Nicollet County, Minnesota The Faces of Immigration

Elizabeth: Yes.Jamie: Where did you meet?Elizabeth: In Sudan we live in the same place and our families know each other becausewe from the same place. Our family know for long long time; I know him and he knowme; I know his background and he know mine.Jamie: So all of your family is in Sudan still too?Elizabeth. Yes.Jamie: When you two came to America did you come just the two of you?Elizabeth: Yeah…The U.N. leave the refugee camp in Kenya and then U.N. come to giveus the form and application, then we wait for a couple months, like six months, and thenafter that you get everything done you came here.Jamie: Did you have any children when you came?Elizabeth: Yeah, we had one…that one. (Pointing to her eldest son). He was five monthsat the time.Jamie: Yes, that was almost ten years ago.Elizabeth: Yeah, we came in 1994…I think, 12 years.Jamie: Where did you move to first?Elizabeth: Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and then we came here in 2002.Jamie: Why did you make that move?David: We come and we are needing to get an education. And we come here to school.Jamie: Are there programs in Sioux Falls for ESL?David: No, not like here. Some people go to Southeast technical and learn yourself for along time…take a long time.Jamie: What kind of jobs are here in North Mankato?Elizabeth: In Sioux Falls, South Dakota it is better to get a job and easy to get a place tolive for apartment…but here it is too hard. Too long time to get apartment and rent is toohigh too.27