usuSCA-FOLK058_Cache Valley Refugee Oral History Project

Afeworki Woldemichael (right) and Berhane Debesai Abraha (left) sitting at the kitchen table in Afeworki's apartment in Logan, Utah on 17 May 2015. Hilary Waren-Evans (interviewer) and Megan Olsen (audio recordist) were present. ; Afeworki gave us all water or juice. Very nice.; Eritrean Orthodox Christian

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.; The interviewer, recordist, and photographer arrived around 15 minutes early. Because the interview was at Afeworki's house, we didn't want to arrive too early so we ended up standing on a grass verge a little ways down the street from his apartment complex. At about five minutes to two, we went in. Afeworki lives in an apartment with two other roommates, though neither of them were around during our interview. The interview took place in his living room and we sat around a card table, brought in from the kitchen for that purpose. Afeworki was very receptive to being interviewed and said that he was glad we were working to bring his culture to the people of Logan. He also said that he hoped next time he was interviewed, he wouldn't need a translator. The interpreter, Berhane, came in about ten minutes after we did and was present until the end.; Christian; Eritrean Orthodox

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.; The interviewer, recordist, and photographer arrived around 15 minutes early. Because the interview was at Afeworki's house, we didn't want to arrive too early so we ended up standing on a grass verge a little ways down the street from his apartment complex. At about five minutes to two, we went in. Afeworki lives in an apartment with two other roommates, though neither of them were around during our interview. The interview took place in his living room and we sat around a card table, brought in from the kitchen for that purpose. Afeworki was very receptive to being interviewed and said that he was glad we were working to bring his culture to the people of Logan. He also said that he hoped next time he was interviewed, he wouldn't need a translator. The interpreter, Berhane, came in about ten minutes after we did and was present until the end.; Christian; Eritrean Orthodox

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.; The interviewer, recordist, and photographer arrived around 15 minutes early. Because the interview was at Afeworki's house, we didn't want to arrive too early so we ended up standing on a grass verge a little ways down the street from his apartment complex. At about five minutes to two, we went in. Afeworki lives in an apartment with two other roommates, though neither of them were around during our interview. The interview took place in his living room and we sat around a card table, brought in from the kitchen for that purpose. Afeworki was very receptive to being interviewed and said that he was glad we were working to bring his culture to the people of Logan. He also said that he hoped next time he was interviewed, he wouldn't need a translator. The interpreter, Berhane, came in about ten minutes after we did and was present until the end.; Christian; Eritrean Orthodox

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.; The interviewer, recordist, and photographer arrived around 15 minutes early. Because the interview was at Afeworki's house, we didn't want to arrive too early so we ended up standing on a grass verge a little ways down the street from his apartment complex. At about five minutes to two, we went in. Afeworki lives in an apartment with two other roommates, though neither of them were around during our interview. The interview took place in his living room and we sat around a card table, brought in from the kitchen for that purpose. Afeworki was very receptive to being interviewed and said that he was glad we were working to bring his culture to the people of Logan. He also said that he hoped next time he was interviewed, he wouldn't need a translator. The interpreter, Berhane, came in about ten minutes after we did and was present until the end.; Christian; Eritrean Orthodox

Afeworki Woldemichael holding the letter of information that explains the Library of Congress/USU field school project, 'Voices: Refugees in Cache Valley' and how the interview recording and pictures will be used in a digital collection, exhibit, and be physically housed in the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives. ; Afeworki Woldemichael took the piece of paper and looked at the letter of information while Berhane Debesai Abraha and Hilary Warner-Evans explained it to him. The letter is to inform the individual about the porject and what will be done with the material collected/voice collected in the interview.; Eritrean Orthodox Christian

Afeworki Woldemichael signing the release form with Berhane Debesai Abraha explaining that the release form is for the interview to be included in a digital collection, digital exhibit, and kept physically in the archives at Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives.; Eritrean Orthodox Christian

Afeworki Woldemichael signing the release form for the Library of Congress/USU field school project, "Voices: Refugees in Cache Valley" to use his interview in a digital collection and exhibit. ; Eritrean Orthodox Christian

Berhane Debesai Abraha (left), Afeworki Woldemichael (middle), and Hilary Warner-Evans (right) filling out the translater form, May 17, 2015.; Berhane made a comment about Afeworki Woldemichael's name being spelt wrong and so they had to get a new piece of paper and Berhane rewrote Afeworki's name. Later he wrote it in Tigrigna (absolutely beautiful!). When refugees arrive in the states, they are often given whatever spelling the first person who writes their name down hears it.; Eritrean Orthodox Christian

Afeworki Woldemichael posing for a photograph. Afeworki Woldemichael is from Eritrea, Africa.

Aye Win looking at her son, Chit Moe, while he translates from English to Karen. ; While Chit Moe was translating from English to Karen, Aye Win would look at her son. However, when Chit Moe was translating her words into English, she would look intently at whomever she was speaking to.

A closer shot of Aye Win and Chit Moe during the interview. ; Same as above.

Aye Win showing the group what Thanaka is made of and how to use it. ; Same as image #11.

Aye Win showing the group what Thanaka is made of and how to use it. ; Aye Win showed the group the container, how to use it, as well as telling us that Thanaka was the substance, but it has various name brands it is made under (much like milk, chap-stick, etc.)

Aye Win describes her life in Karen State, Burma. Along with her time in a refugee camp in Thailand, how she came to the U.S., her family, and life in Cache Valley, Utah. ; It was interesting to hear about her first months in Salt Lake City, after leaving the refugee camp. I think she is the first person to say that she didn't like it at all. She likes living here now, but those first few months sounded pretty rough. The concept of rent was completely foreign to her and her family. She said that in Burma and Karen State, you just have your home, and you don't have to pay anybody. I liked hearing about the Buddhist monk called Thaminya. I believe he might have been mentioned at the end of the interview, but after it was over, Chit Moe and his mother told us some interesting stories about him. According to the people, even though he's been dead for a long time, his fingernails are still growing. Also, his body is showing no signs of decay. Aye Win pulled out a large container of crackers for us to eat. They looked a little like Ritz crackers, except there was some sort of jelly in the middle, holding two crackers together. They were really good! Meagan discovered that the jelly in the middle was made from pineapple. Apparently, this is a special cookie from Thailand that they serve at special occasions. Aye Win said that it goes really well with coffee in the morning. We were getting ready to leave, when Aye Win hurried and grabbed a small, round stone, a little bigger than my fist, but flat on both sides. She then pulled out a container of thanaka, which is a powder that can be used as a lotion, sunscreen, and makeup. It's a brown powder, and you grab a pinch of it and put it on the stone. Then you add a little bit of water. Dipping your fingers in, you then rub it onto your arms or your face. It smelled so good! She wore a Thai outfit. The top had lots of white, and then it changed to a deep red with little designs in in pink, blue, purple, and green. The skirt was like a wrap, and it was the same deep red that was on the top. There were more lines of decoration in those same colors pink, blue, purple, and green. It looked nice and yet comfortable enough that she could sit on the floor with us. The skirt was long, going down to her feet. Aye Win said that in Karen, they would wear this outfit for special occasions. However in Thailand, it is an outfit that you could wear every day.; Buddhist

A more relaxed picture of the group after the interview while Bethany Hanks packed the audio equipment. ; Same as above.

A shot of Aye Win, Chit Moe, Meagan Gill, and Bethany Hanks as Chit Moe translated Meagan's words into Karen. ; Photo of the interview of the Karen field team as well as Aye Win and Chit Moe.

The beginning of Aye Win's interview with Chit Moe translating in their apartment on May 18, 2015, Cache Valley, Utah. ; Taken during the beginning of our interview as Aye Win introduced herself and told us about her background, while her son, Chit Moe, translated for us.

Picture of the living room wall in Aye Win's apartment. Shows one of their couches as well as decorative lights that had been hung up for Christmas. ; Taken post-interview, this picture showed some of the decorations on the wall in Aye Win's home as we chatted.

A closeup shot of the Thanaka container and the stone plate it was spread onto. ; Same as the first Thanaka image.