Many people from different cultures immigrated because of force or problems in their countries. Hmong immigrated because of the Vietnam War and they want opportunities. Other people immigrated because they want better life.

My relatives immigrated from Thailand in 2004. My aunt and uncle came to Appleton first. My cousins and my grandmother were still on the plane. I was ten and didn’t know anything about the Hmong culture. I didn’t know who my relatives were, so I asked my parents questions about them.

The next day, my parents went to the airport to pick up my cousins and my grandmother. They’re from my mom’s side of the family. There were a lot of sadness and sorrows because they haven’t seen each other for years. My mom said that there were a lot of Hmong and other immigrants at the airport crying and hugging. When they drove back home, my parents were thinking about finding a house for my relatives. Our house was too small for them to stay. The basement was the only place they slept in.

Three years pass by and there were problems with my aunt and uncle. My uncle is always on the phone with another woman. My aunt is always yelling at him to stop. My uncle sometimes hit her. She will run away and talk to my parents. My grandmother and my parents convinced them to stop fighting and help take care of their kids more. After that, they both stopped fighting. One problem was, my aunt and uncle hate our family. We didn’t do anything about it because we’re afraid they’d do something to our family.

I figured that Hmong immigrants still think that they are still in Thailand. But they will get used to America soon. My aunt and uncle will continue hating my family, but at least we have supporters out there for us.