Nearly 3,000 people enter the United States each day with the intention of settling here. Not all remain, but many do put down roots and become part of the fabric of American society. Each week on New American Voices you will meet some of these new Americans, and hear them talk about their life and their experiences here.
What makes someone decide to leave family and friends and everything that is familiar, and venture into the unknown by emigrating. There are as many reasons as there are individuals making the move, but one thing can be said of all of them. Emigration is by no means easy, so the motivation usually has to be pretty compelling.
Dr. Zarni is a professor of education at National Louis University in Chicago. He came to the United States from Burma - a process which required planning and patience.
And indeed it was through the help of a friend that he made through his work in the tourism office that Dr. Zarni was able to eventually emigrate to the United States. Here he enrolled in college and then in graduate school, and after 9 years of study earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Zarni has not forgotten his homeland. Quite the contrary. As a student, together with other Burmese students and American friends he founded the organization "Free Burma Coalition" to promote democracy in Burma through raising public awareness about the political situation in that country.
In addition to raising public awareness of the issue of human rights in Burma, Dr. Zarni's organization works to influence American and other foreign companies not to do business with Burma and its military rulers.
Dr. Zarni hopes to return to Burma someday. For now he teaches, and plays an active role in the work of the Free Burma Coalition. In addition, he and his wife are the parents of a six-month old girl. What does he do in his spare time?
Another new American trying to start a new life in this country is Adrian Chira, who emigrated to the United States five years ago with his wife and critically ill son.
A child born with spina bifida basically has a cleft in the spine. The condition requires complicated surgery and constant medical attention. A Baptist missionary to whom Andrew Chira turned for help was able to interest the University of Virginia's hospital in the baby's case, and to facilitate the family's trip to the United States for treatment.
Next week on New American Voices Adrian Chira will talk about his family's experiences in settling in the United States. We'll also talk with the missionary who was instrumental in saving the life of the Chira baby by making it possible for little Gino to come to America for treatment.