From Rome to Hyattsville: an Italian resident’s journey to the US
By Julia Gaspar-Bates Beset by tragedy at a young age, Italian native Cecilia Volterra spent most of her early life…
A passion for conservation links Costa Rican to the U.S.
By Julia Gaspar-Bates Jorge Bogantes Montero grew up in a middle-class suburb outside San José, Costa Rica’s capital. His teacher-parents…
Cultural Connections: Resident’s transition from bucolic Germany to urban Hyattsville
By Julia Gaspar-Bates Born in the small town of Kaiserslautern, Germany, Christine Hopp was raised in a 13th-century restored farmhouse….
Cultural Connections: An Egyptian’s journey from the streets of Cairo to a home in Hyattsville
By Julia Gaspar-Bates Born in Cairo, Egypt, Fawaya Mohammed spent her early years in a poor neighborhood close to the…
Cultural Connections: Faith guided Canadian resident’s journey
By Julia Gaspar-Bates Growing up in Cambridge, Ontario, Maggie Banga describes having a typically Canadian childhood. “We loved winter,…
Civil war sent Sierra Leonean to the US
By Julia Gaspar-Bates Human rights activism is deeply woven into Matthias Seisay’s story, and eventually led to his immigration to…
From the Ecuadorian highlands to the Maryland lowlands
By Julia Gaspar-Bates Growing up in a conservative and insular family in Quito, Ecuador, Daniela Collaguazo would never have imagined…
Chinese resident’s cultural curiosity eventually leads her to Hyattsville
Jessie Chu was born in Beijing, China, into an upper middle-class family. Since her parents were very career-oriented, Chu lived…
A global nomad’s quest for roots
By Julia Gaspar-Bates Brandon Vaidyanathan has spent most of his life as a global nomad. Born into an Indian family…
Cultural Connections: Longing for belonging – from India to the US
By JULIA GASPAR-BATES — Being an outsider has been a lifelong reality for Gautam Bastian. Born in Delhi, India, to…
