My name is Canan. I was born in Sivas, and grew up in Istanbul, Turkey. I have one younger sister and one older brother. I have lived in Chicago for 18 years. My father deserted us while we were children saying that he was going to France to make a living. My mother worked for us but it was not enough. Economic condition of my family was not good and I had to work. I couldn’t get formal education and I had to get distance education. I started to work in a factory while I was 14. When I worked, my brother was living in the US. Even though my brother had worked since his childhood, he could go to school. After he graduated from university, he moved to Chicago as a student. By the way, my uncle was in Chicago too. He came in 1989 as a refugee by ship. In the end, my family – my mother, my uncle, my brother- decided to send me to the U.S for a better future. I did not have a word to say since I was too young. After all, they thought about me and decided in the name of me. Even so, I did not want to come to the U.S, my family did. I got my visa too fast, in 3 weeks. I could not spend time with any of my beloved ones, and had to come here.
Firstly, I came as a student and stayed with my brother who was working with my uncle. I and my brother lived together for 2 years. I couldn’t start school immediately after I came here because of the rule dictating that you should go to a private school or course if you want to stay here with a student visa. Even though I was supposed to go to school, my family couldn’t afford to send me to a private school since it was too expensive. Therefore, I became a refugee. I did know nothing. At that time, internet was not easily accessible and I was too young. I just had to wait for their decision. Finally, 6 months later, I went to a community college; 18 months later, I started working and left my brother. In 2 years after I arrived in Chicago, I tried to do something for my life. While I continued my school, I got a promotion from my job, and decided to drop out of school. You can understand me; I needed money, and I didn’t want to do anything other than making money. I thought that if I earn money, I can both send some of it to my family and have a more comfortable life. I worked for 70/80 hours a week, and made 400 dollars a week. Meanwhile, I had to pay 700 dollars for rent. I sent 300 dollars a month to my family, who lived in Turkey.
In 2001, I met Baris who would be my husband in the near future. Initially, we were close friends and, after 4 years, we began a relationship. I received a proposal from him on my birthday in 2007 and we got engaged. One year later, we got married in 2008. 2 years later, in 2010, when I learned that I was pregnant, I was over the moon. I thought that everything would be better. However, I suddenly learned that I had cancer while I was expecting my baby…
To be continued…
