I Am An Immigrant
Maxime Edja
ThankYouAmerica!
Community College of Aurora
CONTRIBUTORS Maxime Edja | Author
Sharona Grinsteiner | ThankYouAmerica! Coordinator Geoffrey Hunt | ThankYouAmerica! Faculty Advisor Bobby Pace | ThankYouAmerica! Project Director Ana Romero | Graphic Designer
Ashley Simpson | Education and Early Childhood Education Department Chair
I Am An Immigrant
Maxime Edja
ThankYouAmerica!
Community College of Aurora
My name is Maxime Edja. Maxime is a French name, and it means the “greatest.” I was born in the Ivory Coast in the west of Africa, a country that speaks French. The English name that sounds like Maxime is a woman’s name, Maxine. Unfortunately for me, I have been thought to be Maxine on several occasions. So, I go by Max. Edja is my last name. It is a name from my ancestors from Ghana. Edja in the Akan language means the elder, the wise. So, Maxime Edja is the “greatest wise man.” The Ivory Coast used to be a French colony. It became independent from France in 1960. It used to be the world’s biggest grower of cocoa and the third-largest producer of coffee. There are many religions there, but most people are Muslim or Catholic.
I am the third child of my father and my mother. My parents divorced before I was born. I was raised by my father since I was one year old. Who I am today is because of my father’s teaching. My dad, my hero, taught me how powerful education is. He always told me that as long as you are in good health, even the sky is too low as a limit. Following my father’s advice, I took my school classes seriously and completed higher education in the Ivory Coast. I also found a good job as a tax manager for an international oil company.
Unfortunately, my country went through two civil wars, the first one from 2002-2004 and the second in 2010-2011. During the wars, the country was not very safe. Based on that, I decided to come to America. I left my country on October 19, 2000, and flew to Houston, Texas, on October 20, 2000. When I landed, I had only $25 as my entire wealth in the United States. I had more money back home, but because I’d left my daughter behind me, I left most of my money there for her care.
Back in the Ivory Coast, English was my favorite subject in school. I was the go-to person when my classmates needed some help in English. I thought I was really good in English, so imagine my surprise when I got to America to find out that I could not even understand one word in English. It seemed like I was on a different planet: Everything was big: Airports, roads, cars— you name it. I only spent ten days in Houston. After carefully checking the map, I decided to move to Colorado because it was not overpopulated, there were not a lot of people from the Ivory Coast in Colorado, and Colorado was one of the best states to live in, to raise children in, and to get a good a education. I came to Colorado and have been in Denver since October 31, 2000.
Overpopulated – having too many people
In Denver, I found a friend who had been in America for many years before I arrived. I mentioned to him that I was not feeling good about people knowing that I was a new immigrant, and I wondered how they knew I was a newcomer. So, my friend asked me what made me think they knew I came from another country. I responded, “Well, each time I say thank you, people always tell me “You are welcome.” He just laughed and then explained to me that “you’re welcome” means “with pleasure.” I could read some English, but the pronunciation of American English was totally strange to me. Even the food was strange. American food tasted either too sweet or too salty to me.
But, I had three simple philosophies: • There is always a positive side in any situation (bad or good). • Anything that has a beginning has an ending. • God is the common denominator. There is always a positive side in any situation (bad or good). A few times, some people used racist language to me – but at that time I did not understand English very well, so I did not really get my feelings hurt. And most people are not racist. That made me open up to talking to everyone, regardless of their color, origin, religion, or anything else. That made me friends.
Denominator – something many people share Philosophies – personal ideas or ways of thinking
Anything that has a beginning has an ending. At first, I took any job I could find, including construction, moving, cleaning buildings, you name it. I couldn’t drive, and I did not have the right clothing for the snow. Sometimes, I had to walk two miles in the snow to catch a bus. But in any of these circumstances, I said to myself that if there is a beginning, there would also be an ending. I have to make sure the ending is positive. God is the common denominator. My definition of God is very simple: Good. Good things happen to everyone.
When I got to America, I already had a bachelor’s degree in finance and another one in accounting. Because of the civil war in Ivory Coast, my college records were destroyed, so I had to start over. I took a test to be admitted at the Community College of Aurora, and I earned my associate degree. After my associate degree, I was able to get two bachelor’s degrees, again in both finance and accounting, but this time in the American university system.
Associate degree – an award for completing two years of college Bachelor’s degree – an award for completing four years of college
I am now a business owner. My highest accomplishment in America so far is the creation of a successful business consultation firm. In that business, we guide companies in everything from starting a business to helping an established multimillion-dollar company to keep from sinking. We help small businesses grow and create more jobs. I have three employees in the United States, and I have opened an office in the Ivory Coast and have five employees over there. I have used my management and financial skills to help my clients create jobs. By doing this, I not only help my host country but also help welcome newcomers.
IVORY COAST
IVORY COAST
The Ivory Coast is a West African country bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia. It is well known for its beach resorts, its rainforests, and its French-colonial legacy. Prior to colonization by Europeans, Ivory Coast was home to several states, including Gyaaman, the Kong Empire, and BaoulÊ. The official language is French, with local indigenous languages also widely used. In total, there are around 78 languages spoken in Ivory Coast. The population is about 20 million people, and the development of cocoa production became the nation’s export. This and foreign investment made the Ivory Coast one of the most prosperous of the West African states, but this did not protect it from political turmoil. Since its independence in 1960, two civil wars have ravaged the country.
ABOUT THANKYOUAMERICA! ThankYouAmerica! is a CCA student-driven civic engagement group. Our mission is to develop community events and a digital media campaign to showcase the integration and inclusion of immigrants into the heart and life of the city of Aurora while celebrating their diversity. The campaign highlights America’s tradition of embracing immigration, recognizing its contribution to the prosperity of our country. ThankYouAmerica! aspires to be the vehicle of hope and inspiration to a society that champions the successful integration of all people while valuing and preserving ethnic expression. ABOUT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF AURORA (CCA) The Community College of Aurora (CCA) provides high quality instruction and student support services to Aurora and eastern Denver, Colorado. The college offers courses on two campuses and online courses for degree or certificate completion. CCA students engage in programs that help them realize their potential by preparing them for transfer to a four-year institution and employment. For more information, visit us at www.ccaurora.edu. Potential Realized.
The I Am An Immigrant book series was developed by the ThankYouAmerica! campaign. The purpose of these books is to showcase the personal stories of immigrants to the United States, and to highlight their successful integration. It is our hope that these books will be a source of hope and inspiration to every child who reads them as they learn about the challenges immigrants face, and their successful journeys to citizenship.
I Am An Immigrant - Stories in these series: Nu Tran Grinsteiner Max Edja Jeanette Virginia Rodriguez Ivania Maricela Rivera