out of many scott — The Documentary Works

May 25, 2017, approximately 3 a.m. Following a forty-eight-hour trip to the U.S., this family took their first train ride—from airside, Pittsburgh International Airport to the baggage hall, landside. There, they were greeted by Jaime M. Turek of the Northern Area Multi-Service Center (NAMS) office in Sharpsburg, PA. From left to right: Turek, Bhai Rupa Rai, Kheena Gurung, Som Raj Rai.

The day after their arrival, the family are given a key to their new apartment in the Brentwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Here, they are learning how to use a key in a lock for the first time. Previously, they lived in the Beldangi refugee camp, Damak, where there are no locks on the doors.

NAMS welcomes and assists refugees as they arrive and resettle in Pittsburgh. They supply them the basic services and support needed for them to be able to rebuild their lives. These include (but are not limited to) finding decent and affordable housing, assistance in applying for social-security cards, registering children in school, and enrolling adults in English classes. They also provide transportation to job interviews and job training, health screening and mental-health services, employment services, and cultural-orientation classes.

The family visits the refugee center they are working with in Sharpsburg— thirty-six hours after entering the U.S.

After their first meeting, Turek says goodbye to Bhai Rupa Rai in the traditional Bhutanese way.

August 1, 2017. Kheena Gurung takes a test in downtown Pittsburgh to determine her English proficiency. The test is used for placement in English classes. Her husband also took the test, but her mother, who does not read or write, was not able to do so. Kheena and her husband are now enrolled in English classes.

Som Raj Rai, making his first visit to an American doctor at the Squirrel Hill Health Center (SHHC) in the Brentwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh on June 9, 2017. The patients and staff of the SHHC collectively speak more than sixty different languages. Staff members realize that language barriers could sometimes result in lower-quality medical care, so when an interpreter is not available, they will use a telephone interpreting service in an effort to provide the best possible care. This family spoke via an interpreter by phone.

Refugee Day, Market Square, Pittsburgh, Wednesday, June 21, 2017. One of eleven new U.S. citizens is given an American flag during a naturalization ceremony in downtown Pittsburgh. After she was given the flag, she received her certificate of citizenship. The event took place in Market Square amid the aroma of foods from myriad countries.

The young boy on the left is the grandson of the lady on the right. The lady on the right immigrated to the US this year with her daughter and son-in-law. She is mesmerized by TV. She had never watched TV until she came to the USA. They have direct TV and watches a channel broadcast from Nepal almost non stop during her waking hours.

After living in the Brentwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh for three months, Kheena Gurung made her first visit to a large grocery store. She took her niece, Salina Rai, age nine, to help translate and guide her through the store. Kheena seemed overwhelmed and confused at times.

This is the apartment of the Pittsburgh relatives of Bhai Rupa Rai, Kheena Gurung, Som Raj Rai. It is the first place they went to after leaving the airport, arriving here at 4 a.m. They slept on couches in this one bedroom apartment with the two adults and two children living here. This apartment is located about 80 yards from their new apartment which they moved into the next morning. This is Kheena's sister and nephew (left). The men (right) are Bhutanese visitors from the neighborhood. Thai Rupa Rai can be seen inside the apartment watching TV which has consumed most of her daily life since immigrating. She had never seen TV before moving to the US. This apartment complex has many Bhutanese families that have become a support network for new families like the Rai family. The two Bhutanese men on the porch sent text messages to a friend. This small Bhutanese community has become a defacto family.

Som has developed a small group of friends in his neighborhood that is comprised of 80% refugees from 6 different countries. These boys are meeting at Som's apartment shortly before Som departed for work. They are working together to replace a Sim card in an old cell phone.

Som stops at a local gas station convenience store to buy cigarettes before going to work.

Som waits for a van that will pick him up and take him to work with about 15 other immigrants and refugees from the Pittsburgh area.

Som is riding a van that will take him to work with about 15 other immigrants and refugees from the Pittsburgh area. All of these people are driven to Spears, PA where they work from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. packing frozen meat for wholesale.

This is the 4th Street Barbecue packing company in Speer, PA. They package food for a wide variety of companies including Wal Mart. Som works on a line that packages frozen fish sandwiches. Som gets one 30 minute break for dinner and relaxing. He brings his dinner from home.

The family visits the refugee center they are working with in Sharpsburg— thirty-six hours after entering the U.S.

After their first meeting, Turek says goodbye to Bhai Rupa Rai in the traditional Bhutanese way.

Som stops at a local gas station convenience store to buy cigarettes before going to work.

Som waits for a van that will pick him up and take him to work with about 15 other immigrants and refugees from the Pittsburgh area.

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