Eritrea; Eritreans; Families; Refugees; Ethiopia; Logan, UT; Culture; Tigrinya; English; Education; International Refugee Commission; Refugee Camps; Work; Eritrea-- Food; Afeworki Woldemichael-- Interviews]]> CACHE VALLEY REFUGEE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
TRANSCRIPTION COVER SHEET
Interviewee: Afeworki Woldemichael
Present: Afeworki Woldemichael, Heidi Williams, Magen Olsen, Berhane Debesai
Abraha, Hilary Warner-Evans
Place of Interview: Mr. Woldemichael's apartment in Logan, Utah
Date of Interview: 17 May 2015
Language(s): Tigrinya; English
Interpretation: Berhane Debesai Abraha: Live translator
Interviewer: Hilary Warner-Evans
Recordist: Magen Olsen
Recording Equipment: Tascam DR-100mk11 linear PCM recorder; Senal ENG-18RL
broadcast-quality omnidirectional dynamic microphone
Transcription Equipment: Express Scribe
Transcribed by: Hilary Warner-Evans, May 21, 2015
Transcript Proofed by: Hilary Warner-Evans, May 25, 2015
Brief Description of Contents: Afeworki Woldemichael talks about his family and home in
Eritrea. He discusses his time in a refugee camp in Ethiopia, where he met his wife and had two
children, his journey to the United States, living in Connecticut, Idaho, and Utah. He discusses
his adjustments to life in the United States, and expresses hopes to improve his English to be
better able to communicate with the people of Logan. He talks about what the future of his
family will be like when his wife and children come join him.
Reference: HWE= Hilary Warner-Evans (Interviewer)
HWEI= Hilary Warner-Evans' words being interpreted by
translator
AW= Afeworki Woldemichael (Interviewee)
AWI= Afeworki Woldemichael's words being interpreted by
translator
BDA= Berhane Debesai Abraha
HW= Heidi Williams
NOTE: The interview was conducted with the assistance of a live translator, Berhane Debesai
Abraha. The interpreter arrived about ten minutes later than the interviewer, photographer, and
recordist but is present from the beginning of the transcript. False starts, pauses, or transitions in
Cache Valley Refugee Oral History Project: Afeworki Woldemichael Page 2
dialogue such as “uh” and starts and stops in conversations are not included in transcript. All
additions and added information to transcript are noted with brackets.
TAPE TRANSCRIPTION
[00:01]
[Checking microphone. Indistinguishable talk from HWE, BDA, and AW. AW tapping
mic.]
HWE: Okay. It's May 17th 2015. This is Hilary Warner-Evans interviewing Afeworki
Woldemichael, a member of the Eritrean community here in Logan, Utah. And we're at
his apartment in Logan. Also present is Berhane Debesai Abraha, who is translating, from
Tigrinya and Magen Olsen, who is doing the recording, and Heidi Williams, doing
photography. So, can you give your full name again and your birth year?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya]
AW: Okay. May 24, is birthday next Monday [laughs]
BDA: [quietly] Sunday.
AW: Yeah, my–. Yeah, next Sunday. Yeah.
AWI: His birthday is May 24th [unclear]
AW: Yeah.
HW: [to BDA] And yours is twentieth.
BDA: Mm-hm
AW: May 24.
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: 1979
AWI: Yeah. May 24th 1979.
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: Afeworki Woldemichael.
HWE: And what languages do you speak?
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AW: Tigrinya.
HWE: Can you tell me about your family?
AW: Yeah.
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: Okay.
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to Interviewee.]
AW: Okay First, my brother, Nguse Gebreyohannes [??]. Gebreyohannes. And the last name,
Woldemichael. Woldemichael. By Tigrinya, Woldemichael. By English, Woldemichael.
[laughs]
[02:16]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: Yeah.
AWI: Yeah, his oldest brother is Nguse Woldemichael, but the way we write it is different so
we– [Speaks in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: Gebreyohannes.
AWI: Nguse Gebreyohannes Woldemichael. Okay.
AW: Second– My mother born ten people.
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: Yeah.
HWE: Wow.
AWI: His mother have ten children.
AW: And we have seven people. And three people is died.
AWI: He's got seven siblings and three of his siblings, they died. Deceased.
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AW: Two brothers in the independence. [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
AWI: One of his brothers, he died when we're struggling for independence. That means before
1991 against Ethiopia, the war. And the other brother died when we were defending our
country in the second war between 1997 to 2001. And his eldest brother he died from too
much alcoholism.
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
[04:12]
AWI: Do you guys need the names of all his siblings?
HWE: [hesitates] Probably not, but–
HWEI: [Repeating statement in Tigrinya]
HWE: –I don't know.
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
AW: Nine boys and one girl. [laughs]
AWI: He got eight brothers and one sister including him as one of the ten. So now he got six
brothers and one sister.
AW: Yeah.
HWEI: Five brothers?
AW: Six brothers. One–
HWEI: One sister.
AW: One sister.
HWEI: Or five brothers. [Asking question in Tigrinya]
AW: Yeah. [laughs] [Speaking in Tigrinya]
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AWI: He has five brothers and one sister. Including him there are seven surviving siblings.
HWE: And you have a wife too, right?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: Yes.
HWE: Yeah. Do you have any children?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: Yeah. Two boys.
HWE: And are they back in Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: They are in the Ethiopian refugee camp.
HWE: Okay. How old are your children?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: One, four years. And the other, [speaks in Tigrinya.]
AWI: His oldest is four years and his youngest, he will be two in September.
[06:04]
HWE: What ethnic or religious community do you consider yourself to be a part of?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: Orthodox.
HWEI: Eritrean Orthodox mission?
AW: Yeah.
AWI: He is a follower of the Eritrean Orthodox church.
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HWE: And you are a follower of the church here in Logan, right? Or, I mean, not Logan but in
Utah.
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya].
AW: Yeah.
HWE: Can you tell me about your birth county?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
AW: My country very good, has mountains. All the mountains. Utah, the same in Utah.
[laughs] Good country. [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He says, Eritrea is beautiful. It has so many mountains just like Utah. It has highlands and
lowlands. It has two seasons.
HWE: And are you– You're from the highland part?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He is from the lowlands.
HWE: Oh, okay. So, what did your family do for work? Were they a farming family?
[8:07]
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: They were irrigation farmers.
HWE: Okay.
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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AWI: Yeah, they are irrigation farmers.
AW: Yes.
HWE: What kinds of crops did they grow?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya]
AWI: Corn, Sorghum. Do you guys know Sorghum? It grows like corn but there's grains on the
top.
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya].
AWI: And Dagusa.
AW: [laughs]
AWI: I told you, remember, it's used for local drinks. They raise it, but– [speaking in Tigrinya
to interviewee.]
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.] [laughs]
AWI: He doesn't know how to call it in English, but we just call it Dagusa and we use it for
drinks, local drinks. And, is it called sesame? It's a grain. They use it for oil? Sesame.
HWE: Yeah, sesame.
AWI: Yeah, sesame.
HWE: How long did you live in Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: All day. [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: All my life until I moved to the Ethiopian refugee camp.
HWE: How old were you when you went to the camp?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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AWI: He was twenty-seven going to twenty-eight years.
HWE: Why did you leave Eritrea?
[10:00]
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: There was no job and no job opportunities so I just wanted to improve my life and I
moved for a another place.
HWE: And what was the experience like of leaving?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: His home town is near the border of Eritrea and Ethiopia and it was a war. Eritrea and
Ethiopia, they are in kind of semi-war yet. And where he raised, the area he was raised,
he knows everything, where to go, which to go and he knows which front line, which
lines are Ethiopian front lines. So it's easy for him. He can go daytime or nighttime
because he knows who is where so it was not a big deal for him to cross the border.
[12:00]
HWE: So when you crossed the border, you went to Ethiopia. And were you trying to go
anywhere– What was your final destination you were attempting to go to?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya].
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: Yeah, when he leaving his home town in Eritrea, he got two options. His first option was
to stay in the refugee camp and to work to America and other countries, maybe Europe,
maybe Australia. If that option was not possible, his second option was to go to Sudan,
Libya, cross the mediterranean and to go to Europe.
HWE: Okay. What was your experience like in the refugee camp?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AWI: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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[BDA's phone rings and he turns it off.]
[14:00]
AWI: He said, life was tough in the refugee camp because they didn't give them anything. At
first, they were giving them only fifteen kilos of wheat.
AW: Per month.
AWI: Per month. Sometimes you don't have money to grind them and make them into bread or
something. Sometimes he just boiled them, put salt on it, and just eat it. But after that,
some of them, they get money, borrow it from friends and some of them they just get– Or
they have to work for themselves in that area, farming, whatever they can.
HWE: And did you end up working while you were there?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: Yeah, in the surrounding areas near the refugee camp they were working physical
work, laborers, sometimes on the grain harvest. In seasons they work as weeders because
we have to weed the fields by our hand.
HWE: And, so with the money you earned by working eventually could you buy more food?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[16:08]
AWI: So at first they were giving them only 15 kilos of wheat and a liter and a half of oil so
they could not do anything with it. So they work and they earn money and they have to
buy tomatoes, onions, and other stuff to make their own soup. But starting 2009 they
started giving them around 800 milligrams of sugar, might be around two pounds of
sugar, per month. And some times they were giving them some kind of soup. It's made up
of wheat or something like that. So the only thing they have to do is work and earn
money and make their own food.
HWE: What kind of medical care was available at the camp?
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HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: The medical care, that was okay. But the problem was the medical care was provided by
IRC. I think it's the International Refugee Commission. But all the doctors are Ethiopians
and they speak Amharic. And they just wanted to speak Amharic. They don't want to talk
in Tigrinya. And they don't know Tigrinya. But relatively they are okay and if you can
communicate with them you get good medical care.
[18:04]
HWE: So was your wife with you in the camp?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: Okay, his wife is Ethiopian. He met her. She was his friend, or girlfriend. So they were
living together when he got his process finished and he already got his visa. They make it
official. They get married. [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: On September 20th, 2012 they make it official because he was coming here. If he has to
claim her as a girlfriend that doesn't work. He has to marry her. But they met in Ethiopia
in 2010 and they were staying together.
HWE: So when you were in the camp you were living with your wife for most of that time?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
[19:48]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He met his wife in the Ethiopian villages because he was going over there to work. Then
when they get pregnant, when she had a baby, he brought her over to the refugee camp
because the baby is his. The baby is Eritrean even though he was born in Ethiopia. So he
brought her to the camp and the baby has to register as a refugee like him. Then he
convinced her, hey, better stay with me. If I get a chance to go abroad then I'm going to
claim you as my wife. Then she stayed with him. But first, until she got her first baby,
she was living with her parents and he was living in the camp but he was working outside the
camp. And at that time he saved some money and he bought a carriage, something you
pull with the horse. [Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: But sometimes they pull it with a donkey. So he was working with it transporting stuffs
over there.
HWE: And can you describe your living conditions in the camp?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.] [coughs] Sorry, I have to drink water. [Repeating
question in Tigrinya.]
[21:51]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: Yeah, at first life was so hard. Because of all the people over there. They speak the same
language because they are on the border with Eritrea, but all cultures and the way we
think is different. And we are enemies. We are at war. So at first we don't want to talk to
them. They don't trust us. We don't trust them. But we [??] them. We work with them.
We start trading with them, buying stuff from them. And they buy stuff from the refugees.
And then we start to just become kind of one people. Nobody cares for the refugees and
that. But at first it was hard.
HWE: And were you living with anyone else when you were in the camp?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya]
[23:45]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya]
HWEI: [Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya.]
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AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[26:05]
AWI: Yeah, at first when he was crossing into Ethiopia in 2005, you know, when the refugees,
when they, you go in the office, they call, they give you some paper work. They arrange
to interview you and they give you some coin to get the wheat and the oil. But they just
say, hey, you can get wheat and oil with this one but you are on your own so he doesn't
have anything. He doesn't know anyone in the camp. So there was a tea shop over there
and the tea shop was just made up of tin but they sell teas. So he was sitting over there
and some of the refugees who came before him, maybe a year or so, they saw him and
they told him, “Oh, you look like you're new. Where do you live.” And he said, “I just
arrived here. They drop me here by a car. I have no where to go.” And they told me,
“Okay, you can live with us.” And he lived with them for two years. Then after that he
started working in the surrounding areas and he started saving some money and over
there you just build your own home. Nobody owns the land. It just belongs to the refugee
camp. So there were some people, they were going to Israel in the Middle East. So they
just sold their home to him and he bought that home and he started living by himself. And
in 2008 the refugee commission from the United States, they started registering to come
to the United States and they got a group case. And they were waiting for their group case
and meanwhile he met with his wife. They got a child. Then she moved back with him.
Until he comes here, he was living with his wife. And he was talking about his two
friends, the ones who accepted him first. One of them, he came to Denver but for some
reason he deceased. And the other one, he didn't get to come to America. They rejected
his case. I don't know why but he's in Germany.
[28:07]
HWE: How did you celebrate holidays when you were in the camp, or did you celebrate them at
all?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He said, it depends on your attitude and on your brain. If you got things you put it first,
food and other stuff. If you don't have anything, just buy vegetables because they are the
cheapest over there. Just, you have to do what you have to do.
HWE: And did you get together with other people to celebrate at all?
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HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[30:14]
AWI: Yeah, he said, we were refugees. Most of the time we lived close to each other, we hung
out together, we discussed about what we have to do because we don't want to live on the
welfare of the refugee camp. We want to earn money and improve our life. So during
holidays we always shared what we got. Some people have money. Some of them they
don't have. So if your neighbors or other people you know, if you know they don't have
anything and if you know they are bachelors or singles, you just invite them, “Hey, come
tomorrow. I'm going to make food or buy a sheep or a chicken, whatever you've got, or
meat.” If they are families, because families they want to spend the holiday together, you
just share what you've got with them. You tell them, “Hey, tomorrow is a holiday, I know
you guys don't have anything. Here's this thing and celebrate the holiday.” But you share
whatever you got. It can be meat. It can be food. It can be vegetables. Whatever.
HWE: Did you do anything else besides just eat together?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya.]
[32:00]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [laughs]
AWI: He's saying, we just get together. We make coffee. If they've got a woman most of the
time the woman do coffee. If they don't have a woman, they just make it themselves. And
we discuss about their cultures because some people they were from the highlands, some
people from the western lowlands, some people from the eastern lowlands, that means
from the coast of the Red Sea. And we discuss about the way they live in their areas, how
they live, how they celebrate things, their culture and they just communicate and discuss
about cultures and things. And I asked him, do you guys dance, he said, how are we
going to dance? [Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [laughs]
AWI: They don't have record or a CD player or something to play the song, so you don't dance
without the music.
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HWE: There were no musicians?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: There were musicians. They were funded by the IRC. Or because they were by the IRC.
But they perform only on the holidays assigned by the IRC. It can be a Women's Day, a
Refugees' Day, Eritrean Independence Day. But they don't celebrate all holidays.
HWE: What kinds of instruments did they play?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[34:03]
AWI: They played guitar, organ, but–
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya]
AWI: –we got our own equipment. We call it Krar. It's kind of guitar. But there was nobody
that could play saxophone. Because they had the instrument, but there is no person who can
play it.
HWE: And was the way you celebrated holidays in the camp, was that similar to how you
celebrated them in Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating in Tigrinya.]
AW: Yeah.
AWI: Yeah.
HWE: Did you get a sense at all of how Ethiopia felt about having all of the refugees in their
country?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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[37:15]
AWI: Yeah, at first it was hard and they don't even like us, because they were even physically
attacking us, because there were some people who lost their teeth. There was a guy who
was hit by an ax. And they are refugees. The only thing they can prepare their food is by
firewood. And there were some people who went for the fire wood and the locals they
were beating them. They were telling them, “This is our wood, what the heck are you
doing with it?” They're all women. They got their wood and the locals, they just put fire
on the wood. They are not taking it. They just put fire on it, but after some time, the
government, the Ethiopian government. It was governing all the locals. It was telling
them, “Hey, these guys are refugees in our country. We have to help them. We are the
same people. We've got some political problems.” But some of them even, they were
born in Ethiopia but after the war broke, they were deported back to Eritrea because they were
born in Ethiopia, by blood they are Eritrean. They were deported. But the government
tried to discuss with the locals. And with the refugees too. So they start to get off it and
they were telling them they can get benefit because they accept the refugees, they can
have political benefit from it. And there was some refugees' organization from the
Netherlands. They came to the camp and they were teaching the refugees how to improve
their life, how to breed chickens, how to make beans because it was forest, and when they
were teaching the refugees, they were also teaching the locals together. So the locals
think, oh, so if we keep the refugees, we can get a lot of benefit. And they start trading
with them finally. Their difference doesn't exist and they start living together. But first
they were all hostile and they don't want them to be in that area.
[39:08]
HWE: How did you learn about the US refugee program?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[high pitched feedback noise 40:18]
[40:59]
AWI: At first, when he was living in Eritrea, he doesn't have any detailed knowledge of the
refugee case for him to come to America. His main reason to go to Ethiopia was to go to
Israel because he can cross through Sudan, but the border is so tough he cannot cross the
Sudan. But since he lives by the border of Ethiopia he just crossed to Ethiopia. His idea
was to go to Sudan, then Egypt, to Israel. But he was in Ethiopia and he was working on
something, he was calling someone, things like that. And there were a lot of people going
to Israel. To go to Israel from Ethiopia, you have to go to Sudan first, then cross all this
desert. You have to go to North of Egypt, cross the Sinai peninsula, then you go to Israel.
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And it costs a lot of money. And so you have to get money from your parents if they've
got some. Or you need someone or some relative in the United States or Europe because
parts of it take a lot of money. And there are a lot of smugglers in the border between
Israel and Egypt. But when these people who go to Israel, they get together over there and
they start petitioning to the refugee commission for the United Nations. They tell them,
“We're Eritreans. We've got a lot of political problems. We've got a lot of refugees in
Ethiopia. You guys are not doing anything.” Then after that it is the UNHCR. I think it is
a refugee commission. They collaborated with the United States and they started giving
them group case and things like that. And they started immigrating to America.
[42:43]
HWE: Can you tell me about how you got to the US?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [laughs]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: Yeah.
AWI: When he was in the refugee camp, when they are approving him to go to the United
States they have to wait for a flight because they send you when they have empty flights
coming back from Ethiopia. His first flight was on January 15th, 2013. And they cancelled
it. And the second flight was March 5, 2013. They also cancelled it.
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya]
[high pitched feedback noise 44:09]
AWI: Then there was another flight scheduled for him on April 4th, 2013. So from the refugee
camp he moved to Addis Ababa because the airport is in Addis Ababa, the capital of
Ethiopia.
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
AWI: And they cancelled it again.
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
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AWI: Then when you come to the United States you have to do medical check up for TB and
other vaccinations. It works only for six months. Because they cancelled his schedule
three times, his medical thing was expired. He has to retake it in Addis Ababa.
[high pitched feedback noise 44:52 to 44:56]
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
AWI: After he get his medical, after 44 days, on June 18th, they told him, “Hey there is a flight.
You're going to the United States on July 1st.” [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: Yeah.
AWI: Then he came to the United States on July the 1st. [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: So when he land, he went outside of the Bole airport where he take a flight to Egypt.
They got a transit. From Egypt they flew directly to New York. From New York they
took him by a bus to New Haven, Connecticut and he stayed there for five months.
[46:13]
HWE: Were there other refugees on the flight with you?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[high pitched feedback noise 46:26]
AWI: There were two Eritreans. There were Sudanese and Somalis too.
HWE: What was it like living in New Haven?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: At first, the air is cold in Connecticut. He was raised in the lowlands of Eritrea and it's too
hot. [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: Most of the time where he was raised, it was forty, forty-two, sometimes forty-five
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degrees centigrade. [high pitched feedback noise begins 47:43] That means 100 degrees
Fahrenheit. So New Haven was so cold for him, so as soon as he arrived, when he got his
papers, he started working with a landscaping company his second month because he
came here to improve his life. [end noise 48:01] Then from his arrival after five months it
gets too cold because he came in July. In December it gets too cold, then he moved to
Idaho. [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[high pitched feedback noise 48:35 to 48:37]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: Mm-hmm.
AWI: So in Idaho he was working two jobs. One of them was growing with a potato company
and another one was with a cheese company.
HWE: And before you started work in the US, did you get any help from the government or any
religious organizations?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[50:00]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
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AW: Yeah.
AWI: They were taking food stamps from the workforce of that state, that means Connecticut.
AW: [Speaking Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: And five months they paid him his rent. I think it's some government organization, he
can't remember their name but something to do with immigration.
[high pitched feedback noise 50:24 to 50:28]
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: Immigration, immigrants.
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He's saying they are everywhere in every state. When you are a refugee they just help
you. They give you money and they help you. It was some kind of immigration services.
HWE: And is there any way that your first few months in the US could've [high pitched
feedback noise 51:04] been improved?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [noise ends 52:12]
[52:20]
AWI: Yeah. I don't know if they can do more, but they were giving us, they were paying for the
rent. And for the first two months, they give us 200 dollar for food stamp each month, but
after that they cut by 11 dollars so they were giving everyone in the whole United States
only 189. And when he moved to Idaho, they helped him with his rent for two months
and they're giving him food stamp for six months and after those they told him, “Hey
come to the work force for some interviews and we'll help you with additional food
stamps” but he told them, “Hey, I'm working and I can support myself. I don't need any
more food stamps” and [high pitched feedback noise 53:05] he didn't show up in the
interview.
HWE: And was– So you went from New Haven to Idaho and was it any warmer in Idaho than it
had been in New Haven? [laughs]
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HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [laughs]
[54:04]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He said, he was talking to his friend in Idaho. He told them, “Hey, this area's too cold. I
cannot do it here.” His friend told him, “Okay, it's cold here but let's try it over here.
Come over here.” And he came to Idaho. When he was coming there was a lot of snow
coming down. And it was even cold even in the airport, [end noise 55:05] so he told the
security, “Hey, I'm staying inside. I'm not leaving until my friends come back, show up.”
Because his friends, [high pitched feedback noise at 55:09] they were not in the airport at
the time he was landing. So he waited inside the airport to wait for his ride but it was too
cold even in the airport. Then he started work then. Utah and Idaho, they are kind of the
same in weather but they are different than Connecticut. Connecticut is close to Canada
and close to the sea, the ocean, and it is colder than Idaho.
BDA: [to HWE] So what do you think? You came from the west coast– east coast. [laughs]
HWE: Me? About the weather?
BDA: Oh sorry. The interview is about him not about you. [laughs]
HWE: [laughs]
AW: [laughs]
HWE: How long have you lived in Cache Valley?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
[56:04]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He's going on his tenth month. Last month, on the 13th , it was his ninth month.
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HWE: And did you go straight here from Idaho?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
AW: Yeah.
AWI: Yeah.
HWE: And why did you decide to come here after Idaho?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: Yeah, in Idaho he was working two jobs, almost 20 hours a day. He was sleeping just
three hours a day. And they were paying him only nine dollars per hour. So he was asking
friends for a better job with better payment. So came here. They work only between 9 to
10 hours in Hyram. And he gets paid 13.75 an hour. The job is hard, but I got time to rest.
That's why he moved to Logan.
[58:22]
HWE: And you work at JBS?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: Yeah.
HWE: Okay. What has it been like living in Logan?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He said, I like Logan. It's safe place. I don't have to worry about my security. And I work.
I support my relatives. I support my children and his wife. He's processing their visa. I
hope they will come soon. And most of the time when you move from one state to
another state you have to think about yourself and discuss with yourself, why are you
moving? So I told Logan had a better lifestyle, lifestyle than there was in Idaho, better
pay. So, so far, I cannot complain. Logan is a good place and I hope I will improve my
life better than I have now.
[60:31]
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HWE: Do you feel included in the community here?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: Yeah. Until now, I didn't encounter anything bad, not only in Logan but in the whole
United States. Sometimes, due to the language barrier, there might be some conflicts but
I'm sure it's because we don't speak English and they don't speak Tigrinya. But if I can
speak English and explain my culture and my needs, I hope I feel included.
HWE: What do you think could be done to make you feel more at home here?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
End part 1 of 2: 62:06
Begin part 2 of 2:
[00:01] [high pitched feedback noise from beginning to end]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He said, I think he needs to do more to study English and if he studied English, if he can
communicate with the locals, he will tell them how we live our [??] things like that. And
he learns the culture of the locals if they can communicate. If he can communicate with
the other people, just respect each other and live including each other, life will be easier.
But if we don't communicate with them, if we don't know the language, it will be hard.
But the only thing we have to do is learn English and explain ourselves.
HWE: Okay. How is your home here different than the one you had in Eritrea.
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [laughs]
AWI: He was living in a house but now he's living in an apartment.
HWE: [laughs]
AW: [laughs]
HWEI: [Speaks in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
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AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [laughs]
[02:20]
AWI: There is a lot of difference. The utensils here and back home are different. Back home we
use firewood to cook our food and other stuff, but here we use gas stoves. And for ready
to eat things we use a microwave here, but over there, nobody knows what a microwave
is.
HWE: Can you tell me about your experiences with your landlord?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: We don't even know who's owner of this apartment. They heard lives in Texas, and some
other company, they lease all the apartments. They got a drop box downstairs. Every
month, they write the money order and they just drop it. And they don't know who takes
the money or who owns these apartments.
[03:58]
HWE: So what happens when you have a problem like if your fridge breaks or something goes
wrong?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: So all of the refrigerators, they have a contact number, so if something goes wrong, you
just call that contact number and they deal with it.
HWE: Oh, okay.
HWEI: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: But so far they don't have any problems so they never use that number.
HWE: Okay. What would you like people in Logan to know about you and other Eritreans here?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
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AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He says, here in Logan, those who can speak English, they are so few. But I hope we can
learn English and discuss with the Logan community how they go, their political system,
the way they live, their culture, and more else. And I hope we can communicate with
them. But now there are only a few people who can talk to them.
[06:14]
HWE: If you could, would you go back to your home country?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He cannot go.
HWE: But if you were able to, would you want to?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: I don't think we are going back home but if the government or the system is changed over
there, if they can allow all the refugees to come back to Eritrea, if he becomes a citizen, I
might go for a visit, but I don't think I will go back.
HWE: What are you most proud of?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[08:00]
AWI: I'm happy because I'm healthy and I can work and support myself and my families. And,
second, although I know only few English, I am proud I can– I will try to make friends
and communicate with other people.
HWE: What are your dreams for the future?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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AWI: This time I cannot tell you about my dreams because I am working on bringing my
family, my wife and children, so when she comes here, we will discuss about our future
dreams with my family, my wife and my children. And after, if she comes here, we'll
both dream together, but if I dream something now and she dreams another dream, it'll be two
dreams and one family. So when she shows up here, we can discuss about myself, about
our future. We will buy a house and we'll improve our future life and future life of our
children.
HWE: Okay. I think that's all. Do you guys have anything you want to ask?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
[09:53]
AW: Okay. [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: He said, I appreciate you on behalf of myself and the other people in Logan or Utah.
Because you guys are working to get our culture and to take it to the people of Logan and
other people. So I appreciate what you guys are doing.
HWE: Thank you.
AW: You're welcome.
HWE: I hope we'll be able to do that correctly. Do you have anything else that you want to add?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
AWI: I don't have any other things to add, but I hope in our, in my future interview, things like
this or other stuff, I hope I will do it myself without a translator. I think I want to talk to
any person, man, woman, it doesn't matter, but I just want to do it myself without a
translator.
HWE: Okay. So, thanks for agreeing to meet with us. And we have a release form to sign that
has to do with putting the interview and the photos in the archives being used for an
online presentation.
HWEI: [Repeating statement in Tigrinya.]
[12:07]
AW: Okay.
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BDA: Does he need to write in English, or?
HWE: No, you can write in whatever language you want.
HWEI: [Repeating statement in Tigrinya.]
AW: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
BDA: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
AW: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
End part 2 of 2: [12:29]]]> Afeworki Woldemichael, 1979-;]]> Williams, Heidi, 1989-;]]> Berhane Debesai Abraha, 1980-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Warner-Evans, Hilary, 1994;]]> Warner-Evans, Hilary, 1994-;]]> transcripts;]]> application/pdf;]]> 162008 Bytes]]> tir; eng;]]> Text;]]> Western Lowland Eritrea; Ethiopia; Egypt; New York, NY; New Haven, CT; Idaho;]]> Eritrea; Eritreans; Families; Refugees; Ethiopia; Logan, UT; Culture; Tigrinya; English; Education; International Refugee Commission; Refugee Camps; Work; Eritrea-- Food; Afeworki Woldemichael-- Interviews]]> Afeworki Woldemichael, 1979-;]]> Williams, Heidi, 1989-;]]> Berhane Debesai Abraha, 1980-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Warner-Evans, Hilary, 1994;]]> Warner-Evans, Hilary, 1994-;]]> oral histories (document genre);]]> audio/mp3;]]> 71621802 Bytes]]> tir; eng;]]> Sound;]]> Western Lowland Eritrea; Ethiopia; Egypt; New York, NY; New Haven, CT; Idaho;]]> Eritrea; Eritreans; Families; Refugees; Ethiopia; Logan, UT; Culture; Tigrinya; English; Education; International Refugee Commission; Refugee Camps; Work; Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsal-- Interviews]]> Seltene Gebrelasie Gebretinsa, 1975-;]]> Olsen, Magen, 1986-;]]> Berhane Debesai Abraha, 1980-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Warner-Evans, Hilary, 1994-;]]> Gross, Susan;]]> oral histories (document genre)]]> audio/mp3;]]> 61953052 Bytes]]> tir; eng;]]> Sound;]]> Segeneiti, Eritrea; Sudan; Libya; Malta; England; New York, New York; Las Vegas, Nevada;]]> Eritrea; Eritreans; Families; Refugees; Immigration; Immigrants; Malta; Logan, UT; Culture; Tigrinya; English; Education; International Refugee Commission; Refugee Camps; Work; Holidays; Eritrea-- Food; Seltene Gebrelasie Gebretinsa-- Interviews]]> Valley
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CACHE VALLEY REFUGEE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
TRANSCRIPTION COVER SHEET
Interviewee(s): Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsa
Present: Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsa, Hilary Warner-Evans, Berhane Debesai
Abraha, Heidi Williams, Megan Olsan
Place of Interview: Logan Public Library, Logan, Utah
Date of Interview: May 16, 2015
Language(s): Tigrinya
Translation:
Interviewer: Hilary Warner-Evans
Interpreter: Berhane Debesai Abraha
Recordist: Heidi Williams
Photographer: Magen Olsen
Recording Equipment: Tascam DR-100mk11 linear PCM recorder; Senal ENG-18RL
broadcast-quality omnidirectional dynamic microphone
Transcription Equipment: Express Scribe with PowerPlayer foot pedal.
Transcribed by: Susan Gross, May 22, 2015
Transcript Proofed by: Hilary Warner-Evans, May 24, 2015
Brief Description of Contents: Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsa tells about his birthplace in Eritrea, a little bit about
his family and his religion. He talks about his 11 year service in the army as an impetus to flee his country and
become a refugee. He discusses his journey as a refugee, first in Malta, and the process to eventually come to the
United States. He talks about adjusting to living in the United States, from taking classes to learn English and
working to support himself. He talks about his wife and children he left behind, and his hopes of being able to have
them join him in the United States.
Reference: HW = Hilary Warner-Evans
HWI = Hilary Warner-Evans’ words interpreted by translator
SG = Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsa
SGGI: = Seltene Gebreselasie Gebretinsa’s words interpreted by translator
NOTE: The interview was conducted with the assistance of a live translator, Berhane Debesai
Abraha. The interpreter was there for the whole period. False starts, pauses, or transitions in
dialogue such as “uh” and starts and stops in conversations are not included in transcript. All
additions and added information to transcript are noted with brackets.
TAPE TRANSCRIPTION
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[00:01]
HWE: Okay, it is May 16th, 2015. This is Hilary Warner-Evans interviewing Seltene
Gebreselasie Gebretinsa.
SGG: Yeah.
HWE: And he is a member of the Eritrean community here, in Logan, Utah. We are at the Logan
Public Library, in the Temple Fork Room. And Berhane Debesai Abraha is translating
into Tigrinya. And also present are Heidi Williams, recording, and Magen Olsen, doing
photography.
Can you – we’ve actually already gone over part of this – but can you give me your full
name and your birth year?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: His birthday is January 1, 1975.
[Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: And his name is Seltene Gebreselasie.
HWE: Okay. And can you tell me about your family?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Okay, no problem; I can tell you about my family: I was born in east Africa, in Eritrea,
and my father is Gebreselasie Gebretinsa. Okay.
SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: And I was born in southern zone, it’s called Zoba Debub in Tigrinya, and the place he
was born in Segeneiti – it’s a small village.
[Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: It’s around 70 kilometers south of the capital city Asmara.
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SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: I was born and raised in Segeneiti, and when my age reached 18, I went for National
Service.
SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: And I have been in the army for around 11 years, and life was not comfortable for me.
And I just left the country and moved some other place.
HWE: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yes.
[Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he has one sister, and there are four boys. Aand there was another brother –
[Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he died in the war with Ethiopia before 1994 – the War of Liberation with
Ethiopian’s army; he died in the struggle.
HWE: And are you the only member of your family here, in the United States?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he’s the only one.
HWE: What languages do you speak?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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SGGI: He speaks Tigrinya.
HWE: And what ethnic or religious community do you consider yourself to be a part of?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He is a Christian; he is a follower of Eritrean Orthodox Church.
HWE: Can you tell me a little bit about Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[06:31]
SGGI: Eritrea is a beautiful and comfortable country to live, but at this time because of the
situation of the war and the political system, it’s not becoming favorable for the people to
live in it.
SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, at this time Eritrea is kind of in a war, so everybody is in the army for ten years or
more; so people cannot live their life, cannot support their family – so everybody is
leaving to help themself and to improve their life and the life of their family. So that’s
why I move out of the country: in search of a good life, and better life.
HWE: How long did you live in Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He was living in Eritrea starting the date of his birth, 1975, up to 2008.
HWE: Can you tell me about the experience of leaving?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, I am married and I have two children; since I was in the army I cannot support
them, I cannot do anything. And it was for a long time. So I want to improve my life and
my family’s lives. And I leave Eritrea to the Sudan’s border; then from Sudan he went to
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Libya, through the desert there. He crosses the Mediterranean to Malta; and from Malta
he came to the United States.
HWE: Did you spend any time in a camp while you were coming over?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He was in Malta from 2008, up to 2012, under the Refugee Commission.
HWE: What was it like being with the Refugee Commission in Malta?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: So Malta’s refugee camp was kind of good, because you are free to move out. So he was
not in the camp, he was working in Malta –
[Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya]
SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He was working with some farmers on the farm. So while he was a refugee, until he
comes to the United States, he was working earning money, and he was supporting his
family and himself. So they didn’t have anything to worry in Malta, because they could
work and they were working.
[10:57]
HWE: So how did you – when you were working on a farm back in Eritrea.
HWEI: Eritrea.
HWE: Right?
HWEI: [Repeating statement in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, I was born in a farming family, so I was raised with them – so I was working on a
farm.
[Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
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HWE: Can you talk about the food or the medical care that you received when you were in the
refugee camp in Malta?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Okay, in the refugee camp in Malta, for the first seven months we were under the
Refugee Commission until they finish all our registration and until they check and
double-check our information. So they were providing us food, the house was clean; they
give us shelter, clothes and bed. But after seven months, when they finish the registration
stuff, we were allowed to leave the camp and to work. So after that I was working and
earning money myself, and I was living by myself.
HWE: What kind of work did you do?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He was working with the local farmers.
HWE: Okay.
SGGI: So they got a big farm. He was working with them.
HWE: How did you celebrate, like, holidays when you were living in the camp?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[14:06]
SGGI: Okay, he say it was okay; Maltans, they have a lot of holidays – and we celebrate all
holidays with them. And their biggest holiday is Christmas, and we were celebrating it
with the people.
SGG: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: And their second holiday was Easter, and we are celebrating it with them.
HWE: What kinds of things did you do for Christmas and Easter?
HWEI: [Repeating question in Tigrinya.]
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SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he is saying he was so close with the family he was working with; they were kind
of parents for me. And for the purpose of work he was rented in front, close to them; so
most of the time, 25% of the time, he was celebrating the holiday with them.
HWE: And how did that differ from how you celebrated it back in your home country?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: It’s kind of the same – they didn’t have any difference.
HWE: Okay. So did you eat like any particular foods, or do anything particular?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said in Malta they kind of live in extended family, so most of the time on holidays
they don’t cook – they just go out all together. So since he was working with them, they
always take him with them, and they go out and order food and get it; they don’t cook at
all.
HWE: Okay. And did you do anything else besides go out to eat? Did you go to church or
anything like that?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[17:51]
SGGI: Okay. In Malta they always go to church Saturday evening and Sunday morning. So the
church was close to my apartment, and I kind of know their language at that time – so I
used to go to their church.
HWE: Now was it like an Orthodox church?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: No, Catholic.
HWE: Okay.
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SGGI: It was a Catholic church.
HWE: So was that very different for you to go to a Catholic church, instead of Orthodox?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said for him it doesn’t make any difference because in his home town, tthe place he
grow up, the majority of the people are Catholics, and few are Orthodox; so he knows
what Catholic is, and their culture.
HWE: And in the camp – were there other people from Eritrea there?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: A lot.
HWE: Was that the majority of the people there?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: The majority of the refugees were Somalians and people from West Africa.
HWE: So did you end up celebrating at all with other people from your home country? Or did
you mostly just go with the people you were working for?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he was saying the refugee’s holidays – they are always the same, so he was
celebrating it with the family he was working; but the public holidays – he was
celebrating them with the people from Eritrea.
HWE: What kinds of public holidays did you celebrate?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[21:39]
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SGGI: He said the religious holidays are the same, so he would sometime celebrate them with
the family he was working, but holidays like May 24th (that means it’s Eritrean
Independence Day) and June 20 (it’s kind of Memorial Day – we call it the Martyrs’
Day) – he was celebrating it with the Eritreans.
HWE: And how did you celebrate those holidays?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Most of the people – after they were allowed to leave the camp in war, they rented their
own apartment, so they would celebrate the whole island. So when there is holidays they
rent a big hall, and they prepare food and drinks, and they celebrate it together.
HWE: And what kinds of food and drinks did you have?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: For the foods they buy meat and some of them they prepare ingera, and they just make
food just like the way we do at home. And for the drink they just buy beer.
HWE: So for the meat would you get like a whole animal?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: So they were buying beef from groceries.
HWE: Okay. And did you get the beer from the grocery too?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [Laughs]
SGGI: Yeah, that is the only way – you can buy it from groceries [laughs].
HWE: [Laughs]
So how did Malta feel about the refugees coming in from Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
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SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[25:06]
SGGI: Malta is a small island, its population is around half million, 500,000. So at first, when
the refugees come to their area, they didn’t like it because it’s a small country, and there
are a lot of refugees; but some time they get used to them, so they were friendly. Then
after they get their refugee status, American Immigration System, they came to them and
they give them asylum to the United States.
HWE: So did you feel safe when you were there?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He says the country is so nice – it’s a free country, nobody talks to you, nobody even
asks, nobody stops you. But when they first arrived in Malta, the people they don’t like
them; sometimes even if they see another Eritrean or another refugee on the bus they just
leave the whole bus. But after some time they get used to them Then they didn’t care
anymore.
HWE: And how did you learn about the U.S. refugee program?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: There was a refugee office over there, a refugee commission office, so he go over there to
the office, and there are a lot of refugee places to go: Europe, Canada, America (or
United States of America), and Australia. You choose which area you want to go, you
just go and you settle with them and they take care of your process.
HWE: Okay, so you can choose which country you want to go to?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[28:42]
SGGI: They ask you question and if you want to go to Germany, France, Holland (or the
Netherlands), Slovakia, and Hungary. I don’t want to go that places, so I tell them that I
am not going to these places and they give me opportunity to go to the United States.
HWE: And how did you apply to do that?
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HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, at that time, the United States were taking a lot of Eritrean refugees, so as soon as I
know the United States taking refugees, I went there and applied. And it took me around
seven years to process everything. And I did my interview and they gave me the
congratulation paper. That means they accepted him. And after that he came to the United
States.
HWE: So did someone in the office help you do that process, with all the paperwork and stuff?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, in their office they have a translator, a paid translator, so I go through the process.
In Malta at the Immigration Office you cannot do it the way we do it in Africa, because
in Africa you can bribe stuff like that, but in Malta you cannot do that; you have to go
through all the process. They provide you translator, and they check everything, your
background and other stuff. And when you pass everything they tell you when you come.
When you finish your immigration process, then when they approve you, you just come
to the United States.
[31:34]
HWE: And can you tell me a little bit about the journey to the United States?
HWEI: You mean the airplane journey?
HWE: Yeah, or how you go from Malta to the U.S.?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Okay. So when all their process is done, when their flight is scheduled to show up in
Malta, the Refugee Commission – they took them to the airport; they put them in the
airplanes and they showed them their chair and they told them, “Good luck, have a nice
trip.” And from Malta, they fly to England for a transit. And in England some people
were waiting for them – and the same thing: these people, they took them to the next
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airplane, and they put them on the airplane (they same the thing), “Good luck, nice trip.”
And after that, from England they landed in New York.
HWE: And were there other Eritrean refugees going on the plane with you?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: There were four Eritreans and three Somalians on the plane.
HWE: So you came to New York first. Did you fly, then, directly from New York to Salt Lake?
Or did you spend time in another place in the U.S.?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[34:51]
SGGI: Okay, when they come from Malta, their destination was not New York – it was Las
Vegas, Nevada; but they stayed two days in New York because the weather was bad.
Planes could not fly that day; so they stayed two days. Then after the weather got normal,
they flew to Las Vegas, Nevada, for their final destination. And he stayed three months in
Las Vegas.
[Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWE: What time of year was it when you were flying?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: [Speaking in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: It was December 7, 2012.
HWE: What were the first months like in Las Vegas?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
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SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said, Las Vegas is okay, but I didn’t like it – it’s too hot. But I stayed there for three
months because he was going to English classes. After he finished the first three months
of the class, then he moved to – [speaking Tigrinya to interviewee]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He moved to Logan.
HWE: Where were you taking English classes in Las Vegas?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He was going to the Catholic school church, because this Catholic school – the Catholics,
they got an organization for the refugees (they help with their flight and other stuff). So
he was going there – it was for free. The first couple of months when you show up here,
you need to get your social security, you have to get your ID (that is a kind of work
permit). So I was waiting for the papers, but I decided to go to school instead of just
sitting and wait for the papers.
HWE: Were you there with other members of the Eritrean community?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[38:21]
SGGI: When he come from Malta, he was with three other Eritreans (that means four of them),
so they were all assigned to Las Vegas. So four of them, they give them one house with
three bedrooms; so they were staying together for the first three months. And after three
months he moved to Logan.
HWE: And the others stayed in Las Vegas?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: They stayed there; they are still there.
HWE: What else was Las Vegas like, besides too hot?
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HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said Las Vegas has a lot of big building, beautiful places: hotels, houses and other
stuff – but it’s not like Utah; I didn’t like it. He can’t see a lot of stuff there.
HWE: So you were in like a more rural area when you were in Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he was more in a rural area. Then he moved to a small town.
HWE: How could your situation, when you first came to the United States, have been improved?
I mean, in terms of like the help you received.
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[41:28]
SGGI: When they first showed up – the United States government helps us a lot: they do
whatever we need necessary. When we first show up they give us 1100 dollars each in
our hand, but we don’t know anybody in this country, so they ask the Refugee
Commission to rent house for them. So they help them to rent a house or apartment with
their money. And everyone, they were given – [speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: [Speaking in Tigrinya to interviewee.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: They were giving them 350 dollars every month. They were assigned to take 350 for
eight months, but as soon as he moved in the third month he get 350 dollars every month
for the first three months. And he came to Logan, so they cut the money they were giving
him.
HWE: Oh. So when you decided to move to another place they stopped giving you the money?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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SGGI: He said you can take it – they don’t stop it, but most of the time if you got a job, I don’t
need any assistance. So thanks God when I moved here, I got a job, so I don’t want to
take money anymore.
HWE: Did you not have a job in Las Vegas?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: No.
HWE: Okay. How long have you lived in Logan?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Two years.
HWE: And where do you work?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: JBS Beef Company.
SGGI: JBS Beef Company in Hyrum.
HWE: What is like here?
HWEI: You mean work, or?
HWE: Work and just life in general in this area.
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[44:05]
SGGI: He likes Utah – it’s a good place to live; I didn’t see any bad things here, so it’s a nice
place to live here.
HWE: Do you feel like you’re included in the Logan community?
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HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: This is a good place to live. Most of the time we spend our time at work, so he cannot say
anything about any other people; they cannot say they include me, they didn’t include
me, but every time we are at work and at home.
HWE: Do you live with other people here?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
HWE: Oh, you live on your own, right? You said that already.
HWEI: [Repeating the statement in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, he got two roommates.
HWE: Oh, okay. Okay, is there anything that you think would make you feel more at home
here?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said now I want to stay in America, so I am improving my life and I am looking for a
better opportunities. We are waiting for this country to grow up and for us to get more
opportunities.
HWE: How is living here different than living back home?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[47:44]
SGGI: Life in America is so expensive, rent is expensive; you cannot live if you don’t have
work. And even though you are not going to live with anybody, everybody wants money.
Back home, life is not expensive; so, for example, if you don’t have any apartment to
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live, you can live with families, you can live with other people for some time; you can
share with everybody. But here you have to work hard and pay a lot of money for life.
HWE: How has it been renting an apartment or house?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He said when I compare with Malta – In Malta I used to have my own one bedroom
apartment and that one bedroom includes everything: furniture, bed, kitchen utensils,
refrigerator, and everything – and he was paying only 150 dollar for it (150 Euros for it).
But here, rent is so expensive it’s just – cannot compare; it’s too expensive.
HWE: And what is your landlord like?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[50:29]
SGGI: Yeah, he is sole renter of the apartment they live in now – the landlord, we never sees
him. There was a time when we used to go over their place, but now they got a drop box;
we just write a money order or check, you just drop it. They don’t say anything; they
don’t even come to the apartment.
HWE: What would you like people in Logan to know about you and other members of your
community here?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
HWEI: [Speaking to interviewee in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He is saying I would like to thank for, not only for Logan, but for the government of the
United States, because they know we got in trouble, so they are helping us: they are
bringing us over here, and they tried to find jobs and apartments for us. So I came to the
United States in Las Vegas when I came here, and they’re still helping me. But the state
of Utah, they accept a lot of refugees from Eritrea, and they try to help them with work,
school, housing and other stuffs. So I appreciate the United States government for
helping the Eritrean communities, and I want them to keep helping because there are still
more people who needs extra help.
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HWE: Would you go back to Eritrea if you were able to do that?
HWEI: You mean to visit, or just go back entirely?
HWE: Both, I guess.
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[54:07]
SGGI: He is saying as long as the political situation is the same in Eritrea and the government
stays there, I don’t want to go there and I cannot go there because this government is not
treating us well. I have been in the army for 11 years. How can a person stay in the army
for 11 years without payment. But if administration changed, I would like to go visit my
families and see Eritrea; all the people of Eritrea are friendly and nice people. So I want
to go there and see them; it has been too long since the time I was out of Eritrea.
HWE: So you said earlier you had a wife and two kids in Eritrea?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, I have a wife and two kids.
HWE: Are you still in communication with them?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, I call them.
HWE: Do you send them money?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah.
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
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SGGI: Yeah, I am the sole helper of the [???] community.
HWE: Do they have any plans to come join you here?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, I applied for them to join me here, and the immigration system (or the Visa center),
they approved my application – they even called them for interview, but my children,
they are so small so I cannot take them out safely, so I don’t want to expose them in
danger because they are too young. So they are entirely dependent, so when they grow up
or when there is a possibility to take them out they will come and join him.
HWE: How old are your children?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: The boy is ten and the girl is eight.
HWE: What are you most proud of, in terms of having come here?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
[57:42]
SGGI: He said I am proud to be here because this country is a big country, and there is a lot of
opportunities if you think hard and work hard you can do whatever you want to do: you
can go to school – you can work and go to school. So the only thing you need to do here
is just work hard and think hard, and you just do whatever you want to do; you can reach
your dreams.
HWE: What are your dreams for the future?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [High pitched feedback noise begins 58:29]
SGGI: He saying when we come here I need to learn – so he was going to school [??] for four
months; and now he is going to the English school. So he his plans now is to work in the
daytime and go to school in the evening in order to improve his life.
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HWE: What, specifically, would you like to have change in your life after you learn English?
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [High pitched feedback ends 59:45]
[60:00]
SGGI: Yeah, I never went to school when I was back home, so I didn’t have education
background. So the reason I am going to school now is I don’t want to be illiterate,
because I will try to read and do his stuff on his own. And when his children show up (or
when they come to the United States) he just wants to help them [high pitched feedback
noise begins 60:20 when they are in school and other stuff, because he needs to learn the
language. If he don’t know the language, he cannot help his own.
HWE: I think that might be about it; do you guys have anything you want to ask? [To other
fieldworkers] No? Okay. Is there anything that we haven’t asked you that you think we
should know? [to interviewee]
HWEI: [Repeating the question in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.] [end feedback noise 61:34, begins again at 61:47 and
continues to end]
[End part 1 of 2 – 62:05]
[Part 2 of 2 – 00:01]
[high pitched feedback noise from beginning]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: He saying when they come to the United States when they are in Malta, they gave them
three days course how the United States government works and everything. And they told
them, “If you guys are married, your family will follow you here between six to eight
months. If you are not married, [end feedback noise at 00:37] and if you plan to come
back some countries can get married and take them to the United States, if better if you
become a citizenship, then it will be easier.” But his wife is in Ethiopia now, his children
are in Eritrea, but his wife is in Ethiopia; she did an interview a year ago, but she is still
waiting for the flight in Ethiopia. It has been more than two years since he has been here
and it has been more than a year since she did the interview; she is just waiting for the
flight. So there was some kind of misunderstanding. The way they tell them in Malta, and
the way things are going here – they are not the same.
HWE: Okay. I think this concludes our interview. Thanks for agreeing to meet with me. And we
do have like a release form to put the interview into the Archives at USU, and also, I
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think, [high pitched feedback noise begins 01:40 and continues to end] for it to be used in
our online exhibit, and also for– like we are going to have a community event on
Thursday that I will tell you more about.
HWEI: [Repeating the statement in Tigrinya.]
SGG: [Responding in Tigrinya.]
SGGI: Yeah, no problem; he will sign your paper.
[End part 2 of 2 – 02:25]]]> Seltene Gebrelasie Gebretinsa, 1975-;]]> Olsen, Magen, 1986-;]]> Berhane Debesai Abraha, 1980-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Warner-Evans, Hilary, 1994-;]]> Gross, Susan;]]> transcripts;]]> application/pdf;]]> 160911 Bytes]]> tir; eng;]]> Text;]]> Segeneiti, Eritrea; Sudan; Libya; Malta; England; New York, New York; Las Vegas, Nevada;]]>