“I was offered a job by an American bulb grower”

Martin and Helene Meskers own and operate Oregon Flowers, Inc. in Aurora, Oregon.

By Martin Meskers

An American bulb farmer was in the Netherlands looking for someone with bulb and flower experience.

I was working in the bulb/flower business for my dad, my grandfather, and my uncle - a typical old-fashioned Dutch setup. I was offered a job by an American bulb grower.

I always had an idealistic interest in the American way of life. So, I jumped at the offer. I had to look up Oregon on a map… I had never heard of it.



After six months, my fiancé Helene visited me. She returned to Holland for a year and then came back to Oregon and we got married here.

After a couple of years, we started our own company, importing bulbs and cut flowers from Holland. Then we started growing them ourselves. That’s how we got started.

The US has a different lifestyle than Holland - things that I was not used to - but I liked it. It was eye-opening as I was raised in a small town where you know everybody; but in Oregon, I knew no one.

We adjusted quickly. We wanted to assimilate, and we told our kids to speak English. They all speak English and Dutch. Our son Tyler, who buys bulbs and flowers from Holland, uses his Dutch frequently.

We still observe Dutch traditions. We have Dutch Christmas and Thanksgiving. My wife Helene still cooks Dutch food. Our life at home is pretty much the same as our parents.

Building our business is living the American dream. It’s not easy, but it can still be done. It’s a great feeling. We feel like we take the best from American life and combine it with our Dutch heritage.

We are thankful for what America has given us.

https://oregonflowers.com

A Migrant Family's Journey

from South Korea

The Lee family owns and operates

TS Cleaners in Northwest Portland.

The decision to leave their homeland was not an easy one.

In 1986, the Lee family embarked on a journey from Seoul, South Korea with a dream of creating a better life in America.

Why Oregon? They knew a family who lived in Oregon, and they knew that the cleaning business was for sale.

The challenges were evident from the beginning - not having enough money, grappling with an unfamiliar language, and facing stark cultural differences in food, clothing, and mannerisms.

These obstacles seemed insurmountable at times. “Our ability to adapt was key. We learned to embrace change and learned from our experiences,” says Sook Lee.

“In the beginning, it was especially difficult because of the language barrier; however, once that was somewhat overcome, life began to become more enjoyable and fulfilling.”

Says Sook Lee, “We believe that if you work hard and make smart choices, there are endless possibilities to make a better life for yourself in America.”

The Lee family’s socioeconomic shift from the lower class in Korea to the middle-upper class in America is a testament to the opportunities that America offers.

“Thank you for allowing me to share my experience, and may it inspire other migrants on their own journeys toward success and prosperity,” says Sook.

“I went straight to Oregon”

Bakulesh "Buggsi" Patel is President and CEO of Portland, Oregon-based BHG Hotels.

Bakulesh "Buggsi" Patel was born in Zambia, Africa, went to boarding school in London in 1972, and arrived in the USA in 1988.

Before coming to America, Buggsi was living in England and running the family supermarket after his father’s death. From the age of 17 to 26, he successfully ran the business with his mother’s help.

Buggsi grew restless with the supermarket business and decided to pursue his dream of owning a hotel. He wasn’t having much success in the United Kingdom, so he thought about America.

He was lucky that his sister had already moved to the USA and settled in Oregon. “My sister’s residency made the immigration process more doable, so I went straight to Oregon,” Buggsi says.

“The only challenge getting here was the immigration office. They put me through the wringer with lots of requirements.

“I came to the USA because I thought there were better opportunities here,” says Buggsi.



“Coming to the USA changed my life. There are opportunities and resources here that I didn't have in my home country.”

Buggsi is especially proud to become the first minority of any kind in a couple of worldwide hospitality associations, and he was the recipient of a prestigious hotel industry service award. Additionally, he has held numerous leadership roles in lodging associations.

Today, his company, BHG Hotels, owns and operates 28 hotels.

Their origin is East Indian, and the Patel family - Buggsi, wife Sunita, and their two boys - have maintained most of their East Indian cultural traditions, celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, and observing Indian New Year and Independence Day.