Two Cultures, One Me 2016

TWO CULTURES ONE ME Fifteen remarkable teenagers share their stories of culture, identity and resilience in this powerful exhibit made possible by The Sprout Fund. Through a special initiative of the Youth Mentoring Program at South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM), these teens met with journalist Stephanie Hacke to find their voices. And then, they worked to tell their stories, culminating in an unforgettable day with Pittsburgh photographer Terry Clark.

Through the lens of these 15 teenagers, we experience the joy, sorrow, and beauty of their journeys. We hope you’ll join us and discover, just as these teens did, that there’s more that unites us than divides us.

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SAROJ

“Growing up in a refugee camp, I feel like I know the struggle of living in a thirdworld country. I had no running water, my toilet did not flush, and food cost too much to have three meals a day. Most people in America take food for granted.

My house was made of mud, bamboo and newspaper; it was very uncomfortable.

I fondly remember my parents and the neighbors building our house and playing with my friends in the fields all day long. My family had a hard life in Nepal and though my parents already had a life there, they were willing to adapt so my brother and I could have a better life in America.”

BINSHA

“Growing up in a refugee camp, I experienced many things that the people I go to school with haven’t. This helped me understand that not everyone is privileged with food, education, clean water, clothes and toys. It makes me sad that the people I go to school with do not know my story and are quick to judge.

Adjusting to America wasn’t as hard for me as it was for my parents. My siblings and I went to school, so the language was very easy to learn.

I made American friends and learned their culture. My parents went shopping for food

and on job interviews without knowing anything about America. We are all still figuring out America and it’s fun for me because I discover something new every day. I am in high school and it’s hard being a foreign kid, but it’s also nice because I am so different from everyone else. I am so much more experienced. I am very thankful for the life I have been gifted and grateful to my parents for sacrificing so much to give us a life with everything we want.”

HTWAY

“I was born in Thailand, 19 years ago, and grew up in a refugee camp, where we used trees, bamboo and leaves to build our house. In the winter, it was really cold because we lived on a mountain and needed lots of jackets and blankets to keep warm. In my house here in the U.S., I am a very active person and full with energy.

I feel very comfortable around my family. Outside the house, I become a different person, a girl who is quiet and shy. I love music, movies and foods and am happiest when I’m around my family and close friends. I like it here in Pittsburgh; I do well in school and plan to finish my education.”

RITIKA

“At my school in Kathmandu, the capital city, I participated in extracurricular activities like singing, dancing and sports. When I moved here, it was hard to for me to fit in at first because of the cultural differences, but I gradually learned to love my uniqueness. Coming to

America has made me open-minded because of both the negativity and positivity that I am surrounded with.

Even though I still miss Nepal, I am happy with my life now. I have great friends, and am working towards a future where my parents will be proud of what I’ve accomplished.”

TULASHA

“It makes me sad that I don’t remember much about Nepal, but it makes me happy that I still have people to tell me what happened and the funny stories and the sad stories.

I had some difficulty here speaking English and took ESL classes at Paynter Elementary School, which helped. I also made best friends. I

am happy to be in America because there is a better education and better hospitals. For example, I got my appendix and tonsils out and if I lived in Nepal, they probably would have taken forever for the operation. But I still love Nepal because there are good things there.”

TASLIMA

“Coming to America from the refugee camp in 2011 was exciting.

I remember my family crying and thinking that we could come back to Nepal whenever we wanted. When I came to America, I had a hard time communicating and getting used to the food. I felt lost. After I

learned English, I felt really awesome because I knew two languages.

Life in America is generally great. I have experienced new things. My family still celebrates Nepali holidays; some are fun but some are boring.

Hopefully, one day, we’ll celebrate American holidays, too.”

BANDHANA

“Nepal is known as the country of beauty. I was a kid who liked playing in the dirt; being a refugee never concerned me. When we arrived in the U.S., everything was different.

I was surrounded by people with different skin colors, not like me, with brown skin. And I couldn’t believe the tall buildings I saw after living in a

bamboo hut my whole life. I learned English and was able to make friends because I had the advantage of being small and learning quickly. However it was quite difficult for my parents to adjust. Living as a refugee was hard but my family and I overcame the struggles and are really grateful of the new life and infinite opportunities.”

PRATIK

“My life is different from most people because I have a different life in my house than in my school. I speak Nepali at home and eat Nepali food.

I speak English at school and eat American food, like pizza and burritos.

I feel more comfortable speaking

English now. I’m slowly forgetting words and some of the accents in Nepali. That makes me sad because it’s my background and my culture. I don’t want to forget it. One day I want my children to know Nepali, so I want to pass it down to them.”

GOGAN

“Everybody has a vivid past and backstory, but not many have faced living in a third world country. My parents had to take refuge in camps, with food rations and stagnant healthcare. Adjusting here was arduous; not being able to communicate and express feelings can cause great pain. But I found advantages with my

new English skills. Now in 7th grade, I greatly love my education and hope that I can pursue my goal of being an astronaut. From my early childhood to now, I have faced many hardships, including the language, fitting in, and socializing, but one should never forget that anything can be done with hard work and perseverance.”

KRITIKA

I was born in Nepal, the country with the tallest mountain in the world. In America, I learned to speak English from watching “Arthur.” I watched the show almost every day and learned so much from it. Before I knew it, I was getting on a big yellow bus to go to school. I’m glad to be in America

because I feel like I have a better chance of making my parents proud and accomplishing something greater. I want to do something that will change the whole world and help people. Even though balancing two identities can be difficult, I think I am a more interesting and stronger person because of it.”

LAH EH

“I am from a refugee camp in Thailand.

Life here is good because I made friends I thought I would have never made. I like math because I have the best teacher and I can ask her questions without being scared. I love eating apples and I eat Thai food and

I eat American food. I’m happy in both countries because in Thailand I have my relatives and there are beaches and lots of animals like cats, dogs, and elephants. Here, I have really close friends, good teachers, and mentors who help me and do fun things.”

YUBA

“Something that defines me is my passion for technology. I love computer programming, hanging out with friends, and I love seeing people happy. If they are not, I try to make dumb jokes to make people smile. It works 99.9% of the time.

Back in Nepal, I had never even seen any

of the technology I live with today. I lived in a refugee camp for about seven years, in a bamboo hut that leaked when it rained.

There were many problems, but I was small and didn’t care because I just thought every place in the world was like this. I realized I was wrong when I came to the U.S.A.”

ANITA

“In my eyes, the American culture is one that encourages self-confidence, encourages people to raise different ideas, and encourages everyone to be proud of their excellence. From Americans, I have learned how to help other people and how to express my own opinion in public. Now

I am franker, more enthusiastic, and more confident than before. I think the greatest lesson I have from my American life is that I have learned how to observe and think about a problem from a different angle, not just from the angle I was told to have. For me, that’s the first meaning of freedom.”

MARY

“I’m a girl who loves learning about the past. I think the past can answer many of the problems that we are facing today. I’m passionate about learning history because it puts me in somebody else’s shoes. I might not know everything that is going on in someone’s head, but by putting myself in somebody’s shoes, I can

be sympathetic towards them and sometimes even empathize with them depending on what the situation is.

My past is a big factor in shaping me into the woman I am today. Because I spent half of my life in a refugee camp, I tend to view situations in life differently than my peers at school.”

DEOGRACIAS

“In Congo, work is difficult to find and money is hard to come by. People are suffering and constantly moving to avoid the M23 Rebels. We had to sleep on the floor because people would shoot through the houses. My mom took me and put me in

the closet until everything was done. Life is like a dream for me being in America, but I miss my grandparents. Life here is not like in Africa. English in Africa and America are not the same.

Making friends is difficult for me because I am shy.”