Use these questions if the interview subject the child of im/migrants, some on who else migrated to the country or to a new community. Before conducting the interview, review the following with your interviewee to make sure they feel comfortable with the questions and choose the most appropriate ones. It might be helpful to give them a few minutes to reflect before beginning the interview.
MOTIVATION FOR MIGRATING
- There is a story behind every decision to migrate. What do you know about your family’s story?
- What did your family hope for in their new life here?
- Why did your family choose to come to this country or community instead of somewhere else?
THE JOURNEY
- What members of your family came with you and who was left behind?
- Did anyone come ahead of your family?
- What was most difficult for your family about leaving?
- What was the journey to this new country (or community) like?
- What was the most difficult for your family about arriving?
- What does the family talk about having most surprising them when they first arrived?
- What does the family talk about having missed most about the country or community they left behind?
- Who was most helpful with getting your family settled in?
- Migration can be hard. Where did your family gain strength in difficult times?
- How do you think your family was changed by migration?
HOPE AND REALITIES
- How do you think your family’s experience compares to their expectations?
- What has been your family’s biggest challenges?
- What have been your family’s biggest sources of joy?
- Overall, how do you think your family is doing after the migration?
- Can you think of times when your family has felt unwelcome because they are newcomers? What about when they have felt welcomed?
- Do you have a story about someone you care about that was deported? What do you think your family is most proud of having accomplished?
- What do you think are your family’s hopes and dreams for the future?
- What do you think may get in the way of your family’s dreams?
- What do you think may help your family’s dreams come true?
- In what ways do you think your family’s migration has made YOU a stronger person?
ADVICE
- If someone you knew were planning on coming to this country or community, what would you tell them to expect?
- What advice would you give them about whether or not they should come?
- If they decided to come, what advice would you give them about how to make the best of their experience?
- What do you wish more people knew about im/migrants?
- What are the 2 or 3 most important things that people could do to make the process of coming to a new country better?
- Is there anything you would like to add that that has not been asked?