Thara Madathody, Clip 1: Adjustment to Life in a New Country

Collection: Queens Memory Collection at the Archives at Queens Library: Thara Madathody

Date: Time Period: 2000 - 2015; 2015-02-06; Interview recorded: February 6, 2015 Material: Digital audio recording made using Zoom H2 digital recorder and Adobe Soundbooth CS5. Dimension: Total running time: 0:07:17

Creator: Thara Madathody interviewed by Nasiba Ally Identifier: aql:19533 qmp-tm-clip-000003

Description: Thara Madathody is an Indian immigrant who moved to the US in 2003 after getting married. She never really had any ideas of what America was like. She learned about the World Trade Center in school in India, and that's how she learned about New York. She never thought she would get married and move to the U.S. because she was happy with her middle class lifestyle in India. When she got to the US, it was a bit of a culture shock. She only knew her husband, so she stayed home all day while he was at work. It was emotionally difficult for her to go from working all day in India to not being allowed to work in New York due to her visa. It took her six months to get used to the time difference between India and New York. Getting her library card was the first exciting thing to happen to her, even though it took a while to figure out how to get there. Thara gets emotional talking about not being able to go back home (to live) after marriage and being lonely in New York. When she started working, things changed for her because she liked being active.

Title : Thara Madathody, Clip 1: Adjustment to Life in a New Country

Collection : aql:20455; aql:19560

Creator : Thara Madathody interviewed by Nasiba Ally

Date : Time Period: 2000 - 2015; 2015-02-06; Interview recorded: February 6, 2015

Summary/Description : Thara Madathody is an Indian immigrant who moved to the US in 2003 after getting married. She never really had any ideas of what America was like. She learned about the World Trade Center in school in India, and that's how she learned about New York. She never thought she would get married and move to the U.S. because she was happy with her middle class lifestyle in India. When she got to the US, it was a bit of a culture shock. She only knew her husband, so she stayed home all day while he was at work. It was emotionally difficult for her to go from working all day in India to not being allowed to work in New York due to her visa. It took her six months to get used to the time difference between India and New York. Getting her library card was the first exciting thing to happen to her, even though it took a while to figure out how to get there. Thara gets emotional talking about not being able to go back home (to live) after marriage and being lonely in New York. When she started working, things changed for her because she liked being active.

Subject : Culture shock; Women immigrants

Relation : Queens Memory Collection at the Archives at Queens Library: Thara Madathody

Rights : Contact digitalarchives@queenslibrary.org for research and reproduction requests.

Coverage : Locations discussed: Jackson Heights, Queens, NY Jackson Heights (New York, N.Y.) India Queens (New York, N.Y.)

Type : Oral history

Format : Digital audio recording made using Zoom H2 digital recorder and Adobe Soundbooth CS5.; Total running time: 0:07:17

Identifier : aql:19533 qmp-tm-clip-000003