Interviews
The Immigration Story of
Latif Elessawi
As Told as by Latif
Elessawi to Tarek
Latif Elessawi (standing, left) and on the right
The Immigration Story of
Latif Elessawi
As Told as by Latif
Elessawi to Tarek
Latif Elessawi (standing, left) and on the right
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I came for the first time to the United States from Egypt in January 1980. I went to the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. The next year I made five more trips to the U.S.A. I went to Savannah, Georgia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jacksonville, Florida, Baltimore, Maryland, and Houston, Texas. I went to all these cities by boat. The following year I flew to the City of New York. I loved this city so much that later that very same year I decided to take a leave of absence from my job in order to travel to America. There I would spend some more time in New York. In New York, I went to live with my nephew, Walled, in Manhattan. I stayed in Manhattan for about a year before taking my own apartment in an area of Brooklyn known as Sunset Park. I was not planning on staying for more than 2 years, but then I met someone named Susan Maggiani and we decided to get married. |
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I immigrated here because I was looking for a better opportunities. I knew a lot about the United States and that helped me to decide to remain here. I knew that there were a lot of opportunities/chances to improve a person's life or status. My information was not 100% correct, because I pictured life here as being much easier than it was. Life was a little difficult once I arrived here. I didn't speak English well, so it was hard for me to get a job and get used to the system here. When I came here, I brought clothes, money, my personal documents (school degrees, drivers license, passport, etc.). I had to leave behind much of my family and many friends. Also I had to leave furniture and other big things behind, because the last time I came here (and decided to stay) I traveled by plane. |
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I was able to support myself when I first arrived here, because I had brought some money. I also had some family members in the United States who were able to give me financial help and a place to stay. I had wanted to be a captain on ship, a job for which I was trained. In Egypt I had gotten a college degree preparing me for that position, but there were so few jobs open in that field, that I had to change my goal. While I failed to achieve that goal I did manage to improve my life. Life here has met most of my expectations. I like so many things here in America, the human rights, the freedom, and the fact that mostly everybody likes it here. I like the American life style, except for the fact that some people abuse freedom and do bad things under a free society. |
| When my family in Egypt found out about my decision to leave permanently for the United States, they had mixed feelings. They were shocked, surprised, sad, and excited all at the same time. I also had the same feelings when I decided to leave. But now my family is not that depressed because I visit my family at least once every 3 years, and every now and then in between. I also use some programs on the computer that allow me to talk and keep in touch with them over the Internet. Yet I still miss them. |
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When I came here to the United States, there were plenty of houses of worship
where I could practice my religion. There were also a lot of people
of the same religion with whom I could socialize. This was part of
the reason that I was able to keep traditions and customs from Egypt.
I became a U. S. citizen in 1988. When I became one, I was excited and happy because now I would be able to do more things then I could have before. (Voting is one of them.) I am very glad that I came here. I knew that I made a good decision. |
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A photomontage of my dad
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