Outside, the early morning dew coats the grass. There is a bite to the October air over Owensboro, a reminder that winter is on its way.
Inside, a father proudly rises before the sun in order to get his young daughter onto the school bus. Waking up early is hardly a sacrifice for Zaw Zaw, a Burmese refugee, who who was finally able to relocate his family to the United States after fighting to leave Malaysia for 6 years.
Now living in Owensboro since July, Zaw Zaw and his wife, Cing Lian Nuampi, both say their biggest struggle is the language barrier, no matter the fact that they can’t drive and don’t even have identification cards yet.
This family is like many other international refugees who relocate to small cities in middle America. No identification means no paying job for Zaw Zaw, so he cleans their small apartment and volunteers at the International Center.
Cing Lam Nuampi attends English Language Learner classes four days a week with other refugees.
Their oldest daughter, Cing Sian Lun, 6, is adapting well, making new friends and learning English in the first grade at Deer Park Elementary School. Their youngest daughter, Cing Ngaih Kim, 3, spends most of the day playing with her mother and the family’s smartphone. Each member of the family is learning to settle into their new lifestyle.
Relief comes on the weekends, when they gather for ethnic meals with their relatives, also refugees from a government that wanted them dead or gone.
They speak freely in their native language, laughing and reminiscing about their loved ones back in Asia. They cook dinner using ingredients native to their homeland. Success looms on the horizon, education is attainable, and peace of mind seems near.
Zaw Zaw and his family are determined to advance. They desire education, income, and their own transportation. Life here may be strange for them, but each day they are one step closer to becoming Americans.
