Immigrants Share Why They Love & Appreciate Living In America...Land Of The Free

Washington Post----

What with the suffocating humidity, near-Biblical rain and dampened economic climate, there may be muted hip-hip-hurrays for the nation's birthday. But as the weekend's fireworks are cued up and patriots swarm the Mall, it's not hard to find denizens of the District who are just plain happy to be in this country.

For so many immigrants, the Fourth of July is as jubilant as the sky is spacious and the grains are amber. So to a random sampling, we posed a single question: What do you like about America?

Zee Bornilla, 64, from the Philippines. Living in U.S.: 18 years

(Interviewed while selling makeup at the Chanel counter inside the downtown Macy's): "I can work here. Not like in our country -- housewives don't work. That's how Filipinos are. The man is the head of the family. . . . And in our country there's no divorce. Even if you're suffering, you can't get out."

Hoa Le, 60, from Vietnam. Living in U.S.: 34 years

(Assembling hot dogs inside a food cart on George Washington University's campus): "We love that people here can get famous for cooking on TV. And I like the travel shows. [The hosts] go anywhere -- France! England! -- in an airplane."

Massimo Fabbri, 30, from Italy. Living in U.S.: nine years

(Prepping for dinner at Posto restaurant in Adams Morgan, where he's executive chef): "In Tuscany -- I was just there two weeks ago -- they're kind of sitting in a limbo. They know what they like and they stick with it. You still find the crouton with bruschetta, crouton with chicken liver pâté. But here if I don't change the menu in a couple of months, I always hear comments at the bar: 'Is there anything new?' People just love, love, love to try new things."

Natacha Saint-Val, 31, from Haiti. Living in U.S.: seven years

(Recruiting downtown for the U.S. Army, for which she's a specialist stationed in Hawaii): "The one thing I like a lot about this country is the access to education. I'm from a Third World country. In most other countries, education is practically a luxury. In this country, most people take it for granted."

Juan Aguilar, 21, from Mexico. Living in U.S.: four years

(Pushing a snow-cone cart around Mount Pleasant): "Las mujeres de este país son bonitas. Son dulces. Son amables." ("The women in this country are pretty. They are sweet. They are friendly.")

Tesfalidet "Tess" Gherezgher, "Old enough," from Ethiopia. Living in U.S.: 32 years

(Greeting guests at the St. Gregory Hotel on M Street, where he works as a doorman): "This is the promised land. You know what the Bible says -- they will emigrate to the West! . . . My daughter, she is 17 and she has Down syndrome, and here she gets care. Every day, my daughter thanks God."

Marilou Valenzuela, 62, from the Philippines. Living in U.S.: 16 years

(Awaiting, at Union Station, the family for whom she's a nanny to return from Boston): "By working here, the amount of dollars goes a long way [in the Philippines]. We were able to build better houses and living conditions there for our family and other relatives."

Lucas Salas-Orono, 27, from Argentina. Living in U.S.: seven years

(Entering a Berlitz classroom at Thomas Circle, where he teaches Spanish): "I like all the investigative shows. And I love all the sports here."

Maynor Corea, 25, from Nicaragua. Living in U.S.: nine years

(Boarding an Amtrak train at Union Station): "The high technology the military has. I think it's amazing. The tools they use not just for war, but a lot of research."

Nadir Shyotis, 46, from Sudan. Living in U.S.: 27 years

(Finishing lunch at 24 Seven, a Mediterranean restaurant on U Street): "Freedom of religion. I can express my feelings about religion openly, freely, without being hunted or being charged with any felony."

Eliana Morgana, 45, from Bolivia. Living in U.S.: 27 years

(Taking a break at Eurospa Morgana, the nail-and-hair salon on K Street that she owns): "The freedom -- that's what I like most. The freedom to do whatever you want and to politically and economically succeed. Because in our country, you know, everything is political . . . and you have to basically leave, especially if you want to make a life for your kids."

Afroza Akter, 35, from Bangladesh. Living in U.S.: eight years

(Selling scented oils behind the counter of Atlantis Fragrances on U Street): "I like my store. It smells good. People like my store, too, because we have soaps and lotions. You need to clean. All cleaning stuff is here. And you can get good smell in the house. When you go home you can relax with the incense."

Zema Mirza, 21, from Bangladesh. Living in U.S.: five years

(Rolling a suitcase through Union Station with her aunt): "Acceptance. The amount of diversity you have here and the way people mix with each other. Growing up in Bangladesh, it's largely a homogenous population, but there's so much inequality. It's so striking, it's right there. [In the United States] I don't think you can identify someone's class right away, whereas where I grew up it's easy to identify someone's economic background, from where they can get in -- literally certain stores or residential areas -- to the way they dress."

Harsha Ravigopal, 26, from India. Living in U.S.: four years

(Ushering his visiting family members through Union Station): "Free spirit. Entrepreneurship. You have an idea, you make money. My company's boss started 10 years back in health care, and now: $120 million sales per year."

Shyamala Ravigopal, 48, from India

(Visiting from Bangalore to see her son, above): "I like how America is very industrious. People are very industrious. Right from the child to the age of [motions upward with hand], people are working. That I like. Here I see 80-year-old man, 85-year-old man, working. They don't depend on anyone. They're able to live on their own."

Sushada Saichur, 57, from Thailand. Living in U.S.: 33 years

(Lounging on a leopard-print divan inside Shears Hair Salon, which she owns, on 15th Street): "I like CNN. I'm a boring person. . . . I love the United States. And I'm grateful that I'll be able to spend this Fourth of July with my son, First Lieutenant Seth Varayon, who just returned from Afghanistan and is now stationed in Kentucky, home of the 101st Airborne. . . . I used to -- when my son was young -- go to the best place I love [for the Fourth of July], along the GW Parkway on the Virginia side. . . . That one experience was super. People set up tents, and some tents were so elaborate. One of the tents . . . had pillows, and they made a fence for themselves using . . . what do you call them? Flamingos. Little plastic pink flamingos."


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