BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Born near Sarajevo, Suvad Palavra went to school to become a mechanical technician. He was drafted into the army during the war in the former Yugoslavia. After the war, Suvad came as a refugee to Fargo. Three months later, he moved to Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. He later moved to Moorhead to become a Refugee and Immigration Specialist for Lutheran Social Services. He is currently working on bringing his younger brother to the United States.

Dzenan Becic was born in North Bosnia. In 1992, he fled the war there by moving to Germany, where he lived for seven years. While in Germany, Dzenan attended plumbing and heating school. Dzenan lived in Croatia while applying to become an immigrant to the United States. Dzenan came to the United States in 2001 with his brother and parents. He now works as a truck driver at Berg Grain and Produce.

In this interview, the two men discuss their experiences both before and after arriving in America. The two men discuss the natures of their work and the difficulties that new arrivals to the community face when looking for employment. Other topics include race relations in Fargo-Moorhead, and why the Midwest is a good place to live.

Palavra and Becic were interviewed on April 25, 2002 (11:00am)--continued on May 3--by Cathy Bongers and Chris Decker.

Note: Cathy and Chris originally set out to interview Mr. Palavra alone, but during the initial interview, Mr. Palavra recommended that they return and interview him alongisde his friend Mr. Becic.

SAMPLES FROM THE INTERVIEW

SULVAD PALAVRA ON THE EMPLOYMENT DIFFICULTIES IMMIGRANTS FACE:

"...I know some person in Moorhead who has 30 years experience, like TV and radio mechanic, and he cannot get a job because . . . . and he is fluent in English. Maybe people, they don’t trust him, but I believe that he’s . . . many of the workers, he’s better than what they have, but he doesn’t have the opportunity to show what he knows. And I know, I was in his home . . . and he has many televisions and computers . . . he’s intelligent, but he doesn’t have an opportunity to show it."

DZENAN BECIC ON TRANSCENDING CULTURE:

"...I like this country here and I like the people and the culture. And, yes I am planning to be American, but I will always see myself as a human being not as any kind of . . . for example, I don’t have to be American, Bosnian, or German. It is just the way that other people see that it has to be . . . It’s just my personal belief."

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

LISTEN TO INTERVIEW