Burmese immigrants find new life in Oakland after hardship

OAKLAND -- Pa Eh Ko, his wife and two kids live in a one-bedroom apartment in Oakland's Eastlake district. They speak limited English and attend tutoring sessions in one of the apartment units in their building.

Ko recently found full-time work as a janitor at the Oakland airport, and his wife, Kyi Aye, works full-time at a clothing store in Union City.

As new arrivals, they said they have not seen much of Oakland yet, except for the International Rescue Committee's office downtown, which helps new refugees adjust to life in this country.

Like most of the thousands of Burmese, families settling in the United States, they know they cannot go back to Burma, yet can never become citizens in Thailand, where they lived in refugee camps.

"When we lived in the Thai camp, we have no job, no money, no freedom," Ko said through a translator.

So when the United States opened up the opportunity for Karen refugees to apply to live here, they took that chance.

The main reason they are here?

A better life for their children, they both say, who are in elementary school.

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