Pia Berks and Sarah Berks

Recorded May 22, 2018 40:32 minutes

Id: atl003832

Sarah Berks (22) interviews her mother Pia Berks (57) about Pia's decision to immigrate to America in 1990-1991 and her life here since then.

Sarah (S) asks Pia (P) to talk about her decision to move to the United States in 1991 with an American military man.

P talks about being homesick when she first arrived in the U.S.

P talks about communication with her family back in Germany during her early time in the U.S.

P cleaned a heart surgeon's house at first and then went to work in his office. P thinks she has thrived due to her German work ethic.

S and P talk about P's journey being representative of the American Dream.

P talks about how she got that first house-cleaning job.

P talks about starting her own medical billing company after giving birth to Sarah.

S asks P what she would tell her younger self.

S asks P if she has any regrets.

P expresses fear that S might reverse her (P's) decision, and want to move to Germany or Europe to live.

P talks about how excited she is to have the opportunity to record at StoryCorps.