Personal Statement

My research essay is based on both personal experience and research, and looks at how immigrants adapt to life in the U.S. and what areas need the most attention.

When people ask me what my life in the U.S. has been like after moving, I always compare it to a roller coaster ride. You climb to the top, feeling exhilarated and amazed by the view. And in the next second, you plunge into the abyss, with a sense that nothing is under control and nothing depends on you. Moreover, you pay for it – at the very least, with your time.

However, eight years ago, I felt that everything in my homeland, Ukraine, was also spiraling into the abyss – its economy, political life, financial opportunities, and job market. In 2014, after the annexation of Crimea, war broke out in eastern Ukraine. At that time, my daughter was eight years old. Thinking about my child’s and my family’s future, I started researching the possibility of emigrating.

The U.S. was the only country offering equal opportunities for official immigration, and the Green Card lottery presented a rare chance. My husband doubted the odds, but we applied anyway. I still remember the shock of checking the results – his number wasn’t selected, but mine was. Within a year, we completed background checks, medical exams, and sold our belongings, preparing for a life-changing move.

Sure, the idea of moving to another country when you’re over forty is terrifying. And it seems I’m not the only one. Matilda Rabinowitz, a Ukrainian immigrant and labor organizer, wrote about her experiences in “Immigrant Girl, Radical Woman”, a memoir reflecting on the struggles of immigrants in the early twentieth century. She describes her mother’s reaction to the possible move: “Naturally my mother was terrified at the prospect of traveling. The whole world was alien, and she was going to an alien land. But go she must” (Rabinowitz, p. 3). However, as the saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.” Despite the fear and uncertainty, it is the actions we take that define our journey, not just the doubts that hold us back.

Since the beginning of colonization, the United States has been populated by immigrants from all over the world. Every year, new immigrants come to the U.S. seeking a better life. According to statistics, “As of 2018, there were more than 44.7 million immigrants residing, both lawfully and unlawfully, in the United States” (Hill, p. 119).

Although immigrants face many difficulties, they also make valuable contributions to the U.S. economy and culture. From the technology industry to the arts, immigrants have played an important role in shaping American society. This diversity of cultural and professional influences is key to the country’s further progress. Millions of people strive to move to the U.S. in search of a better life. But is it worth it?

Before writing this essay, I thought that every step in a new country could be a challenge for an immigrant, from renting an apartment to obtaining an SSN number, solving everyday issues, and finding a job. However, after researching, I realized that the main challenges for me – and, I believe, for most immigrants – are English proficiency and full integration into society.

For my family and me, obtaining the necessary SSN numbers, renting a comfortable home in the suburbs of Seattle, and finding jobs wasn’t particularly difficult. We managed to accomplish all of this within the first month of living in a new country. Within a month, our standard of living was already the same as it had been in Ukraine, and from there, it only improved. You can work freely. If you are diligent and hardworking, you can even build a career over time.

English Proficiency as a Key Challenge

Reflecting on the challenges I face as an immigrant in the U.S., I concluded that the biggest challenge is fluent English. However, things are not as simple when it comes to knowing English. I’ve heard of cases where people graduated from linguistic universities in Ukraine with degrees in English translation, but when they stepped off the plane at New York’s airport, they couldn’t understand a word.

My situation was a little better, mainly because I wasn’t a translator and didn’t have false illusions. I could understand almost everything spoken and could read well, but I had significant difficulties with speaking.

Moreover, small talk is an essential part of American culture and is considered a sign of good manners in society. It took me about five years to master this skill, and I’m still learning.

In my view, fluency means speaking without an accent or grammatical errors. Most immigrants retain their accents, except for those who arrived at a very young age. Of course, language – even your native one – can be studied throughout your life.

Additionally, there is professional vocabulary and specialized terminology. If you have an important interview, negotiations, or meetings ahead, I’d strongly recommend thorough preparation. It’s important to at least roughly understand what the conversation will be about, what topics and questions might arise, and be ready to respond.

As Hill mentions, “From 2012 to 2016, over thirteen percent of the U.S. population was comprised of foreign-born nationals” (p. 120). This reflects the linguistic and cultural diversity of the U.S. immigrant population, further emphasizing the need for language proficiency. That’s why I seriously prepared for my U.S. citizenship exam, and this preparation took me quite some time.

Based on my personal experience, the bias against me as an immigrant was most often caused by my accent. Some people may see an accent as a significant disadvantage and, on this basis, consider themselves more advanced. However, such cases are rare and have mostly occurred with people who have a low level of education. Apparently, this is not unusual: “The attitudes of U.S. citizens towards immigration have been mixed. U.S. citizens who were more likely to hold pro-immigration attitudes tended to be higher educated, better skilled, and younger than citizens who were less likely to have pro-immigrant attitudes” (Hill, p. 123).

Social Integration and Cultural Adaptation

Can knowing two languages help in finding a better job and building a career for those whose first language is not English? Research does not support the idea that bilingualism enhances earnings in the U.S. On the contrary, the findings show that Americans who speak a foreign language earn less than those who speak only English at home (López, p. 2).

Much of what you do in a new country, if not everything, is for your children, so their lives will be better. The new society will never fully accept you. You will always be a little foreign. But there will always be hope that your children will have better luck here. Natalia Aponiuk, a scholar who explores the experiences of Ukrainian immigrants in Canadian literature, highlights the struggles of belonging and assimilation. She notes that immigrants often feel perpetually foreign, with the hope that their children will integrate more successfully. As she writes, “The sense of not belonging, of being a ‘foreigner’ tended also to be assumed by the immigrant himself, and it was reflected in his feeling of having to earn the right to belong, a right which he might not attain for himself but might perhaps succeed in attaining for his children” (Aponiuk, p. 51).

From my experience, I can say that career advancement developed directly in proportion to the improvement of my English skills.

Moreover, I realized that getting an education in this country is essential if you truly want to achieve something. As my English improved, my situation at work changed. As Lopez indicates, my experience is typical: “U.S. occupations are workplaces where workers’ English language levels increase with English language importance for the job” (p. 7).

Over time, I realized that hard work alone is not enough without language proficiency. Additionally, bilingualism can sometimes be a disadvantage for employers. My personal experience suggests that employers consider it unnecessary unless the job requires knowledge of multiple languages. There is bias against accents and concerns about English proficiency in a professional environment. Strengthening English skills and continuing to work hard is necessary for achieving meaningful results.

Adapting to a new culture and language was challenging, but one of the most significant aspects of immigration was reshaping my identity. Initially, balancing my Ukrainian roots with the American way of life was difficult, but over time, I embraced a hybrid identity that allowed me to appreciate both cultures.

Ultimately, life in the U.S. is not about sipping cocktails in Manhattan – it’s about hard work. But it’s an honest game, and after every dip on the roller coaster, there’s always an exciting climb ahead.

References

1. Aponiuk, Natalia. “‘…No Longer Quite Ukrainian But Not Quite Canadian Either…’: The Ukrainian Immigrant in Canadian English-Language Literature.” Canadian Ethnic Studies, vol. 47, no. 4, 2015, pp. 49–65, https://doi.org/10.1353/ces.2015.0046.

2. Hill, Amanda. “Exploring the Relationship between National Identity and Attitudes towards Immigrants in the United States.” National Identities, vol. 25, no. 2, 2023, pp. 119–36, https://doi.org/10.1080/14608944.2022.2079118.

3. López, Omar S. “Bilingual Competency in U.S. Occupations: Resetting Expectations about Language in American Society.” Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, vol. 10, no. 1, 2023, pp. 263–11, https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01769-w.

4. Rabinowitz, Matilda, et al. Immigrant Girl, Radical Woman: A Memoir from the Early Twentieth Century. 1st ed., Cornell University Press, 2017, https://doi.org/10.7591/9781501709487.