Bourbakis

=Dr. Nikolaos Bourbakis=

Podcast
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BIOGRAPHICAL/GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Dr. Bourbakis emigrated from Greece in 1984. He first came to America in 1982 for a visit. He was an assistant professor in Greece and when he immigrated he was offered an assistant professor position at George Mason University. He took that job and came over with his wife and two daughters. Dr. Bourbakis is now a professor in the field of Assistive Technologies and Information Security at Wright State University. He has successfully graduated seventeen Ph.D. students. He currently lives in Ohio with his wife and daughter.

Greece is a country in Europe, which is slightly smaller then Alabama. It became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1829 and is now a parliamentary republic. The climate is mild with wet winters and dry hot summers, and the terrain is mostly mountainous. Some of the natural resources that Greece has are: lead, zinc, nickel, and marble. Greece has a total population of approximately 10,760,136 people. The main religions are Greek Orthodox and Muslim. The official language is Greek and other languages spoken are English and French. The currency of Greece is the Euro. Greece has an unemployment rate of 12.5%, and 20% of the population lives below the poverty line. Some of the main industries are: tourism, tobacco processing, textiles, and mining petroleum.

=Creative Writing=

By: Nathan Keefer
// “ The American Dream. . . for me is when you work hard you have to be recognized and to be appreciated.” //

1982

Today I visited America for the first time. My wife and I are thinking that we might immigrate to America. When I first walked out of the airport terminal in New York, a blast of heat hit me hard. My first thought was, “Wow is there fire somewhere?” This is something very new. In Greece, there is no humidity; it is very dry, hot weather. I am not surprised that I found something new on my first day here and I am looking forward to seeing many new things, having new experiences, and making lots of memories in this land of opportunity.

1984

We are finally here. My wife, our two children, and I have emigrated from Greece to America. One thing that I discovered that is very different here in America is the culture. In Greece, the culture is very rich and has been developed over many thousands of years. America, on the other hand, has only been around for about 300 years, so it has not had the time to develop. The reason that we have immigrated is because my daughters have an unknown disease, and we learned that the United States has hospitals and medical centers to research and find possible solutions to their problems. Lucky for us, I had already secured a job at George Mason University as an assistant professor, so that made the transition a whole lot easier. I am hoping to become a full professor, and this assistant professor position is a perfect opportunity to succeed in that goal. I want to make a difference, a mark for the good of mankind and I can use this position to do just that.

2011

Today was a very exciting day for me. Today I graduated my 17th Ph.D. student. I am now a full professor at Wright State University in the areas of Assistive Technologies and Information Security. The reason that I work so diligently is to make a positive difference in this world. It was so rewarding to see my student receive his doctorate, and to walk beside him on the stage while he was recognized for his accomplishment. I feel like my students are kind of like my children and I am the father of their education. I work with them to come up with an idea, help them process and explore it, and eventually create it. I feel that I am making a positive difference and am proud to do my part to help mankind.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
Nathan: So my name is Nathan Keefer and on my project, it’s an integrated project through the school and this part of the project is to interview an immigrant and learn kind of what their experiences were and thank you for doing this because this was kind of hard to get done.

Dr. Bourbakis: Your welcome.

Nathan: So could you kind of introduce yourself?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah my name is Nick Bourbakis. I’m a professor at Wright State University and my wife is Desmera and my daughter is Eleanor and we live in Dayton, Ohio.

Nathan: Where did you immigrate from?

Dr. Bourbakis: From Greece.

Nathan: When did you immigrate?

Dr. Bourbakis: In 1984.

Nathan: What attracted you to America? What prompted to(you)?

Dr. Bourbakis: Actually it was a medical problem. My daughters have an unknown disease when they were babies at the time, so we have learned that United States has some medical centers to search and find possible solutions. That’s why we came here.

Nathan: What job did you have in your old country?

Dr. Bourbakis: I was a professor there, an assistant professor in the university.

Nathan: What was life like in your country?

Dr. Bourbakis: At that in my time at that time in my country the life was very good as either today under the circumstances still a good life and people, they are close to each other, they share they there experiences, and they try to enjoy the living environment under certain conditions.

Nathan: So did you have any hobbies that you would like to do?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah I had hobbies to play soccer mainly a little a bit basketball and tennis.

Nathan: How was the education system?

Dr. Bourbakis: The education system was and still more or less the same with minor or some changes a it’s a free education a up to the to the top it’s a free education in the sense you don’t pay a for the courses that you get in the university you don’t pay for the books its everything is coming from the government the minister of education and that gives the opportunity to the people to go and get a good education however they have to pass national tests you know to get to the university level, which is very difficult and only my time it was about 15 to 20 percent they were the ratio for those that they have to they have passed the exams they were very tough exams.

Nathan: Then those people that didn’t pass the exams.

Dr. Bourbakis: They have to try next year or they can find other opportunities in lower level of education not necessarily a university but probably a colleges or two years colleges and all those kind of things.

Nathan: Do you have any people that you still are in contact with?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yes I have many friends there some of them are in the university some of them in private sectors and some others in other places you have many friends.

Nathan- Do you visit?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yes I lately I’ve visited once at least a year summertime spend a little bit of time refreshing things.

Nathan: So do you visit any of those friends while you’re over there?

Dr. Bourbakis: Oh yes that’s actually one of the stories to go and visit friends and memories and enjoy life.

Nathan: Was your family important in Greece?

Dr. Bourbakis: Family is very important, a capital in the society of [Greek] families let’s say is the central of support [of] the children they live with their parents and their grandparents and they stay probably in the same house if it is possible or in the same neighborhood or in the same city and people they settle down and set roots in the area and you see somebody who’s in one house to stay there entire life there and die there it’s a different style then other places.

Nathan: So what was the government like in Greece?

Dr. Bourbakis: The government it’s like most of the governments around the globe the politicians they lie to the people with no exceptions and there is oh okay to some degree except sometimes they create problems and they don’t want to solve them.

Nathan: So is it a democracy?

Dr. Bourbakis: Oh yes it’s a democratic government and elections like most of the places around the globe that they have democracies and those kinds of things.

Nathan: [Can] both men and woman can vote?

Dr. Bourbakis: Oh yes

Nathan: Ok

Dr. Bourbakis: Yes and the voting is mandatory.

Nathan: Ok

Dr. Bourbakis: That means everything has to contribute there it is not just to with some exceptions except if you are sick if you are absent from the your place in a far away place that you cannot make it there are very few exceptions but its mandatory note to the people to participate in the process.

Nathan: Do you have a favorite traditional food?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah fish [are] the things that I like a mainly the small fish that they have in my place in Greece my hometown that they cook there and certain greens that’s my special dish.

Nathan: What were the major religions in Greece?

Dr. Bourbakis: A it is Orthodox a Christian its Orthodox a Greek church that is a let’s say 95 percent of the people are Greek Orthodox.

Nathan: So everyone gets along pretty well?

Dr. Bourbakis: Ah well from religious point of view I guess but the new generations they are not so religious as the previous ones, generations I mean.

Nathan: What were the main sports that people played and watched?

Dr. Bourbakis: Soccer is let’s say [about] 95 90 percent 95 percent that people are watching,the rest of it is basketball.

Nathan: So those are pretty much the only two sports?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah the majority, I mean there are minor things here [and] there but they don’t count I [would] say 90 percent soccer and 10 percent basketball.

Nathan: Ok so what was the weather and climate like?

Dr. Bourbakis: Oh the weather is excellent there, I mean the climate is fantastic, it is hot in the summer, but dry and the winter is warm and spring and fall its you know amazing you can enjoy the weather out the nature its you know unique.

Nathan: So lots of people go there to?

Dr. Bourbakis: That is why there is a lot of tourism in Greece almost all the year.

Nathan: Are there any natural attractions that people will come and visit?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah a the islands Greece has more then 1,000 islands in the Mediterranean Sea and people go there enjoy the nature the water, the food, the calm, and easy going around and there are many many places that they go for either climbing, skiing, in the winter swimming, skiing on the sea, and all those kinds of things.

Nathan: so um did you like to do any those activities?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah swimming and climbing those are the two things that I liked to do, but you know you become older [laughing] you cannot do all these things in the same way.

Nathan: What is one thing what are some things that you remember most [about Greece]?

Dr. Bourbakis: The nice weather the good friends the time to talk and socialize the way that we in my time we are solving problems and we are thinking beyond to outside of the box and actually the education that I got from Greece at the time it was very solid and strong to make me do make it make the next steps in my life.

Nathan: What languages are spoken in Greece?

Dr. Bourbakis: This is the Greek which is actually a modification or a modification of the ancient Greek language which is the richest language in the world made by humans I mean I’m talking about the ancient Greek language almost 100 million words and it is a language that has been modified significantly noted to the people to speak it because the ancient Greek language was only for the few that they have studied it was a very difficult language the new ones simpler a small part of it but it still has the capability to generate new words it’s a dynamic language and actually most of the language around the globe especially the English language use many Greek words in there vocabulary.

Nathan: So it has like [an] important role.

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah the contribution of the Greek civilization is one of the first one that they have good things in order and have a significant a huge impact on the civilizations that have followed after that and everything is written books in many many places from sciences to literature to music to art to theater to many many areas because it happened democracy was invented there in Greece especially in Athens and the major idea was the place was I mean for democracy the place was very appropriate for such an activity such a new thing because there was not the parameters structure like a Egypt that has the temple the pharaohs the emperors or china they have the emperors it was mainly cities that every city was a kingdom so it was kind of a distributed system that everyone has respect to each other the same language the same customs the same religion and they have dialogues in proven themselves and that was one of the reasons slowly democracy to come to the surface ask the people to make decisions about there lives.

Nathan: Whatkind of music did you listen to?

Dr. Bourbakis: Actually I was listening to local music light music at the time and classical music which was the back round when I was studying classical music was one of the things that I like but of course the music that they were producing the people there it was very good very unique representing the place and the history of the place and I still really like it.

Nathan: So you still listen to it?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yes

Nathan: Does it bring back any memories.

Dr. Bourbakis: Oh yes, for every person music is related to memories and things.

Nathan: How did you come here like did you come on a plane or a boat?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah with a plane.

Nathan: Was it hard to physically get here?

Dr. Bourbakis: No, I was invited actually, I had applied for an Assistant Professor position at George Mason University and among 50 people or applicants they selected me as the best to be an assistant professor and I was an assistant professor also in Greece so they gave me the job and start my life here.

Nathan: What are you a professor of what do you do?

Dr. Bourbakis: Computer Science Engineer was originally and recently I have moved to the area of Assistive Technologies and Information Security.

Nathan: So did you come directly like did you go to Canada first and then here?

Dr. Bourbakis: No I came because of the invitation I was legally coming here with invitation with visa and all those kinds of things I came to the United States straight to the university.

Nathan: It was relatively easy to become a citizen?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah we came on an easy way sort of [uneventful]

Nathan: So would you change the process at all if you could?

Dr. Bourbakis: Well I don’t know I didn’t study this because to change a process you have to study it to see what the good things are and the bad things are and to change them since I didn’t study this process I would say probably when people there are invited to coming from other places to come and work as professionals with specialization and expertise in certain fields that are important to this country make these things easier in long bureaucratic steps.

Nathan: So what is better or worse in America than Greece?

Dr. Bourbakis: Well its difficult to say, America is a huge country its coming from the southwest to south to Northeast and the other way it is a combination of 50 different countries if you speak with a European standard Greece is a small 10 million people country very small there are differences. In the sense that in Greece there is a solid culture a same solid culture that has been developed through many thousands of years here United States is a new country it’s a 300 year plus country it needs go through these probably a millennium we start talking about the American culture with deep roots and all those kinds of things so it needs more time.

Nathan: It needs more time to develop.

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah because you know the diversity of all these kind of things until the new generations they settle down they understand each other they speak with about this their customs and there customs they blend them together to create a new thing you understand what I’m talking the new culture its going to be the American culture with its own identity like other countries they have like Italians they have there own the Spanish they have there own and this is through many years of process.

Nathan: Ok so what sports do you like here?

Dr. Bourbakis: I like basketball very much tennis when I have the time of course I like these two sports and one of the sports that I always like which is unique its track and field this is something that is above everything but takes place only summertime and a very short period of time so its very nice to see.

Nathan: So is there a favorite event in track and field that you like?

Dr. Bourbakis: No I like the whole thing it’s a beautiful to see people to compete in very nice weather way with each other without to hit each other without to kick each other without to punch each other and all those kinds of things it’s a beautiful thing.

Nathan: So how does the weather compare.

Dr. Bourbakis: Well the weather, I said that before that in Greece the weather is fantastic here its different if you like snow you can go to the north if you like very hot weather you can go to the south and all those kind of things it’s a different to say California has some similarities with Greek weather but not come quietly the same because the ocean is than the Mediterranean Sea its different Mediterranean Sea more calm more different then the ocean.

Nathan: So what is your favorite memory of this country?

Dr. Bourbakis: United States you mean my best memory well there are many good memories actually every time that I graduate one of my PHD students its one of the great moments that builds more and give you pleasure and happiness that I consider from professional point of view the moments that I graduate a PHD student from family point of view the best moments where when we have immigrate we got our American citizenship in New York and we have our first house there that was probably the best moments.

Nathan: So feeling pleasure in PHD students that like to see them succeed.

Dr. Bourbakis: Oh yes because that is kind of a continuation you are lets say the father of there education so the students are somehow your spiritual children scientifically speaking and you like to see them to progress that’s why I’m giving my best of myself for each of them to get a good education a good idea and then move on by themselves and start growing up and become successful in the field.

Nathan: So what was the first thing that you saw when you came to America?

Dr. Bourbakis: I came for a visit in 1982 and when I got out from the terminal and opened the door in New York it was summertime the humidity the hot weather hit me hard and I said wow is there fire somewhere out no it was just the weather that was my memory from the first the first moment that I stepped on United States soil.

Nathan: So when you first felt that humidity.

Dr. Bourbakis: I didn’t know that was humidity because there was no such thing [laughing]

Nathan: In Greece there is no such thing?

Dr. Bourbakis: No there is no such a thing very warm weather with [a]humidity [of]90 percent [wherever] there is hot weather, but it’s completely dry so you don’t have humidity as a part of the equation that was an experience that I will never forget that was unique now I know and it makes no sense to me.

Nathan: So did you know English before coming over?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yes that’s why they hired me here of course the English that I new at the time was not on the level that I have now but English was not my first foreign language it was the German language that I had as a second language and then it took me some time to adjust my English to become better then the German language.

Nathan: Sodid learning German help you at all learning?

Dr. Bourbakis: Not really because the English language has a completely different structure to me it is not a good language in the sense it has not the capability to generate new words from the existing words by keeping the ceramics especially verbs I’m talking about verbs not a new buzz words and now for instance now the say email fax FedEx and they use them as verbs now and they have to go through a committed to approve them in German language and Greek language and a few other languages we don’t need approval because the ceramics they stay automatically to the new generation of words so it was completely different structure as languages.

Nathan: So was it difficult to learn English?

Dr. Bourbakis: No.

Nathan: No? [surprised]

Dr. Bourbakis: No.

Nathan: Ok so what do you listen to, the same music?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yes I didn’t change music I still like the music that in my time classical music easy listening music new generation music those kind of things that I still like.

Nathan: So do you listen to just traditional do you like listen to an American twist on it or you just listen to the traditional.

Dr. Bourbakis: Usually music is something that I didn’t change much and go to American or to other kind of countries music In the music more or less I’m the same person I didn’t change much.

Nathan: So what do you think the biggest way that you’ve changed from coming to America?

Dr. Bourbakis: Coming to America is that is although it was not my choice it was a need for my children to come here to find a solution that I didn’t find at end and I decided to stay it was it is a place that give opportunities to those that they have interest to work hard and create things so this environment gave me the opportunity to make differences in many ways in many places and make things I have in mind and make my imagination reality for the best.

Nathan: So what do you think the American dream is?

Dr. Bourbakis: Well I think the American dream for everybody is different for me its when you work hard you have to be recognized and to be appreciated that’s the bottom line, for others maybe say ok quick money this is not mine, mine is just when I work hard I want to be recognized and appreciated in my work to have an impact that’s why I am working very hard others may have other kinds of dreams.

Nathan: So you think it’s just the American dream is different for every person.

Dr. Bourbakis: More or less kind of because others they say ok to make quick money to buy a car to buy a house and to make more money this is not my dream.

Nathan: So do you miss Greece a lot?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yes I have spent already 34 years of my life there I cannot forget it years time to time I miss that but now you get into a plane a go you stay for a while and then you come back here so now I have two homes Greece and United States that I both love and well.

Nathan: What specifically do you miss about Greece?

Dr. Bourbakis: The weather honestly the weather is something that I missed and the food that you cannot find here and of course my friends but with my friends I can communicate at any moment and now that is no issue because you have the Skype see the guys you talk and since I travel frequently I see them but food and the weather are the two things that I missed.

Nathan: So what are some things that are very different in America like things the way that things are done in America that are different than Greece?

Dr. Bourbakis: What do you mean by things can you be more specific.

Nathan: How is the lifestyle different how is the other different rights that we have here than in Greece.

Dr. Bourbakis: The rights is more or less the same I mean human rights are very respectable in Greece like here there is no issues there is no racism there is no those kind of things a the style of life is different the people there is more easy going take more time to socialize to think to talk they work somehow the private sector works very hard but of course its different because for thousand and thousand of years they have developed a kind of a culture and a style of life that they don’t want to change and I don’t think so that they are going to change that here its 300 years and its many different cultures and you cannot say that the style of life is the same somehow here we work more time and appreciation and recognition is coming in Greece you may put the same time but the appreciation is coming not in the same way its because its more relaxed the people they don’t at least in my time they didn’t like the idea ok you work for to be recognized they work to have an impact in there society and that was there recognition.

Nathan: So people in Greece they work for the benefit of everybody else.

Dr. Bourbakis: Yes at least I’m speaking from my time that I was there and a few years after you know I’m already 27 plus years here United States I don’t follow every single evolution in style of life and culture that takes slowly there but more or less it’s a different place.

Nathan: So how do you think that there are different groups for kids here that are different in Greece like there’s boy scouts and girl scouts and different things like that in America are there groups like that in Greece.

Dr. Bourbakis: Can you specify give me an example?

Nathan: Like in America the boys can, can little younger kids younger boys can be in cub scouts and learn how to go camping and stuff like that and then boy scouts they get.

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah they have the same thing but I don’t know if that’s so strong they do have but now I think the groups are mixed I mean when they go from camping there are boys and girls they go together and of course they don’t stay in the same places but they do these activities more or less the same not probably in the same organized way but they do have those kind of things but I’m not sure in what degree they have them today because since I’m not living there I cannot follow those kinds of activities.

Nathan: Ok so is in Greece is it the same level of I mean is there elementary school and the middle school and high school?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yeah elementary school middle high school and then university and then higher education which means master and PhDs and all those kinds of things?

Nathan: Are there any words or phrases that remind you of Greece that instinctively you think of your home.

Dr. Bourbakis: Well like everybody else I mean if we hear words that people speak outside that reminds me of Greece for instance it’s a it is a phenomenon of the plethora of Greek words that we speak here in United States everyday but we don’t count it do you hear that phenomenon plethora and many other words I cannot go on and on but yeah sometimes I hear something that reminds me of Greece or some of us say I goes to a sunshiny place and enjoy myself near the water and that reminds me of Greece.

Nathan: So like the way that English has Greek words.

Dr. Bourbakis: Yes that’s why its kind of a English language is actually a combination of many different words from different countries and they put them together in kind of a structure with many exceptions and few rules.

Nathan: Yes, so do feel that immigrating was a good decision?

Dr. Bourbakis: Yes, yes I mean I have great appreciation for the place that I am here that’s why I have stayed here because I had a job there as a professor assistant professor with a good way to become a full professor but I think I really appreciate for both places for different reasons.

Nathan: How do you think that immigrating has benefited you and your family?

Dr. Bourbakis: Benefit me to cause just I had a bigger market let’s put this way different terms United States is about 300 plus million people 50 states it gave me an opportunity to go to a bigger market and compete there and succeed there, I was in Virginia, Maryland, California, New York, now in Ohio who know next so in Greece there is no such a thing you stay in Greece there is nothing else so that is what it give you bigger more opportunities lets put it that way maybe someday Europe is going to be United States of Europe then probably people there are going to have similar opportunities.

Nathan: Thank you very much this is very interesting.

Dr. Bourbakis: Your welcome take care sir.

ANALYSIS
This quarter in our immigration unit I learned many things. I learned that early on in the 1800’s and 1900’s immigrants were discriminated against, especially the Irish. Today there is not near as much discrimination of immigrants as there was then. I learned that there were many immigration acts and laws that limited the number of immigrants that came from each country. There are many different reasons that people will immigrate to America. For some it is because they are fleeing a war torn country, others come for a better life or more opportunities, and some come because of family problems or love. Usually we hear how much better this country is than the country that the immigrants come from. Some people don’t like the American way of life, or liked their life in their native country better. American culture works for some and for others it doesn’t work. American movies portray how good America is, and immigrants are sometimes surprised with the real America.

Dr. Bourbakis came to America because he wanted to find a cure for his daughters’ unknown disease. He was hoping that American medicine would help, but it didn’t. That was a let down for him, but otherwise it was relatively easy for him and his family to come here. The reason for this is because he was offered a job as an assistant professor at George Mason University. He was able to become a citizen easily and start his life here. He already knew the American language when he came here, so overall his immigration experience was easier and simpler than others who immigrated.