Twins from Krygyzstan seek mentoring
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BY JoANNE YOUNG / Lincoln Journal Star
Soon, the two young women with the long, dark hair and sweet smiles will mark two years since they landed on foreign soil, 6,600 miles from their homeland.
Days later, they will celebrate their 20th birthdays.
The lives of the Kyrgyz twin sisters, who came to Lincoln in February 2003 to attend Parkview Christian School, have taken unimaginable turns in the past year, guided by the death of the their mother in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and their struggle to stay in the United States.
Dasha and Anastasia Mirgorodskaya told their story Tuesday to Lincoln Rotarians, hoping members of the Downtown Rotary Club 14 would agree to begin a mentoring relationship.
W. Don Nelson, state director for U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, has worked to help since their plight attracted the attention of the senator.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel's office is also helping the sisters in their quest to stay in America.
W. Don Nelson told the Rotarians the young women will face many issues on their journey through college and young adulthood. Many students can seek help from families for questions about jobs, car problems, classes, leases.
These young women have no available family.
Jim and Becky Skinner have served as their host parents since they arrived. Jim Skinner called the sisters special young women with a positive outlook who work hard.
Anastasia loves to paint, is quiet and meek, but "as bold as a lion when necessary." Dasha is a people person and an exceptional artist.
"Both have tremendous potential to be productive citizens," he said.
But they need an extended family, Nelson said.
They live on their own now, with a third roommate — Zora Nosirova, from Tajikistan — in a one-bedroom apartment.
"We don't need a lot of space," Anastasia said.
The three share an older Dodge Spirit. "It has spots, white, well, it used to be white," she said.
They also share a cell phone.
The sisters love their independence and the ways they are learning to do things for themselves, like dealing with the bank, Dasha said.
"In the future, I think we will remember this as the happiest time, living in an apartment with a friend," she said.
The sisters attend classes at Southeast Community College in the academic transfer program. Both have passed their TOEFL tests, which examine English language proficiency.
They also work about 20 hours a week helping to clean the college at night.
The sisters spend most of the money they earn on necessities. Their church has a weekly Food Net program, which they use.
Their lifestyle is good, Dasha said. "It makes us tougher."
Their plan is to get 90 credits in general classes and transfer to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Anastasia, who loves art, would like to major in advertising. "I like to create something, to design," she said.
Dasha is interested in a psychology major. She would like to understand people's feelings and why they interact as they do.
The twins have applied for reinstatement of their student visas, which expired when they graduated from high school in May 2004.
They are also seeking asylum, and have appearances scheduled before an immigration judge later this year, said Kevin Ruser, clinical law professor at the University of Nebraska College of Law. Raul Guerra, a UNL certified senior law student, is helping the sisters with both applications.
Ruser said he hopes to hear soon on the student visa request. To be considered, they had to be enrolled in school, have money for tuition, room and board, and give good reasons why the visas were allowed to lapse.
The sisters got a form letter in June from the U.S. Department of Justice saying they didn't meet asylum requirements. Though the applications were not denied, the sisters were told they were deportable and that they must appear before an immigration judge.
Dasha told the Rotarians that life in Kyrgyzstan was dangerous, and would be especially so for young women without the protection of family.
Their father left when they were 16 and lives in another country. He did not offer to help them after their mother was found dead in January 2004.
Anastasia said the sisters are grateful for the help Lincoln residents have given them.
"Getting an education is the only way to a better life," she said.
The Rotary board will meet Thursday. President-elect Jim Dyck said he will make sure the topic of setting up a mentoring program for the sisters comes up.
Rotary 14 is active in the TeamMates program, and members have experience in mentoring youth, he said.
Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com.
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