June is Immigrant Heritage Month. Throughout the month, we’ll be celebrating both our diversity and our shared American heritage by telling the stories of individuals that, together, comprise a uniquely American narrative.
Saaehmoo Marvel
My name is Saaehmoo Marvel. My family is originally from Burma, but I was born and raised in Thailand. I have had a passion for working to help my community for a long time. Before I came to the U.S I was working with the humanitarian organizations along Thai-Burmese border to help refugees by providing interpretation and translation. At that time, I really wanted to go back to live in Thailand. But, my heart told me that I should go to the U.S because I dreamed of a better future. Back in Thailand, it was so hard to live. I worked but I could not afford to go to school or buy a car, a home, good food or good clothing.
I resettled in the U.S as a Karen refugee with my husband in 2007. I was crying a lot in the first year living in the United States due to language barriers, new cultures and work discrimination. After a couple months, due to financial difficulty, I sought work and I got a job as a prep cook in one of the casinos in New York. After a few years, my husband and I moved to Nebraska for better work opportunity and cost of living. We’ve been here ever since.
As I look back on these struggles, they slowly fade away. After that difficult time, I wanted to go back to school so I could gain more experiences and not live behind others. I came to the U.S for freedom and I really found freedom. Because of the education system, I have been able to earn the degrees for my career. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communications and then a master’s degree in Management.
We have settled down here in Lincoln. People in Nebraska are very friendly, and those who I’ve connected with are very nice to me and my community. And our Karen community is very close here. As a community, we help if someone is sick or in need. We support each other. The people in my community are very reliable and we are pretty close. Whenever we need help, we go to each other.
My husband and I bought a house a few years ago. And I really like my job in-home healthcare. I get to help my community directly by hiring caregivers from our community to care for those that need it. I am fortunate to be able to work directly with them.
I am blessed and I am thankful for the opportunities in the U.S. Being a person without a country is very hard because I never had a place to belong. In 2015, I became a U.S. citizen. I am thankful to be an American.