Latif

= Latif Affini = Podcast

media type="custom" key="8172308"
Latif Affini played soccer for the Ghana Black Stars, the Ghanaian pro soccer team before coming to America to go to college. After going to college Latif continued to play and coach soccer. He lives in the Dayton area and has a family of five.
 * Biography**

Ghana is an African country. Ghana started as a European trading post where Europeans traded with the natives. It got the name “gold coast” because European settlers traded gold there. Ghana became a European colony in 1901. After World War II, Ghana became the first sub-saharan African country to gain it’s independence after merging with Togo to make a slightly larger country named Ghana. Ghana had multiple military coups within their first few years of being a country.
 * Geographical Note**

** Oral History Interview with LATIF AFFINI ** ** 12/18/2010, Dayton, Ohio, ** ** by Bret Miller ** ** for the Dayton Regional STEM School **

** Interview Transcript **

This is an interview with {Latif Affini}. The interview was conducted on December 18, 2010. The interviewer is Bret Miller, representing the Dayton Regional STEM School.

Miller: Ok, So what brought you to the US?

Affini: Well, my uncle was a professor out here at Wilmington College and he kept talking to me about coming here and eventually I took the exams and I came here.

Miller: Did you have any family in Ghana?

Affini: Yes, I have my mom and my sisters, siblings, everyone is in Ghana.

Miller: Do you have any family here?

Affini: No, I don’t.

Miller: Ok

Affini: Well, right now I do but at that time I did not.

Miller: Ok So where did you come into the US, where did you land?

Affini: From Ghana, I landed in New York and from New York, I took a flight to Dayton and from Dayton we drove to Wilmington.

Miller: And where did you stay when you were in college?

Affini: I lived on campus so right from Dayton I went straight to campus and I didn’t know anyone else.

Miller: Ok, what was it like when you first set foot in America?

Affini: [It was] a little different as compared to the culture in Ghana. But as far as like the highway system, it confused me. I didn’t know what to expect, whether I’m going north or south or anything but all in all the majority of things are almost the same but just little differences.

Miller: So, what were the hardest things about moving to America?

Affini: Leaving my family behind and my friend, especially two. Knowing that I’m coming here to go to school and it was going to be a while before I go back. And when I got here, I made new friends and it was exciting.

Miller: So, what kind of hobbies and stuff did you have in Ghana?

Affini: In Ghana, mainly my first [hobby]was soccer. But during the off soccer seasons I played other things like ping pong, I played field hockey, which here is mostly only women who play field hockey, but in Ghana, both men and women play field hockey. And also I did karate because I needed to keep my flexibility.

Miller: So do you still do karate?

Affini: No, not anymore.

Miller: So, if you had a choice, would you move back to Ghana?

Affini: Well, with me starting a family here, with my wife and kids here, it would be hard to move back immediately. But, now Ghana is getting much better. There is still opportunities over there but, for right now, waiting to see the kids grow here.

Miller: So is your wife also from Ghana?

Affini: Yes, my wife is from Ghana. And we met, a friend of mine from high school who was also here in the United States, knew her sister. So when he came to visit me, we went to visit them and that’s how my wife and I met.

Miller: So from your expectations of the US, were they correct?

Affini: Well, to some point, but, in Ghana the perception is everybody in the US is rich. And so my whole, when I was coming here I knew by coming here I was going to be rich some way. But that perception is not correct because you really have to work hard to get to where you want to be. There’s a lot of rich people, there’s a lot of poor people. So, it’s just a wrong perception in Ghana.

Miller: Would you go back to Ghana if you compared the two countries?

Affini: Going back to Ghana, there’s opportunities but the pay over there would not be comparable to the pay over here and, so for right now, while the kids are here, the school system is good but the school system in Ghana is a little more tedious. So, based on the kids liking it here, we chose to stay here and I want to see them grow here before I go back. Maybe to retire.

Miller: So is there anything else you would like to say?

Affini: Well, I think everybody who has a chance, gotta go see a different country, to see the difference. First of all they appreciate what they have here or to appreciate the culture they may have here or anywhere else. I think if you’re able to travel to a different country and see their culture, it gives you a much, much better appreciation of the whole world or part of the world on how things are. And, by me coming here, I can compare both worlds, to see this is my better opportunity or that is the better opportunity, so to me I’m glad for that opportunity and I tell my kids for what they have, they better be happy about that because otherwise when they go to a different place where they’re not that fortunate, they, it gets tougher for them. Yeah, so it’s just an opportunity I’m very grateful for.

Miller: Alright, so thank you for your time. If there are any other extra questions I have about the recording or anything, can I call you?

Affini: Sure, call me at any time.


 * Creative Writing Piece**

** Latif Affini ** // Latif Affini played soccer for the Ghana Black Stars, the Ghana national team, before coming to America for college. He now coaches soccer in the Dayton area and has a family of five. // ** Travel ** ** by: Bret Miller ** I lived in Ghana For all my life Until my uncle in the US Asked me to go there I took the exams And came here I then worked through college Living on campus Then I called to meet a friend From my high school All the way From back home He knew a girl Who was Ghanan Who had a sister We went to see them So I could meet her A girl who would be my wife So I’m glad I traveled And I think everyone who can Needs to travel Just to compare it to You really have **Analysis** In this analysis one will find that Latif’s story follows the history of immigration much like the stories of other immigrants. He left his country because he thought he could find better opportunities here in America, much like most immigrants do. He also came to America because he had family here, his uncle, that encouraged him to come here. Latif said, ” Well, my uncle was a professor out here at Wilmington College and he kept talking to me about coming here and eventually I took the exams and I came here.” This was a fairly good, short, explanation of Latif’s story because it told his reasons for coming here and how he got here.


 * This transcript was prepared by Bret Miller, **
 * December 18, 2010 **