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Photo by ELIZABETH A. MUNDSCHENK
Bosnian Edin Karajic, left, and his family in their Utica home.
On right is his wife Zinka. His children are Haris, 11, and
Maida, 2 1/2. |
Memories of homeland still vivid,
newcomers adapt to Mohawk Valley
When Edin Karajic came to Utica in 1996 with
his wife and 3-year-old son, he only had $40 in his pocket and felt
like he didn’t belong. FULL
STORY >>
 Newcomers
struggling to climb economic ladder
Many newcomers, particularly Bosnians, have made
strides in the work force over the last decade. They’ve assumed
higher paying positions and started their own small businesses.
But many more are held back by language, cultural differences and
education levels. FULL
STORY >>
 Woman's
quest for citizenship difficult but rewarding
Months before taking the test to become an American
citizen, Ana Anusic’s constant companion was a white binder stuffed
with patriotic practice questions. FULL
STORY >>
 Immigrants
strive to preserve past; children shaped by American life
Angijad “Ango” Sarajlija gave up his full-time
gig as a traveling musician in favor of a steady day job a few months
ago, with the hope that tending bar at his Stari Grad restaurant
would allow him more time with his wife and children. FULL
STORY >>
American pop culture,
peer pressure beckon young immigrants
When Hawa Deramy came to Utica from Sierra
Leone two years ago, her parents sat her down for a talk. We need
to keep our culture alive, they told the children. FULL
STORY >>
| CULTURAL PROFILES: Local children
|
 Jasmin
Jalca Mendoza, 14, Ecuador
Life in Utica took some getting
used to for Jasmin Jalca Mendoza. When she moved here from Ecuador
last summer, she was a little shocked, she says.
PROFILE
>> |
 Mohamed
Kasim, 8, Iraq
Mohamed Kasim already
knows what he wants for his ninth birthday. Pokemon
and Yu-Gi-Oh cards, the 8-year-old third-grader from Iraq says.
PROFILE
>> |
 Ren
Nguyen, 13, Vietnam
Ren Nguyen’s Vietnamese/American
culture is occasionally a source of ridicule. He has an accent
in both languages, sometimes mixing the two.
PROFILE
>> |
 Tea
Avdic, 13, Serbia
Tea Avdic likes Utica, but she’d like it
better if there were more things to do. Life here is occasionally
boring, says Avdic, an eighth-grader at John F. Kennedy Middle
School. PROFILE
>> |
 Toky
Andriamaherimanana, 15, Madagascar
Toky Andriamaherimanana
sometimes finds himself clearing up his friends’ misconceptions
about his native country, Madagascar. PROFILE
>> |
 Cultural
adjustment added challenge for Bosnian entrepreneurs
Starting a small business is tough for
anybody. But when you’re new to the country, it can be even tougher.
Rifet Nuhanovic knows this all too well. FULL
STORY >>
 Rich
traditions thrive in Mohawk Valley
Utica has a rich tradition of immigrant-owned
businesses. Hapanowicz Meats was started by a Polish family. Caffe
Caruso Bakery was started by an Italian family. The tradition of
these businesses endures.
FULL STORY >>
Bosnians cope with memories
of war, uncertainty of life
When the rug gets
pulled out from under, people turn for help. That’s the bottom line
for many living with traumatic experiences that shatter dreams and
upend lives. FULL
STORY >>
Five myths & facts
“Refugees get the red carpet rolled out for them when they arrive
here. They don’t pay taxes. And they drain federal assistance programs.”
Sound familiar? They are some of the many myths swirling around
what refugees do get when the come to Utica, and what they don’t.
FULL
STORY >>
| CULTURAL PROFILES: Local adults
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 Holding
on to traditions
Oxana Panol, 29,
came to the United States from Russia eight years ago. She hopes
to have children one day, whose lives they will fill with the
cultures of their parents.
PROFILE >> |
 A
better life found
The Rev. George Patterson, 68, owner
of The Pit on South Street, has served up Southern specialties
for his family for years as a way to celebrate his West Indies
heritage. PROFILE
>> |
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