Category Archives: Democratic Republic of Congo

Godi Godar

Posted on February 20, 2015 by | Leave a comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPoOJ9hEsZQ&feature=youtu.be

My name is Godi Godar. Currently, I live in Durham. I originally come from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

Q: How did you end up here?

I came here through a connection with a missionary who invited me here to the US. I continued learning English at a community college in Durham. I’m a skilled worker and built my house here too.

Q: What do you do?

I started an organization that protects tropical forest in my home country. The organization is called Go Conscious Earth.

Q: What languages do you know?

First, I learned Bantomba. Then, in elementary school I learned Lingala, a commercial language. From about 4th or 5th grade until college. I learned French. 

Q:Do you know any others in the area from your region?

I know someone from Congo who lives in Raleigh. I don’t have much association with that community because I think I live kind of far from Raleigh. But, at times I feel there is a big community that exists.

Q: Do you have any difficulties with language?

When I go back to Congo and I speak English, French, or Lingala. I mix them up. Language is a bit tricky for me. 

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Posted in Democratic Republic of Congo, FR 321: Business and Culture in the Francophone World

Maurice, Rachel, et Jackson

Posted on December 5, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Maurice, Rachel, et leur fils Jackson sont arrivés à Durham en novembre 2014. Ils viennent de Rwanda et rejoignent deux autres enfants de la famille qui habitent ici depuis cinq mois : leur fils Lenny et leur fille Alice. La famille est Congolaise à l’origine.

Entre eux, la famille parle le kinyarwanda, alors Lenny a traduit l’entretien. En ce moment, Maurice et Rachel assistent aux cours d’anglais, et Jackson étudie à un lycée à Durham.

rwanda

(Le drapeau rwandais)

290px-Carte_Rwanda

(Une carte de Rwanda. RDC, le pays d’origine de la famille, est aussi présenté.)

alpha

(L’alphabet en Kinyarwanda.)

Qu’est-ce que vous vous souvenez de votre arrivée à Durham ?

R: Nous étions très fatigués. Lorsque nous sommes arrivés en Amérique, nous avions donné toutes les choses aux autres. Nous ne croyons pas que nous pouvions apporter tout ce que nous avions chez nous ici en Amérique.

Est-ce que Durham est ce que vous avez imaginé quand vous étiez chez vous?

M : Ce que j’ai imaginé de Durham avant d’arriver en Amérique, c’est la sécurité et le développement des villes américaines. C’est ce que je voulais voir depuis longtemps, et je l’ai vu ici. C’est vraiment un bon pays.

aerial_big

(La ville de Durham.)

Quelle est votre chose préférée de votre vie ici à Durham ? Et chez vous ?

R : Les gens que j’ai rencontrés ici. Dans l’autre pays, je ne pouvais pas quitter la maison sans fermer la porte à clé. Mais ici, quand j’ai fait ça, quitter la maison avec la porte ouverte, je suis retournée et toutes les choses étaient encore là ! Il n’y a pas de vol ici à Durham.

Quels sont vos buts et aspirations pour l’avenir ?

M : Je pense que, à l’avenir, je vais trouver d’emploi. Je veux faire ça et je veux bien m’installer ici à Durham, comme les autres.

R : Je veux bien étudier et apprendre l’anglais ! Après que je peux clairement m’exprimer, il devrait plus facile de trouver d’emploi. Je veux m’occuper des enfants.

J : Je veux étudier la médecine ! Puis, à l’avenir, je peux devenir médecin. Je veux bien travailler comme médecin de cœur. (Jackson lisait son livre de chimie pendant l’entretien.)

cardiologist_has_heart

(Le rêve de Jackson.)

Snapshot 1 (12-3-2014 11-07 AM)

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Posted in Democratic Republic of Congo, FR 325: Issues in Global Displacement, Rwanda

Maurice, Rachel and Jackson

Posted on December 5, 2014 by | Leave a comment

Maurice, Rachel, and their son Jackson have been in Durham for around a month. They came from Rwanda to join their son and daughter, Lenny and Alice, who have been in Durham for several months. Their family is from the Democratic Republic of Congo by origin. They speak Kinyarwanda, with Lenny acting as an interpreter. Maurice and Rachel are currently attending ESL classes, and Jackson is enrolled at a local high school.

rwanda

(The flag of Rwanda.)

rwanda_sm_2014

(A map of Rwanda. DRC, the family’s country of origin, is also shown.)

alpha

(The Kinyarwanda alphabet.)

What do you remember about your arrival in Durham?

R: We were very tired. Before coming to Durham, we had given everything to other people. We didn’t think that we could bring everything we had back home with us here.

Was Durham what you imagined it to be?

M: What I imagined about Durham before coming to the US was the security and development of American cities. It’s what I have always wanted to see, and I have had the chance to see it here. It really is a good country.

aerial_big

(The city of Durham.)

What have you liked the most about your life here?

R: The people I’ve met here have been so nice. Back in the other country, we could never leave the house without locking the door. But when we did that here the other day, we came back to find everything here! People don’t steal here in Durham.

What are some of your future plans?

M: I think I would like to find a job in the future. I want to do that and to establish myself in Durham, like everyone else.

R: I would really like to learn English well. If I can express myself clearly, it will be much easier to find a job. I would like to work as a babysitter.

J: I would like to study medicine, and then become a doctor. I would really want to become a cardiologist. (Jackson has been reading his chemistry textbook throughout the interview.)

cardiologist_has_heart

(Jackson’s dream.)

Snapshot 1 (12-3-2014 11-07 AM)

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Posted in Democratic Republic of Congo, FR 325: Issues in Global Displacement, La République démocratique du Congo, Participants, Rwanda

RC

Posted on December 4, 2014 by | Leave a comment

RC is a 25 year old man who fled from the Democratic Republic of Congo just 10 months ago. Upon arrival in America, he has quickly learned of the importance of working hard and staying positive in order to achieve his goals. His English skills have been helpful in his adjustment to life in America; he can effectively express himself and communicate with his peers. He is motivated to become sulf-sufficient and successful here; he has already earned his driver’s license and is navigating the roads of Durham! He is currently studying for his GED, and working a part-time job at P.F. Chang’s while still making time to play basketball and relax with his family. He dreams of becoming a doctor one day who will pray for his patients as he treats them. RC was happy to be able to speak in French as he has not found many people who speak French here. He is bright and inquisitive and was curious to learn more about America and make new friends.We look forward to keeping in touch with RC and hopefully taking him to a Duke basketball game.

 

cg-lgflag

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Posted in Democratic Republic of Congo, English, FR 325: Issues in Global Displacement

Lenny

Posted on December 3, 2014 by | Leave a comment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X0n_C-jMXI

My name is Lenny. My sister and I arrived here in America on the Fourth of July.

Q: And where are you from?

A: We came from Rwanda. But, my nationality is Congolese.

                         rwandaflag               congoflag

Q: What did you think of the United States when you first arrived?

A: We had a vision of America ; we had different dreams and visions of the people that are here. When we arrived, everybody was moving in circulation and it was very different from our country.

crowdedairport

Q: And you told me earlier that you all didn’t like the United States a lot during your first month here, why and how did that perception change ?

A: When I came to America, I was with my sister, certainly. And where we lived, the people there, I never saw people who didn’t say hello to you. Every morning, when I was in my country, I always had a vision of someone saying ‘Hello’ or ‘How are you ?’ But, when we arrived here, I was only with my sister, always side-by-side with me, and things were very different than in my country.

After, we did meet a lot of different people that we liked and who liked us, while learning how to do things differently in America, like how to prepare food and how to do other things that are different in America than in our country.

Q: What do you do now? Do you work?

A: I work currently, We found jobs.

Q: What do you want for your futures in the United States?

A: I’m going to study. My future, after five years, I want to be an engineer. I’m going to start my studies next year at Durham Tech. I want to study the sciences. 

durhamtech

Q: Do you believe you’ve found a community and friends here?

A: Yes, we have met someone from our country and others, who don’t live in Durham but in Raleigh.

IMG_7036

I like reading. The book I’m reading now is called Gandhi.

 

 

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Posted in Democratic Republic of Congo, FR 325: Issues in Global Displacement, La République démocratique du Congo, Le Rwanda, Participants, Rwanda

Lenny

Posted on December 3, 2014 by | Leave a comment

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X0n_C-jMXI

 

Je m’appelle Lenny. Nous sommes arrivés en Amérique le quatre juillet.

Q:  Et d’où est-ce que vous êtes venus?

A: Nous sommes venus de Rwanda. Mais, je suis congolais pour ma nationalité.

                                  rwandaflag             congoflag

Q: Que pensez-vous des Etats-Unis quand vous êtes arrivés?

A: Nous avons eu une vision de l’Amérique, nous avons rêvé des personnes différentes. Toutes personnes était en circulation qui était différent de notre pays.

crowdedairport

Q: Et vous avez dit que vous n’avez pas aimé beaucoup les Etats-Unis pendant votre premier mois, pourquoi et comment est-ce que cette pensée a changé?

A: Avant, lorsque, je suis arrivé en Amérique, j’étais avec ma sœur sûrement…où nous habitons, les personnes…je n’ai pas vu quel qu’un qui n’a pas me dit bonjour. Tous les matins, lorsque j’étais de mon pays, je revais quelqu’un de dire ‘bonjour’ ou ‘comment ça va’. Mais lorsque nous sommes arrivés ici, j’étais avec ma sœur seulement, je vais..à côté de côte c’est ma sœur seulement..parce qu’il est très très différent de mon pays.

Après nous avons rencontrés des personnes différentes qui nous ont aimé, enseignant comment les choses sont différentes en Amérique. Par exemple, comment préparer la nourriture et comment faire les choses qui sont différent en Amérique de notre pays. 

Q: Et qu’est-ce que vous faites maintenant? Vous travaillez?

A: Oui, je travaille, nous avons trouvé des emplois.

Q: Qu’est-ce que vous voulez pour vos avenirs aux Étas-Unis ? Et vous étudiez à Durham Tech?

A: Je vais étudier. Mon avenir, après cinq ans, je veux être un ingénieur. Je vais commencer l’année prochaine à Durham Tech. Je veux étudier les sciences. 

durhamtech

Q: Est-ce que vous avez trouvé une communauté ici, comme des amis ou des autres?

A: Oui, oui, nous avons trouvé quelqu’un de notre pays et des autres—ils n’habitent pas ici à Durham, ils habitent à Raleigh.

IMG_7036

“J’aime la lecture. Ici, je lis le livre qui s’appelle Gandhi.”

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Democratic Republic of Congo, FR 325: Issues in Global Displacement, La République démocratique du Congo, Le Rwanda