The adolescent refugee experience: cultural attitudes of high school Burmese refugees living in Iowa

This research seeks to explore the experience of a group of high school refugee students who currently reside in Waterloo, Iowa. At home, the Burmese refugee high school students are surrounded by a rich Burmese culture; they interact with the Burmese language, food, and family. In school, they are surrounded by American systems; English is the only accepted language, and American pop culture is inescapable. With a growing number of refugees entering the country, it is vital to understand the experience and perceptions of developing young adults. Better understanding will facilitate in giving schools and other services tools to equip young refugees with a strengthened feeling of empowerment and a better understanding of resources. Research will be based on approximately twelve open-ended interviews with male and female teens to gain an understanding of their perception of themselves within multiple cultures and systems