In our Voices blog, immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers share their experiences and thoughts with other newcomers. Blog posts are published mostly in English.

Getting a driver’s license can be a long process for native-born Americans and for immigrants. A newcomer writes about her journey to getting a driver’s license and how it improved her life.  Two years ago, when I first arrived in the USA, I quickly learned that taxis are not only expensive but are mostly only ... Read more

Both of my parents were educators and I pretty much grew up between school and home. When I arrived in the USA, I had a curiosity about the school system and roles in a school. I entered the school system as a substitute teacher. A substitute teacher is a person who teaches a school class ... Read more

USAHello photo Let’s face it – the financial system in the USA is very complex. Many newcomers come from economies that require you to pay in cash for goods. When I was growing up, we used cash instead of banks because of wars and theft. Many people do not get the opportunity to use bank ... Read more

USAHello photo “You cannot learn English at an old age,” I was told. I heard it from friends when I told them I was learning English as a second language. My name is Fatema, and I am a Syrian refugee in the USA. I arrived on August 5th, 2016, with my son’s family. When I ... Read more