I interviewed my mother, My Son Truong, who immigrated from South Vietnam to Adelaide South Australia in 1994 and then immigrated with me from Australia to San Jose, California in 2010. Throughout my life, my mom, My Son Truong, has always been in survival mode, always working or doing something — never staying still. ... Read More »
As a young student in Canada, with no real source of stable income, I have come to value the education system as a way to better the conditions of my life. I’ve just received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alberta, where I have taken classes targeted toward becoming a teacher, as I am a firm believer in educating ... Read More »
It was a cold winter day, and I woke to the warming rays of the sun shining down through a small skylight, and the clinking of plates as my mother prepared breakfast. Wrapping the blankets tightly around myself, I struggled to leave the warm embrace of my bed. As I finally pulled myself away from my bed, I looked over ... Read More »
When you’re a seven-year old girl whose knowledge of the English language consists of “hello,” “thank you,” and “peach,” you don’t really know how to react when your parents tell you that you are moving to America for one year. Perhaps it was because you didn’t need to know anything about America, living in a small city in Tokyo. Your ... Read More »
He hopped from one heat vent to another, over the ones that lay outside the school buildings. It was below zero degrees Celsius, and he had only worn a down jacket and jeans. He was freezing and needed to stay warm. Sam Chou was starting his second semester at the University of Wisconsin in the year of 1990. He ... Read More »
Liz Gulevich was one of our featured storytellers at our salon November 9, 2014 called “Foreign Correspondents: Immigrant Odysseys.” She tells a captivating story about the empowerment of her immigrant mother during her mother’s sunset years in Palo Alto, California. There’s a surprise near the end that involves an audience member. Read More »
I’ll come to you in six more years and instead of a bike, I will have a car. Instead of a room, I will have a house, and instead of having to do odd jobs, I will speak English well enough to be a manager of some place. “My story is just like anyone else’s who came to this country ... Read More »
The following interview was conducted by Castilleja School student, Meg Johnson, at the Day Worker Center of Mountain View.The name of the interviewee has been changed. I was born in the capital of Mexico, Mexico City. After living there I was in Michoacán for 10 years. Michoacán is close to Mexico City; it is very beautiful and is a tourist ... Read More »
Kim is a Silicon Valley CEO. But her path to success was definitely NOT a cakewalk. Here she tells a gripping story about escape from Vietnam and other challenges that she had to overcome along the way. Kim was one of 8 featured storytellers at the Media Center’s salon called “Foreign Correspondents: Immigrant Odysseys.” Read More »
Vanessa tells her family immigration story from Mexico and the value she places on education. Her father was a miner in Bishop, CA. Read More »