Robert Say
Robert Say, who originally is from Burma, takes a break from his job at the Tyson Fresh Meats pork plant in Madison to pose near the plant entrance in front of the U.S. and Nebraska flags.
Posted: Tuesday, September 24, 2013 9:52 am
MADISON — For more than a century, immigrants have been coming to work at U.S. packing plants.
Like the millions of others in search of a better life, Robert Say of Norfolk, who commutes daily to Madison, left his family.
Say, 60, is a father of eight and a grandfather and originally from Burma. Before he came to Nebraska, he worked in Iowa at a pork processing plant.
Say operates what's known as a wizard knife as a general production worker. It is his hope that eventually more family members in Iowa will be joining him in Nebraska.
Say said many of his children are in school so they will come later during a school break.
"Seven of the kids are already married," he said, through a translator, "but my wife and youngest son will come (to Madison) later."
Say said coping without his family has been difficult, but he makes lots of calls to keep in touch. Weather, especially the summers, are one of the things he likes about Nebraska and Iowa.
In Burma, there were only three seasons — no winter.
"I like all the seasons," he said. "I like the snow."
Say said he left Burma after the military came to his house and village and burned it. He and his family were first moved to a refugee camp in Thailand.
The military wants to control everything in Burma, he said.
In Burma, Say was a farmer. He farmed around Bala before he was moved to a refugee camp.
Once he was at the refugee camp, he was not allowed to go outside of the camp, which had barriers around it.
Say said he likes it in Nebraska and would recommend to family and friends at Burma to work at Tyson Foods in Madison.
Although learning English is a struggle, the culture differences aren't significant, he said.
"No problems," Say said.
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Tuesday, September 24, 2013 9:52 am.
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