Stoyanova

= **Nadejda Lachezarova Stoyanova** = = =

Podcast
media type="custom" key="12457268"

BIOGRAPHICAL/GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Nadejda Lachezarova Stoyanova is from Bulgaria. She came to go to college here because the schools are better and easier to get into. When she arrived in Chicago, she saw the variety of ethnic groups and was surprised. She served in the US military to help get citizenship faster. She is happy that she stayed and became a citizen.

Bulgaria is a European country that was on the losing side of both world wars. Its some of the major natural resources include: Some of Bulgaria’s agricultural products are: Its industries include: Its major exports are: Seventy-one percent of its approximately 7.1 million residents live in cities. =Creative Writing=
 * bauxite
 * copper
 * lead
 * zinc
 * timber
 * coal
 * arable land
 * vegetables
 * fruits
 * tobacco
 * wine
 * wheat
 * barley
 * sunflowers
 * sugar beets
 * electricity
 * gas
 * water
 * food
 * beverages
 * tobacco
 * machinery
 * equipment
 * base metals
 * chemical products
 * coke
 * refined petroleum
 * nuclear fuel
 * clothing
 * footwear
 * iron and steel
 * machinery
 * equipment fuels

By: Niky Hicks
//"Your mama!"//

When people in America say, “Your mama,” They don’t usually mean a whole lot by it. Whenever I hear someone saying it, I laugh!

The reason I laugh Is because they have no idea what it means in Bulgaria. It’s a short form of a mean, long sentence.

In Bulgaria, They are actually cursing you out. “Your mama” is the worst thing anyone can say to you.

In English, the words are much shorter. In Bulgarian, it takes an entire sentence to be just as mean. So, we just shorten it to, “Your mama!”

**Nadejda’s Diary:**

December 13, 2011

Well, I’m on the plane headed for Sofia. I’m looking forward to visiting my family. I have been saving my vacation time for a couple of years, but I’m not so happy I chose to go in the wintertime. I don’t want to haul the charcoal and wood up to the furnace for heating. I would rather there be central heating. It’s a pain in the butt! I’m so used to central heating and not carrying fuel to the furnace. I’m way too spoiled now for that. Well, what would you expect from a house built in 1955 communist Bulgaria!

December 15, 2011

Well, I just wore the weird vest that mom made me out of a bedspread. I remember back when I first wore it to a concert over my coat. It was really furry so I looked like a big Yeti! And, after the concert, when I was waiting to get an autograph, one of the singers from the band asked me if he could touch it. (I thought it was more like he was petting it.) He said he wanted to make one like for himself. Six months later, they released a new song and in the video, it had a girl dressed up in the same material.

December 16, 2011

Well, Mom keeps asking me to stay in Bulgaria, but I constantly tell her that the job opportunities are better in America. In America, selection is more fair than here in Bulgaria. Here, I would only get a secretarial job and couldn’t be a navigator in the military. In America I’m more likely to find a job in engineering and doctoring. Those are mostly men here in Bulgaria. Women may not be accepted into most jobs because of the education. Did Mom forget that I went to America because of the education? It’s a lot easier to get into college there and you don’t have to know someone to get into the college.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = **For The Full Interview** = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =** Niky: ** What was the weather and climate like? = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Cameraman: We’ll fix it in editing. = = **Nadejda:** (sigh) Arrg! Sorry. Cameraman: First thing you saw in Chicago. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = **Niky:** Okay. Are there any, um, bands that you like? = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = **Nadejda**: Well, (cough). The first few days I usually get very homesick and I’m really happy to be there because I see all of the things I miss. After about a week, week and a half, I start to see all of the things I don’t miss that made me leave in the first place and by the time I come back, I’m usually glad to come back. = = = = **Nadejda:** Oh, absolutely. They would love for me to go back and stay, but that is not going to happen any time soon. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
 * That Goes With Podcast **
 * Niky: ** Hello, I’m Niky and thank you for letting me interview you for my class project. What’s your full name?
 * Nadejda: ** My full name is Nadejda Lachezarova Stoyanova.
 * Niky: ** What do you think of American food?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, I have been here for twelve years now and I would have to say in the last twelve years I have seen a lot of improvement in food quality because people are a little more health conscious, but the first thing that struck me was unhealthy people ate here, how fattening the food was. When I first came here, I wore a size one in juniors. In a matter of three months, I jumped to size seven. That tells you the quality of the food and how my body wasn’t used to it. It took me a long time to lose that extra weight too. I try to watch what I eat now because there’s so much hidden sugar and fat. Eck. I don’t like hamburgers, definitely. [laughing]
 * Niky: ** How are the foods different?
 * Nadejda: ** People over there eat a lot more fresh fruits and vegetables. Here, if you don’t have meat on the table it’s pretty much not considered a meal where over there, you could go for days without serving meat and it’s considered perfectly fine. So, things that here are considered the side dish are considered the main dish course over there. It’s… That was one thing I had a hard time getting used to. Looking at my plate and there are three or four different things, and I’m thinking, “Well, I can make a meal out of just one.” Um, the main staple in Bulgaria is bread. [cough, cough, cough] Pardon me. You cannot sit down at the table without having bread on the table. You may not have anything else, but you have to have bread. That’s one of the biggest differences.
 * Niky: ** What was your favorite food like in Bulgaria?
 * Nadejda: ** I love French fries with shredded feta cheese on top! In Bulgaria when people go out to, let’s say a sports bar, they don’t order hot wings, they order French fries with feta cheese with their beer.
 * Niky: ** Thanks for your time. It’s been a lot of help.
 * Nadejda: ** Anytime.
 * Niky: ** Hello I’m Niky and this is a immigration project {pause} that {pause} (stuttering) thing we interview um (stuttering) what’s your full name?
 * Nadejda: ** My full name is Nadejda Lachezarova Stoyanova.
 * Niky: ** Where did you immigrate from?
 * Nadejda: ** Bulgaria.
 * Niky: ** Um…{pause} What job did you have in your old country, if any?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, I immigrated right after high school to come to college here, so I did not work.
 * Niky: ** No job? What attracted you to America?
 * Nadejda: ** Originally, it was school. I wanted to go to college here because colleges in the United States are much better. Um… Eventually, I ended up staying because I liked the job opportunities better as well.
 * Niky: ** Um… What was life like in your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, at the time, the economy of Bulgaria was really, really bad. So, nobody really had enough money to go out and have fun. Money was barely enough to feed yourself and buy clothes and maybe transportation to school and back or to work and back. Um. Things have changed a lot since then in Bulgaria, but that’s how it was when I left.
 * Niky: ** Um. What were your hobbies at the time?
 * Nadejda: ** I used to like hiking in the woods and picking mushrooms.
 * Niky: ** Um. Do you have, have any friends there that you still speak to?
 * Nadejda: ** Yes! Lots of friends. Facebook! (laughing)
 * Niky: ** Um. How was the education there?
 * Nadejda: ** Early education is very good actually. Um. There is a lot… Their educational system is a lot more science heavy, so a lot of the things that you don’t cover until college here you actually have to take in high school over there. And, you don’t get to pick your classes. The classes are picked for you.
 * Niky: ** Um. How was your home life?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, I lived in the house. Um. It is very normal for families to stay together for more than one generation, so in my house it was my grandparents, my mom, and myself. And, if I had stayed and gotten married over there, I probably would have stayed in the same house too.
 * Niky: ** Um. What were the types of games you played?
 * Nadejda: ** Oh gosh. We played a lot outside, so we would just make up games, or we would act out movies, or, um. I played with the boys more than the girls, so a lot of times we would make bows and arrows out of wood and string and we would shoot at each other. (laughing)
 * Niky: ** Di… did you know anybody famous in your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** Well yes and no. Um… I went to a concert once and I was wearing this weird vest over my coat that I had my mom make for me out of a bed spread, it was really furry so I looked like a big Yeti (laughing) because it was white and long fake fur coming out of it. So, after the concert I was waiting around for an autograph and the guy came up to me, one of the singers from the band, and asked me if he could touch it, because he really liked it. So, he kept saying, “Wow. This is really cool. I really need to make myself one of these.” And six months later, they released a new song and the video clip had a girl in it and they had dressed the girl in a little heart-shaped backpack, mittens, and a hat made out of the same stuff. So, it was the closest thing to meeting a famous person that I’ve had.
 * Niky: ** What was your family like?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, I come from a family of teachers and military people, so, um, my family was very strict, very schedule oriented all the time and, um, education was very important. Um. I don’t really know how to describe them. Um, in Bulgaria, people are very… There is no such thing as personal space, so you’re always all over each other, but at the same time, people don’t say, “I love you” to each other the way they do here. So, it, it’s more of a physical affection than verbal. That’s one of the biggest differences I can point out.
 * Niky: ** What was your government like?
 * Nadejda: ** Very corrupt. And it still is.
 * Niky: ** Um. What was your favorite food like in your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** I love French fries with shredded feta cheese on top! In Bulgaria when people go out to, let’s say a sports bar, they don’t order hot wings, they order French fries with feta cheese with their beer.
 * Niky: ** Um. What… Do you have a traditional dress or clothing?
 * Nadejda: ** People only wear that on, um, stage. Nobody really dresses like that, but I do have an outfit which I can show you later, um, that comes from my hometown in Bulgaria.
 * Niky: ** Um, what was like? What was the clothing like?
 * Nadejda: ** Ah, well, way, way, way back in the day, this is what women would wear when they went out to dance. Um, most of the clothes were homemade. Um. A lot of people would have a machine at home where they would be able to weave their own material, so it was either wool or cotton. A lot of hemp. Um. The one I had made for me is all modern material, obviously, because it’s made now, but if you look at my grandmother’s, the material is really rough and it was all handmade. Everybody made their own clothes back in the day.
 * Niky: ** What were the major religions back in your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** Probably about 90, maybe 90% of the population is Christian, Eastern Orthodox. Um. There is a fairly decent size Muslim minority because we border Turkey and there’s some Bulgarians on the border and Turkish population that are Muslim. There are just a handful of Catholics and I know there are a lot of Jewish people in Bulgaria as well, but I really don’t know statistics.
 * Niky: ** Um did your… Um did the religions conflict with each other in any way?
 * Nadejda: ** Ah, a little bit. Ah, the people that were Muslim tend to keep to themself and if you have Muslim and Christian in the same village up in the mountains they tend to not talk to each other a whole lot unless they have to.
 * Niky: ** What were the main sports at you’re old…?
 * Nadejda: ** Soccer. That’s it.
 * Nadejda: ** It is the… Where I grew up… The part of Bulgaria I come from, it is exactly like it is here in Dayton, Ohio.
 * Niky: ** (Unintelligible) Um, what did you remember most in your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** It is very pretty. That’s the one thing I miss the most. I… you… you don’t have to drive for days to go see something very different. Ah, we have mountains. We have lakes. We have the Black Sea, so we have nice beaches. Um, there’s just everything within driving distance. The country is smaller than Ohio, so you can cross from one end to the other in half a day.
 * Niky: ** Did… What language or languages were spoken in your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** Bulgarian. It’s a Slavic language.
 * Niky: ** What music did you listen to in your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** Ahh… Well, whatever was popular on MTV really, so not really different from here. Not as much rap over there as there is here, but for the most part, people listened to the same thing.
 * Niky: ** Okay. What types of music (unintelligible)?
 * Nadejda: ** Pop. Like I said, pretty much everything.
 * Niky: ** Yeah. Um…
 * Nadejda: ** One big difference is…is there is a style very much influenced by Oriental and Gypsy music. So, it’s like a combination of pop and dance and belly dancing music and when you go to nightclubs, after a few drinks, people tend to climb on the tables and they’ll belly dance while the music is playing. It gets a little disorderly. (laughing)
 * Niky: ** What did… Um… Did you have any American restaurants in your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, McDonald’s is everywhere, so they have McDonald’s in Bulgaria. (laughing) But, that’s pretty much the only one.
 * Niky: ** Um, What was the process of coming here to America like?
 * Nadejda: ** It was a little complicated. Um, since I was coming here to go to college, Immigration Services required me to guarantee that I had enough money to go to school for four years. Um. I had a scholarship, which helped a little bit, but, ah, I was really hoping to sign some loans to help finance the rest of my education that way. Ah, I did get visa even though I didn’t have money for four years of school, but it was difficult.
 * Niky: ** Um, How did you come here… like by plane…
 * Nadejda: ** Plane.
 * Niky: ** Okay. What route did you take?
 * Nadejda: ** Um, when I originally came to the states, I flew from Bulgaria to London, from London to Chicago, going from Chicago to Appleton, Wisconsin. There are different ways to get back and forth, but there really aren’t… The only direct flight that you can take between the United States and Bulgaria is from New York to Sofia, otherwise you have to change two or three flights.
 * Niky: ** Did you have any trouble becoming a citizen?
 * Nadejda: ** No.
 * Niky: ** Um. If you would change the process of how to become a citizen, how would you change it.
 * Nadejda: ** Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. I think what’s in place works. Um, there are always people that will try to cheat the system, but there is nothing you can do about it except make sure that it doesn’t happen.
 * Niky: ** Um. Did… What were some of the steps you took becoming a citizen?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, when I first came here I was on a student visa. Eventually, I won a green card, and once you win a green card, after five years you are eligible to apply for citizenship. And, actually, after September 11th, I joined the military here which actually helped me become a citizen a little bit faster because there are laws in place where, if you join the military, because you are so restricted as a green card holder, um, they actually try to give people more options. So, they allow them to become citizens sooner, so they can do more for the military.
 * Niky: ** How did you feel when… How did you feel when you walked into an office to get granted citizenship?
 * Nadejda: ** I was excited. Um. And, I was a little nervous too. There were all of these different people from around the world. There was one lady that cried as she was sworn in. It was really neat.
 * Niky: ** Um, how did you feel taking the oath?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, I was excited, because I already felt like I was part of this country, so that was my way of saying, “Hey, look. I’m here. I’m an American now and now I’m officially an American.” So, it didn’t really change much for me except make it official.
 * Niky: ** Um, how did you feel when you were preparing for the test?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, some people complain because of the test, but I personally think the things on the test any American should know and it’s actually pretty funny when you people that were born here, sometimes they don’t have the answers to those questions. (laughing) They can be as simple as how many stripes are on the flag and those people look at you and go, “Ah, I don’t know. I’ve never counted them.”
 * Niky: ** Um, what was it like here in America for you?
 * Nadejda: ** I would say countries I’ve been to, there isn’t no such place as America. There isn’t any other place like America, because here, as long as you are willing to work hard, you can do anything you want. Now, when people may call the American Dream over inflated, there are still so many opportunities people in other countries would kill to have.
 * Niky: ** What was the American Dream like for you or is to you?
 * Nadejda: ** To be able to get myself through school, find a job, and be able to support myself. Um. I really didn’t have a whole lot of expectations. I…I don’t want to be rich. I don’t want to be famous. I just want to have a good life and I think I’ve gotten there. It’s not that hard as long as you are willing to put the work into it.
 * Niky: ** Was it better or worse in America than your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** It is much, much better here.
 * Niky: ** Um, what’s sports do you like here?
 * Nadejda: ** To be honest, I’m not big into sports. Um, the only sport I watch on TV is figure skating, and most people argue that’s not even a sport.
 * Niky: ** How is the weather compared to here than in your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** It’s about the same. Yep.
 * Niky: ** What is the favorite…or, your favorite memory in this country?
 * Nadejda: ** I have a lot. Now, swearing in to be an American citizen is one of them, ah, but I have been around all different kinds of things that can be memorable. Joining the military was one of them. Swearing in for the military, that was… I still remember the day I did it.
 * Niky: ** What was the first thing you saw when you came here?
 * Nadejda: ** The first thing I saw?
 * Niky: ** Yeah.
 * Nadejda: ** Hmmm… Well, I think the first thing I saw… Well, it was Chicago airport and the first thing that struck me was how many people from all over the world were here. How many were from other countries. How many actually lived here and looked differently. In Bulgaria all of the people look the same, except the gypsy minority because they are darker skinned.
 * Nadejda: ** (To child off screen) Close it. Go in. Don’t come back.
 * Nadejda: ** Okay. First thing I saw when I came to the states was the Chicago Airport. And… the, the thing I found really, really neat was how many people from all over the world were there. Different skin color. Different languages. I wasn’t used to that. Bulgaria’s such a homogeneous society. Um, so whenever some kind of foreigner comes in, it’s like looking a some exotic animal where here, I have gotten so used to it, I don’t really notice. But, that was the first thing that struck me. Just the diversity.
 * Niky: ** Um, Did you know any English before coming over here?
 * Nadejda: ** Actually, yes. I started learning English when I was about six-and-a-half. Um, I learned it as an extracurricular activity at first, then it was a required language at school, and then I actually went to a foreign language high school where my specialty was English. So, I spoke it pretty well before I came here. That’s not a guarantee that you’re going to understand people on the street though, because there is a lot of slang not taught in school.
 * Niky: ** Uh, was it difficult to learn English?
 * Nadejda: ** No. Um, a lot of people would argue that English is one of the hardest languages out there. I argue with those people to death, because I have studied German. I have studied Russian and, obviously, Bulgarian. None of them… English would be the easiest out of all of these languages.
 * Niky: ** Um, is there a scent that reminds you of your old home?
 * Nadejda: ** A scent?
 * Niky: ** Like a smell or something?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, the smell of pine trees reminds me of Bulgaria because there’s a lot of pine trees up in the mountains. Um. When I… When I go to Florida, the smell of the ocean reminds me of the Black Sea. Um. Food, not so much. Not very many smells are the same. It’s hard to compare.
 * Niky: ** Is there a different…difference in the air quality?
 * Nadejda: ** Ah, I don’t know. I think it’s about the same.
 * Niky: ** Um, What music do you listen to now?
 * Nadejda: ** Whatever comes on the radio really. (laughing). Anything but country. Now here’s the funny thing: I love blue grass; I don’t like country. Usually, when a country song comes on, I switch the radio station.
 * Nadejda: ** Hmm. Hmm. Let’s see. I honestly don’t have a favorite per se. Um. There’s a lot of music out there, and I just… I go by whatever catches my attention. I have random songs on my phone I have collected over time basically because I heard them on the radio and it sounded good so I downloaded it. I don’t necessarily stick to a certain band.
 * Niky: ** What do you think of American food?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, I have been here for twelve years now and I would have to say in the last twelve years I have seen a lot of improvement in food quality because people are a little more health conscious, but the first thing that struck me was unhealthy people ate here, how fattening the food was. When I first came here, I wore a size one in juniors. In a matter of three months, I jumped to size seven. That tells you the quality of the food and how my body wasn’t used to it. It took me a long time to lose that extra weight too. Um. I try to watch what I eat now because there’s so much hidden sugar and fat… Eck. I don’t like hamburgers definitely. (laughing)
 * Niky: ** Um, What do you miss in your old country?
 * Nadejda: ** I miss the nature. It was so pretty when I was over there and I miss… I grew up in the big city where out here I have to drive to get to just about anything. Out there, you could have people at your table entertaining and in the middle of dinner you could realize you are out of salt, for example. All you have to do is tell them, “I’ll be right back.” Run maybe 200 feet down the street, buy your salt, and come back and nobody would even notice you were gone. Where here, you’d be lucky to be back in half and hour. That’s one of the things I miss – where everything is within walking distance.
 * Niky: ** What is the difference in the American lifestyle?
 * Nadejda: ** People here are so used to driving everywhere that then they become a little lazy. Then, they don’t want to walk anywhere. Um, the whole personal space thing. To this day I have to remind myself constantly, “Don’t get in other people’s faces because they don’t appreciate it.” (laughing) That’s very typical for America. I have not seen that anywhere else. Um. Those are the big things I think.
 * Niky: ** Um, how about the American civil rights?
 * Nadejda: ** I… I don’t think there another place in the world where you have the rights you have here. That’s one thing that everybody else is jealous of. One of the reasons people want to come here. So, I wouldn’t trade it for nothing.
 * Niky: ** Um, how about the American youth groups. How are those different?
 * Nadejda: ** Honestly, I don’t know because I left Bulgaria right out of high school and when I came here I had to work to get myself through school so I never really got myself involve in any of that, so I really don’t have good insights of that.
 * Niky: ** Um, the foods – how are they different?
 * Nadejda: ** People over there eat a lot more fresh fruits and vegetables. Ah, here, if you don’t have meat on the table, it’s pretty much not considered a meal where over there, you could go for days without serving meat and it’s considered perfectly fine. So, things that here are considered the side dish are considered the main dish course over there. It’s… That was one thing I had a hard time getting used to. Looking at my plate and there are three or four different things, and I’m thinking, “Well, I can make a meal out of just one.” Um, the main staple in Bulgaria is bread. (cough, cough, cough) Pardon me. Um, you cannot sit down at the table without having bread on the table. You may not have anything else, but you have to have bread. That’s one of the biggest differences.
 * Niky: ** Um, would you say… What would you say about the transportation differences?
 * Nadejda: ** Hmm. Transportation here sucks. There really isn’t good public transportation. Um, over there, because back in the day not everyone could afford a car, there was a lot more buses, trains, … There’s a metro only in Sofia, but it is… You don’t need to own a car, basically, to go anywhere. Now, people can afford cars these days and everybody wants to own a car just because it’s cool and the roads aren’t designed to support that kind of traffic. So, traffic in the city can be backed up for four or five city blocks. Um, people will be driving on the sidewalks trying to get around cars. It can be pretty crazy at times.
 * Niky: ** Um, what would you say in the difference of jobs here?
 * Nadejda: ** There are definitely a whole lot more job opportunities here and selection is more fair here than it is over there. Um, there are some professions in Bulgaria where women are still not allowed to be in. When I was still in high school, I had convinced myself I wanted to be a navigator in the military. At the time, they didn’t have GPS, Glonass, and all that stuff, so you have to have two people in the cockpit. One would basically read the map and tell you which way to fly. Women were not accepted. I don’t know how it is now. Um, I don’t think a whole lot has changed in the military, but women are pretty much given secretarial jobs. Um, a lot of the engineering and doctoring jobs are mostly men. Um, there’s some professions where guys will not go into. Ah, and also, if you are older, people will not hire you as much if you are looking for a job because they want a younger person because they figure if they are going to invest money they want to get more years out of you. So, my mom, uh, is fifty-nine years old, if she was to be jobless tomorrow, try to look for a job to retirement, it would be much harder for her than it would be for me.
 * Niky: ** Have you ever gone back to visit your home country?
 * Nadejda: ** I go back every other year, mostly because it’s expensive to fly, and, uh, I… when I go, I stay for at least two weeks because there is a big time difference and it takes a few days to kind of adjust and… It’s an expensive trip, so I save up my vacation time for a couple of years and then I go back and visit to stay for a while.
 * Niky: ** How do you feel when you visit?
 * Niky: ** Uh, were you welcomed back by your government and you family?
 * Niky: ** Um, Did you ever see your childhood home after going back?
 * Nadejda: ** Yes, my family still lives there.
 * Niky: ** How does that make you feel, going back there?
 * Nadejda: ** Well, it brings back a lot of memories. It does. But, I, um, the standard of living is not as high in Bulgaria as it is here and the house my family lives in was built a while back. It was built in 1955, so there, for example, is not central heating, so every room has its own heater, so in the winter time you have to, um, you have diesel heater and you have heaters on wood and charcoal and it is a pain in the butt to have to haul in the stuff and empty it out and… I don’t like to visit in the wintertime anymore because I don’t want to deal with that. I’m too spoiled now.
 * Niky: ** Are there any words or phrases that you hear that remind you of your home country?
 * Nadejda: ** (laughing) One of the biggest ones is, “Your mama.” When people here say, “Your mama,” they usually mean a whole lot by it. If you hear “Your mama” in Bulgaria, they are actually cursing you out. That is the worst thing that anybody can say to you. The Bulgarian words are much longer than the ones in the English language, so when someone tries to curse you out, it takes an entire sentence, so they tend to shorten it to just, “Your mama.” And, when I hear that, it usually makes me laugh because people have no idea what that would mean in Bulgaria. (laughing)
 * Niky: ** How do feel that US immigration.. that the US immigration was a good idea?
 * Nadejda: ** It was probably the best thing that ever happened to me, because if I didn’t come here, I probably would have never accomplished my dream to go to school for the specialty I wanted. I wanted to be in international relations and there are only two schools in Bulgaria that offer that with very limited admission and you really have to have either a lot of money or a lot of connections to get in, so I would never have been able to accomplish that, um. I would have never had such good job opportunities. There’s a lot of things that would have never happened to me if I hadn’t come here.
 * Niky: ** Has it benefitted you?
 * Nadejda: ** Absolutely.
 * Niky: ** Um, Thanks for the helping. It’s been a big favor.
 * Nadejda: ** Anytime.

ANALYSIS
Nadejda Stoyanova came to America after communism fell in Europe. People were trying to leave the countries that had been communist because they wanted freedom. Nadejda came here for college because the colleges here are better than over in Bulgaria. She started with the usual steps of becoming a citizen by coming here on a student visa, and she later won a green card. After 9/11, she joined the US military, which sped up the process of becoming a citizen. She took the citizenship test and was sworn in like every immigrant that wants to become a citizen. She is really happy that she became a citizen and coming here was “the best thing that ever happened” to her.