go to Eritrea which is what I remember most um. Going to ethiopia, it did give me, I guess just a new set of eyes just to look and say oh okay like this is where I grew up, this is where I was born. I had-I kind of was like not remembering it well so like seeing that kind of just like refreshed my memory and brought back memories and like the photos that we took growing up and just the fun moments. And um yeah it was-its really nice. And I would really like to go back to Eritrea too um and yeah I don’t know what it would be like or what I would feel in that moment but I would really like to go because I remember Eritrea more.
Yordanos Tewolde 48:29
Um, so now you are a citizen and you are teaching english in Korea, in your process of even applying or being a teacher there, do you think that you received a different kind of status because you were an American citizen?
Winta Rose 48:51
Oh, absolutely. Yes. Uh, so um, in Korea right? You’re talking about in Korea? Yes, so I absolutely see it alot um well because well just even applying to the job, you have to be either Australian, from UK or US, or South African citizen. Other countries you-if you are from other countries like you can’t apply. So, that in itself I felt was already I guess like a plus of having the you know, American citizenship. Um, and out of all of um, those countries um I just mentioned, American accent is as the best I guess. Or the proper. So, in fact when the Australian or South African teachers are teaching here, they’re asked to put an American accent because it’s seen as the proper accent. So, like in that sense, it’s like whenever I speak automatically my english is like you know proper. Just in those little things and-and they automatically know that I’m American and they automatically know that like that’s what they want their kids to learn. So, in that sense, I guess yeah I see it um, and I have like an upper hand. But, yeah America is seen as the ultimate goal here you know more than Australia or the UK or South Africa like more than any of that like America is idolized here.
Yordanos Tewolde 50:57
And finally, after living in the US for x amount of year, what have been um, like as a concluding statement, what have been some roses like the beauty that you have found in the country and some thorns, things that um you think should be changes or have like pricked you over time? Um what would be like your ending…
Winta Rose 51:27
Um, So I think that, I guess the roses, would be just having freedom again like I still to this day remember the shocking moments of seeing people worshiping freely you know. Um, and seeing people choose to go to the army and not have to go to the army and choose to just do something else you know if they want to with their lives after high school. So, seeing that and um as an adult now, knowing that um I have those opportunities and not only that but I can like I can also bring my child into this country where my child, he or she, will also have that opportunity. And I don’t have as a parent, don’t have to go through the stress that my parents went through for their kids um. Go through the struggle financially, emotionally, and just a lot more as my parents. And so ultimately I see it as my parents did all of that so we don’t have to and their grandkids don’t have to deal with that. So, I would say that’s definitely the roses and the high of all this, definitely an opportunity. And I-I definitely wouldn’t have been where I am now and I definitely wouldn’t have the opportunity of you working abroad or even attending college if I hadn’t moved to the US. So, that’s definitely something that I will forever be grateful for. But, in the contrary or not so great things, um I would say in America is just um the sense of not always fitting in as an immigrant or as uh you know as an Eritrean. Because I attended university in Florida, and it was great, I really enjoyed my college years and um. But I did have a huge issue um which was just um always-never-no one ever knew where Eritrea was to begin with and we’re college students so that was really interesting. But, on top of that, it was-I didn’t fit in so much that I was seen as this exotic person. Wow, like she has this culture then when she like puts on her cultural outfit, it’s almost like an African princess. And I’m like well that kind of makes me, that assures me that I am so far from um you know just with um being with people like me. I’m so-I’m the only one of my groups usually, I’m the only one of my friends usually that’s of a culture or a you know have a different background. And it was, It’s always been so hard and weird to talk about cultural things you know because it’s always seen as me educating someone and not just having a discussion you know. And so, I mean yes that’s not the case with all states but um my experience in florida was just not the best um you know, of me always having to education and never feeling like I fit in. And, I am thinking about it, I definitely don’t want to have to put my kids through that as well you know. And I think that if some people, there definitely are but, um others I think should be more open minded to learning and not just being like wow this is so exotic, let’s like try it. Not like that, but like really just learning about it. And there was an Ethiopian restaurant that people were referring to it as a vegan and healthy restaurant that’s really delicious, and that really showed me how distant I am from them. Because this is my culture, this is what I grew up, this is something a little part of what defines me verses someone seeing it as this like cool things, let’s go check it out you know. So, it does make me miss just being in a country where everyone could relate. Everyone is in the same page, you know but that’s definitely not the case in America. And that’s definitely not how I want it to be, it’s not-I don’t want everyone to be on the same page but um at least, I think everyone should learn about each others cultures and um. I don’t know, diversity is pretty important.
Yordanos Tewolde 56:56
So, thank you so much for letting me interview you. And for telling us your story so candidly. I really appreciate it.
Winta Rose 57:10
Yeah, no problem. I really enjoyed talking about this.
Yordanos Tewolde 57:14
Okay, thank you so much!
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