Opportunity is the first thing that pops into Vincent Flanagans mind when he hears the name America.

I had the opportunity to sit down with my father, Vincent Flanagan, to learn what it means to be an American. I am interviewing Roger Dolden, another immigrant, as well as my father to get another perspective about what it means to be an American. I will not make a family tree, timeline, map, and primary sources page on Roger. I will only use Roger's interview to expand on what it means to be an American. Vincent grew up in Cork, Ireland, which is its second biggest city. He was born to Vincent and Evelyn Flanagan. He was raised in Ireland and moved to London in 1986 to study Radiography. In 1989 he moved to Merrick, New York to work at a summer camp. While Vincent was at Merrick, he vividly remembered the taking down of The Berlin Wall and Ronald Regan being very instrumental saying tear down this wall Mr. Gorbachev. By 1991, he was living in Manhattan, going to New York University, and working in a hospital. In 2000 he remembers the Olympics, which were held in Sydney, Australia. He recalls being unable to watch the Olympics a lot because of the different time zones. 2001 rolled around the corner and his wife was preparing for their second child (me). They bought a new house in the suburbs to provide more room. Looks like my parents worked hard to afford a house in the suburbs. I learned many ideas and opinions about America during my interviews. America has changed so much since my interviewees first immigrated. A major difference highlighted by both interviewees is that America has become more global. It has become more global due to the outsourcing of jobs, the Internet, more non-

European, non-Christian based immigrants, and the events of 9/11. Due to the outsourcing of jobs, America was forced to learn about other countries. Also due to the amount of diverse immigrants, the culture has expanded, allowing for people to learn about other nations. Additionally, America became more knowledgeable about the Middle East because of oil and 9/11. A big influence of a global America is the Internet. It has created a world where you connect with someone very far or very close, creating a global village. One more example of it becoming more global is that a sport like soccer has gained in popularity, while twenty years ago it was considered an international sport. Vincent Flanagans experience of being an immigrant has helped him be the man he is today. America gave him opportunities to succeed no matter were he started from. In his homeland, there is not as much opportunity due to the small scale and scope of the country. When he first came to America in 1989 he did not know much about the country other than it had a lot of jobs. Meanwhile back home Ireland was facing a terrible economic climate with the unemployment rate in the high teens percentage. He came to America to seize the opportunities in front of him. When he arrived he worked at a small summer camp with his brother. There he learned about Americas people and customs. He enjoyed working with a diverse group of people from all different ethnicities. By 1991, he was living in New York City going to school and working. In 2001, he was living the American dream. He had a great job, had a family, and was living in the suburbs. All was not that great though. It was September 11th and he and his new country had faced a terrible

event. Coming to America allowed Vince to work his way up the ranks and be the man he is today. Being in America gave Vincent that sense of opportunity. Vincent Flanagan and Roger Doldens experience of being an American are very much of value to an historian because they started from the bottom and worked their way up. Without the support of American based parents it was more challenging for them to find a job. For example, Vincent came to America with very little money in his pocket and got a job at a hospital. He always wanted to do better that his Dad and Grandparents so he worked very hard to get there. Realizing finance was one of the major industries in Manhattan he decided to go to New York Universitys Business School at night and work at the hospital during the day. He had to work as well as go to school, which is different from others who have the privilege to just go to college. He was working very hard and after graduating with an outstanding student award at NYU, as well as getting a Chartered Financial Analyst degree, he got a job as a financial analyst on Wall Street. This is of value to a historian because it demonstrates the American dream which is achieved when determination meets opportunity. My project had a pattern of historical gaps. When Vincent Flanagan was in Europe he did not remember many of the United States iconic events. Such as presidents being sworn in or even Ronald Regan being shot. This is because his ties to the United States were not established until 1989 when he first came here. The limitations of my project are that it only goes to an extent of a European based immigrant while an African or Middle Eastern immigrants standpoint maybe dramatically different. An estimated 70 million of Americans have ties to Ireland.

This helped my Dad get that job in the hospital because a doctor was an Irish immigrant too. Through my interviews I found something particular about Americans culturally, economically, and socially. Culturally, in America there is more ability to be accepted rather than a place like England where there is still a class system. Additionally, America has all different cultures, which makes it more diverse unlike Ireland, where about 90% are Catholic. Economically, America has a more diverse economy because it has a farming, an engineering, a technology economy, and more. England only has a financial services and advertising economy. Having this more diverse economy allows for more opportunity in America. Also, a country like Ireland for example does not have as many natural resources as America. Socially, England has a richer humor because the jokes are more creative and people do not take it as seriously. Also, it is easier for a country like England or Ireland to be better socially because the people there are more the same culturally. For example, most of the people in England are Protestant so it is easier socially for them to relate. All in all, I learned that America has a more expansive Culture and Economic sectors, but in the Social sector America is more complex. To be an American allows you to have many opportunities that our ancestors have fought for. America encourages more individuality. Other countries establish society more around a group, a government, or some identity. By making a society based on an individual, it allows you have the ability to be successful based on your own views. This is witnessed across American history. For example, Steve Jobs left college and took his own path to his garage where he invented the computer. All in

all, what it means to be an American is the ability to be an individual and pursue your dreams.