The students who shared their story for this piece chose to be anonymous, and are represented with their favorite flower as their name.

Part 1: Sunflower and Tulip’s Journey – Starting Fresh in Seattle

Moving to a new place is never easy, and when that place is on the other side of the world, it can feel next to impossible to adjust. That’s exactly what Sunflower and Tulip, two teens from Central Asia, faced when they left everything familiar behind and came to Seattle just over a year ago. Although they came from different countries, their stories overlap in many ways and helped them to become friends.

Sunflower, a self-described “city girl”, spent most of her life in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. When she and her mom decided to move to the U.S., it was important for them to find a place that felt somewhat familiar. They did tons of research when deciding where to move, looking for a community of people from Kazakhstan and people who speak Kazakh or Russian.

They soon ruled out Pennsylvania, New York, Chicago, and Alaska before settling on Seattle. Here, they felt they’d have a familiar climate while still getting the city feel, and be able to set down roots in a liberal-minded community. Sunflower shared that since she identifies as queer, she wanted to be in a city that felt welcoming and comfortable. “Younger people in Kazakhstan might be more accepting, but the older generation isn’t as open-minded”. 

For Tulip’s family, the decision to move was a mix of research and connection. They considered Portland first but didn’t know anyone there to help with the immigration process. Then they found a family connection in Seattle—a friend of Tulip’s mom had a sister in the city—and that made all the difference. Even though they’d read about Seattle being expensive and rainy, they decided to take the leap.

Once they arrived, both Sunflower and Tulip realized just how different life in Seattle was from what they knew. For Sunflower, the culture shock was immediate. Homelessness was unfamiliar to her—there are no homeless people in Astana. She also noticed that Seattle at night is much darker than her hometown, where streets are lit up all the time. Public transportation in Seattle felt limited, too, compared to the efficient options back home.

Tulip struggled with how spread out everything felt especially in Renton, where her family first settled. In her home country, “you would go into a street, and there’s market, market, market, market!” but in Renton she had to walk for an hour both ways to get groceries. She felt like she barely saw people out and about and wondered where everyone was. Once her family moved to a more walkable neighborhood and got a car, things started to feel better.

Both Sunflower and Tulip find comfort in the foods they grew up eating. Tulip’s favorite is mantu, a Central Asian dumpling steamed with meat and onions, often served with yogurt or a flavorful sauce. Sunflower enjoys dishes like manti, which is similar to mantu, as well as piroshky (stuffed pastries) and samsa (savory baked pastry). Cooking these dishes helps them stay connected to their roots, though Sunflower admitted she is not a fan of cooking. She laughed while telling us that she’s so bad at cooking she has even burnt soup before but she’ll still prepare food for her mom after a long day.

Part 2: Finding Home and Friendship in a New Place

Feeling comfortable in a new country takes time. Tulip shares that it was a dream come true to move to Seattle with her family, but her first six months here were very hard. Being here with family has helped make Seattle feel like home to her. Last summer, her family went on a road trip to California, and returning to Seattle afterward felt comforting—like coming home.

Sunflower moved here with her mom, and has a slightly different experience. “In the whole USA, we have no relatives. No one.” She’s grateful for all of the friends she’s made, but she would love to meet more people her own age who speak Russian or Kazakh. She also misses her friends and family back in Kazakhstan, and worries that her young nephew is starting to forget her. Still, she hopes that once she and her mom move to a more permanent apartment without a roommate, Seattle will feel more like home.

For both Tulip and Sunflower, making new friends has helped with the adjustment to living in Seattle. Tulip remembers being perceived as a cold person and an introvert when she first arrived, even though she’s friendly and outgoing. “It was very hard for me because I had nobody over here. I had a bad feeling like ‘Will I ever find a friend here?’ Then out of nowhere a very nice person came – a Sunflower popped up.” 

Both laughed while sharing how they first met at school. “I think I forced her to talk with me,” Sunflower recalls. 

“She yapped and yapped,” Tulip remembers,” and eventually, I talked back.” They became close friends during a trip to Camp Orkila, a PNW favorite.

Something the two have in common is being thrust into adult responsibilities that most teenagers never experience. They became translators, navigators, and primary support for their families—managing everything from green card applications to technology challenges. “I had to grow up fast,” Tulip explains. “Dealing with debit cards, transportation passes, phone plans—things I never thought about before.” While this was challenging, Tulip also feels proud and confident she’ll be able to take care of herself if she moves to another city for college. In addition to their at-home responsibilities, both Tulip and Sunflower take classes at Seattle World School and are part of the Running Start program.

What advice would Sunflower and Tulip offer to someone moving to Seattle from another country? Brace yourself for challenges and believe that you can navigate them. Tulip acknowledges that starting fresh in a new environment is never easy, but she reminds others that it’s okay not to have everything figured out right away. “Starting a new life is super hard and you will struggle a lot. In time it will get better, and you will finally see that you’re doing so much better than you could have imagined.”

With your support, Kandelia helps students like Tulip and Sunflower find community and belonging in their new Seattle home. Donate today to support Kandelia’s programs.