Questions for Reflection and Discussion
- Many of the students and former students who were interviewed talk about the idea of “home.” Some students think of their countries of origin as home. Some think about their new homes here in Maryland or in other parts of the United States. For some, home is wherever their family is. Some students feel like they no longer have a home, and they talk about wanting to create one in the future. The word “home” is often associated with family, with cooking and eating meals, and with memories of shared experiences. How would you define home? What is home to you? (Suggested reading: Liat Suvorov’s poem “The Making of a Home,” First Place Winner in The Sligo Journal Student Poetry Contest, 2022-2023.)
- Some of the students and former students who were interviewed talk about struggling with undiagnosed learning differences, depression and anxiety, and/or with post-traumatic stress disorder. Some talk about their worries about their families back home. Some students have experienced extreme financial difficulty as well. When they found help and resources to cope with these struggles, they were able, with time and a great deal of effort, to reach their academic and career goals. What about you? Do you struggle with any of these issues or do you know someone who does? What people or resources have helped you? Where can you seek help if you’re having trouble learning, coping with depression, or with dealing with financial insecurity?
- Most of the students and former students who were interviewed experienced displacement in their lives because of violence, war, instability, or lack of economic opportunity, and they all had to rebuild their lives in a new place. In their interviews, many talk about what gave them hope when they were feeling a sense of despair, overwhelm, loneliness, or confusion. Some students talk about the importance of their religious faith or spiritual practices like meditation when coping with stress. Other students talk about how being in natural settings – such as parks, gardens, or the beach – gives them a sense of well-being. Others mention the importance of playing sports, exercising, cooking a favorite meal, or reaching out to family members, friends, or mentors for help. What sustains you in times of difficulty? What gives you hope?
- Many of the students and former students who were interviewed talk about the idea of the American Dream, which the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English defines as “the idea that the U.S. is a place where everyone has the chance of becoming rich and successful.” Hollywood movies often portray the United States in this way, and for some students, the reality of their lives in the U.S. was a shocking contrast to that depiction. On the other hand, the students and former students who were interviewed recognize that their lives are, on the whole, significantly better in terms of economic and educational opportunities. What about you? Do you think the American Dream is still alive? Do we need to redefine the American Dream? Is the American Dream about more than being rich and successful?
- Many of the students and former students who were interviewed talk about the painful experience of being stereotyped based on their race, ethnicity, language, religion, or gender. What can we do to avoid stereotyping people? When people stereotype us, how can we teach them about who we really are? (Suggested viewing: The Danger of a Single Story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, How to Raise a Black Son in America by Clint Smith, The Muslim on the Airplane by Amal Kassir, and We Need to Talk about an Injustice by Bryan Stevenson.)
- Almost all of the students and former students who were interviewed learned English as their second or third language. Learning academic English, which is more complex than conversational English, often takes years to master, and for some, this was a challenging experience. Some students also talk about how they speak a colonial language, such as Spanish or French, in addition to their ancestral language. Some students describe their worries about their children losing connections to their grandparents and other relatives if they do not become bilingual. What about you? What languages do you speak? What language did your ancestors speak? What is lost when we no longer speak the language of our ancestors? What do we gain when we learn a second or third language? (Suggested viewing: The Linguists.)
- Many of the students and former students who were interviewed shared aspects of their culture that are important to them. Some mention specific books and writers. Some talk about artists and works of art. Some mention music, holidays, religious practices, and food. What aspects of your culture are important to you? If you were asked to share a favorite book, poem, work of art, piece of music, or food that represents you and your culture, what would you choose? After watching some of these interviews, is there a culture you would like to learn more about? (Suggested viewing: Can Beauty Open Our Hearts to Difficult Conversations? and Can Art Amend History? by Titus Kaphar.)
- Some of the students and former students who were interviewed said that they fled their countries of origin to seek a safer life, but they still live in fear of gun violence in the United States. One student described her shock when she first saw classroom posters teaching students how to handle an active shooter situation. What about you? Do you feel safe in the United States? What can be done to prevent gun violence? How can we deal with the constant threat of shootings?
- Many of the students and former students who were interviewed recalled times in their life when they did not have access to social media, the Internet, or smart phones. Interestingly, many of them recall these times with fondness and say that they were able to spend more time with family and friends “in real life.” What do you think? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having constant connection to social media, email, and the Internet? Are there any advantages to turning off our cell phones for a while? Have you ever considered taking a “digital sabbath” to connect with people who are important to you? Does constant connection to the Internet make it hard to stop working and focus on other aspects of life?
- Many of the students and former students who were interviewed say that it can be challenging to get to know Americans. They feel that many Americans are so focused on work and so committed to their schedules that they cannot, for example, accept a last-minute invitation to coffee. “You have to plan weeks in advance to spend time with an American,” one student said. What do you think? Are Americans, in general, too focused on work? Does the cultural value of hard work prevent people from developing friendships with others? Do you find it challenging to develop friendships because of American work culture?
- James Baldwin, (1924-1987) who wrote essays, novels, plays and poems, wrote, “You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive.” Perhaps today the word “books” could also include other ways of telling stories, including movies, videos, and digital storytelling. Baldwin’s idea of connection to people, which is linked to the idea of empathy, is a compelling one. After having watched some of these interviews, do you feel a sense of connection to any of these students? What books and stories have made you feel connected to others? What stories do you want to tell?
- After having watched some of the interviews, do you feel like you have a better understanding of the immigrant and refugee experience in Montgomery County, Maryland and in other parts of the United States? What did you learn by watching these interviews? Could you relate to some of these stories? What would you like to learn more about?
- Imagine that you were assigned to conduct an oral history interview of a relative. Who would you interview and why? What questions would you ask this person? (Note: be sure to review the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ “How to Do Oral History” site and other resources related to the ethical practices of oral history before you begin.)
- If someone interviewed you about your life as a part of an oral history project, what stories would you want to tell? What would you like future generations to know about your experiences, challenges, and hopes?
