Field Work Assignment
Immigrant interviewed : Elnara Karadzhayeva
As I interviewed Elnara I was not surprised at all but in fact inspired. There were many pushes and pulls that caused her & her family to immigrate here in the United States in 2005. I was told the reasoning for them leaving Russia was for better opportunities for better jobs and education. They wanted to live in a better city like environment which lead them to one of the best places for new experiences- New York. They were used to a more farm like environment where she would milk goats and do a lot of agricultural activities. I gathered that her incorporation to this new country is just like every other teenager. Meaning that getting a good education and becoming successful is very essential for her and her family. There are a lot of differences that were explained to me between U.S and Russian cultures. Since she is a now female in the U.S she realizes that we are a lot more independent. Us women do not need men to do anything because here we can provide for ourselves which is normal. Gender roles are different also because back in her home her family would pick out a husband for her. Since I was born and raised in the U.S I will fall in love and marry a man on my own terms. Expectations are set very high for her. Because her mother was able to come over work 2 jobs and do school to become a optician she expects her to do even more. I notice that her mother and father put a lot of pressure on her to be great and have more than they did at the age she is. It is different for her because they didn’t have the opportunities she had at a younger age which gives them an excuse. Overall being a Muslim, Turkish, young girl there are a lot of obstacles she will face but because her parents decided to raise her in New York she will now get the chance to be the lawyer of her dreams and hopefully in the future allow immigrants like her to come over and let their dreams come true as well.
