Alicia

Introducing our team: Amanda

December 27, 2014 Alicia No Comments Blog

Amanda is the Director of Education for Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania. In her role at Junior Achievement she oversees partnerships between JA and the school districts in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and its six bordering counties. She and her staff recruit approximately 3,000 volunteers each school year to teach JA’s curriculum on entrepreneurship, financial literacy and workforce readiness in the classroom to over 40,000 local youth in grades Pre-K-12. She has initiated and leads a refugee and immigrant initiative at JA which has led to hundreds of local refugee and immigrant youth being exposed to in-school JA programming, specialized job shadow events, increased media attention and scholarships.

Prior to JA, Ms. Laichak graduated with a BA from the University of Pittsburgh and participated in the Semester at Sea program. She began her professional career as an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor to adults and children in Poland and later in Pittsburgh. She has worked extensively in refugee resettlement at the federal and local levels. She holds a Master of International Development degree from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. Ms. Laichak has published work on immigrant entrepreneurship in Poland and Ukraine. She is also a current doctoral student in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh with a research focus on refugee and immigrant K-12 education. Originating from Johnstown, PA she also owns and manages several rental properties in the City of Pittsburgh.

Introducing our team: Puspa

November 30, 2014 Alicia No Comments Blog

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Hi, my name is Puspa Nepal. I was born in a refugee camp in Nepal. My parents are from Bhutan. I am going to be a senior at Baldwin High School this fall. I left the refugee camp for the United States when I was 11 years old. My life in the camp was totally different from here. We did not have good houses. We lived in huts, and ate basic foods like rice and lentils- no fruits, milk, or meat. We went to school, where our classrooms were under trees. We came to America for a better future. I want to work hard and lead a good life here. My parents say that they have great hopes for me and I am trying to live up to their expectations.

My first day in America was a big challenge for me and my family due to language and other barriers. I was both happy and scared because I knew there would be changes in my life, and making those changes and adapting to them was scary. When I got to our apartment I had no one to talk to except my family. We did not know how to use things in the apartment. Our case worker had to help us with basic things. I thought that I would never have friends again.

We were first resettled in Idaho. My grandparents felt so lonely because there were so few Bhutanese families there. Then we moved to Pittsburgh. They are happier here. Both my mom and dad work hard at entry level jobs. They were able to save some money which helped them to buy a house. Now I live in a house with my parents, my grandparents, and my brother. We are a happy family, although my grandparents miss Bhutan a lot.I am 16 now.

I help my family with various things. I interpret for them, answer calls, and teach them basic English. I babysit my nephew and niece over the weekends, allowing their parents to go to their jobs. From the first day, when I was so scared, to this day, I have made so many changes in my life. Now I am out of the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at school, I have good grades, and I participate in different activities. I am a Junior Achievement Star Student. I have many friends to talk to. I feel that getting the opportunity to come to America and being a student here is good luck for me and my family. Finally, I would like to say that refugees are not bad people. Given the opportunity, they can do as well as other people do. I am proud to be here, and I hope to become a pharmacist and serve people.

The COSL team celebrates Tihar (Diwali)!

November 10, 2014 Alicia No Comments Blog

The COSL team celebrating Tihar together

The first Deusi-Bhailo program organized by the team of Shangri-Lost on the occasion of the auspicious festival of Tihar was a big success. The team designed a Deusi recitation of Nepali folk dances and songs. A Deusi recitation is, in essence, a narration of different mythological stories by a leader of a group in a catchy tune. During the Deusi recitation, team members clap their hands and repeat specific phrases after the leader to keep the message and tone of the recitation emphatic and interesting.

Tihar, also known commonly as Diwali, is a festival of light that is celebrated by Hindus all over the world. However, not all Hindus celebrate Tihar in same way. This festival’s celebration varies greatly from culture to culture. For instance, in Nepali culture, Tihar is observed for five days, and each day observes the existence and importance of different animals that are part of Nepali culture. On the fifth and final day, brothers and sisters build a strong bond of kinship by blessing one another. They put a tika (blessing) of rainbow colors on each other’s foreheads, exchange gifts, and enjoy food together to mark this major festival.

COSL team members dance on Tihar — ….and then dances for community members!

In Nepali culture, the third and fourth days are celebrated by both boys and girls performing Deusi. To preserve our beautiful culture and to pass it down to future generations, we decided to organize Deusi here in Pittsburgh. At the same time, we were able to raise funds for Children of Shangri-Lost and to teach the Nepali tradition of Deusi to the younger generation. Shangri-Lost teamed up and provided entertainment and merriment for many Pittsburgh Nepali families during the festival of Tihar.

We’re already looking forward to next year!

Introducing our team: Priyanka

August 17, 2014 Alicia No Comments Blog

Hi, I am Priyanka Neupane, a sophomore at Baldwin High School. I was born in a refugee camp in Nepal, but now I currently live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I spent the first 11 years of my life in a refugee camp. Thanks to a resettlement program by UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency, my family and I were resettled in the United States. I started fifth grade in Arizona where my first major accomplishment was learning to speak English. My family then moved to Pittsburgh where there is a thriving Bhutanese community. Currently I am doing some of the social media work for the Children of Shangri-Lost, a project to educate the community about me and my people.

Introducing our Team: Hema

August 4, 2014 Alicia No Comments Blog

My name is Hema Neupane. I am a rising sophomore at Pennsylvania State University, majoring in Biology, Pre-medicine and Math. I was born and spent the first fourteen years of my life in a refugee camp in Nepal. I grew up in this community, playing in the dust and trying to learn what I could about the world beyond our society. Eventually a great opportunity for all Bhutanese refugees came; the United States and six other nations agreed to resettle Bhutanese Refugees in their countries. For my family and me, this journey led us to Arizona In 2009. I started ninth grade in Phoenix, accepting huge challenges like learning a new language, making friends, and adopting the culture to fit into American Society. Two years later, we decided to move to Pittsburgh for better job opportunities for my parents and for better quality education facilities for me. Finally searching for and following my dreams, I arrived in Pittsburgh, and now feel like I am breathing the fresh air of freedom and seeing my dreams right before me.

I am a 2013 graduate of Baldwin High School and a member of the National Honor Society. During high school, I worked as an English as a Second Language (ESL) & Naturalization Teacher for a group of elderly Bhutanese people. As soon as I graduated, I assisted a PhD candidate from Oxford University with her research on the economic self-sufficiency of Bhutanese refugees in Pittsburgh. I worked in a summer youth Philanthropy Internship Program as a 2013 summer intern at the Heinz Endowment and at the United Way of Allegheny County. I am also an alumna of Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania. I am currently coordinating the filming of videos within the Bhutanese community for the Children of Shangri-Lost project.

Having lived in the United States for the past five years, my hopes and dreams are still alive and now I have the opportunity for higher education, which I do not want to give up. This is who I am; a young girl striving and thriving for knowledge.

Introducing a Child of Shangri-Lost: Rhea

July 24, 2014 Alicia No Comments Blog

Hello, my name is Rhea Poudel Sharma, and I am currently a sophomore at Berea College in Kentucky. I came to the United States about nine years ago from a small town called Birtamode in Nepal. My parents are of Bhutanese decent. I have been residing in Atlanta, Georgia ever since I came to the States from Nepal. My struggle to fit into American culture was a bit different from the Bhutanese-Nepalese that have recently come to the States, as there were very few Nepali people in my area, when I arrived. It was difficult at first to not have anyone who shared my background and to not know the language that was spoken around me, but it got easier as I started to interact with the people I found around me. Not being part of a particular clique was the best option for me at the time because it exposed me to different things and made me learn more about American culture than I would have if I had sequestered myself with just one group of people. However, even after many years of living around the American culture, I have made sure that I do not forget my roots. I am very fond of my heritage and believe in keeping a fine balance between the soil I was born into and the soil that I live in today.

A brief introduction about me, aside my background: I am a Pre-Medical and Chemistry major who intends to go to medical school in the future. Besides my studies, I am also an active member of a few clubs at my college and hold leadership positions in them. These clubs include the Pre-Allied Health Club (Event Coordinator) and Biology Club (Treasurer). In the past, I have been associated with clubs such as Habitat for Humanity (Co-Vice President), Future Business Leaders of America (Secretary), Interact Club (Secretary), National Honor Society, Technology Students’ Association, National Beta Club, Art Honor Society, French Club, and the Center for Pan Asian Community Services. During my free time, I like to cook, watch movies, and read books. In terms of athletics, I am interested in swimming, running, playing badminton, and ice skating.

I heard about the Children of Shangri-Lost project from my friend Diwas Timsina, who asked me to contribute to the project by sharing a little about myself and my story.