From Bosnia To The United States by Mirza Tahirovic
Mirza Tahirovic, DIMA class of 2018
From Bosnia To The United States
Interactive Documentary
SYNOPSIS:
Life seemed to be going well for the people of Yugoslavia. The Olympic games were held in Sarajevo in 1984 and at the time, Sarajevo was known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There were people of different religions living together peacefully. Some were married with kids while others were friendly neighbors. People would walk the streets not caring what religions others were. It was as if everyone were equals. Bosnia was a safe place where children could walk the streets without parents having to worry about their safety.
On March of 1992, Bosnia declared independence. On April of 1992, the war began. Life, as the Bosnians knew it, changed completely. Many people were forced out of their homes, held in concentration camps, raped, deported, and killed. With the war, there were many families that were determined to get out of the country. Families would fill a car and head for the border in hopes of not being stopped and turned around. Those who got out usually went to the bordering countries like Croatia and Serbia. Many others took a farther trip to Austria, Germany, England, and the United States. With the war, there were many countries that were accepting refugees. Those who immigrated experienced many struggles and challenges.
The language barrier is the biggest challenge they faced because if families moved to the United States, United Kingdom, or Germany, they would have to learn a new language. Many families tried to join communities that spoke the same language as their native country but that was not always an option. Families had to take what was given to them. This usually meant a small home in a poor neighborhood with individuals that didn’t speak their language. Semsudin Tahirovic, Adnan Tahirovic, Samir Custovic, and Arnela Dedovic are four Bosnians that moved to the United States with their families because of the war. They each share a story of their experience moving from one country to another in search of a better life.
