“I gave back my U.S. citizenship. I’m going back to Serbia.” Nenad
I do good, that’s my motto. I try to do good for myself, and I want to set a good example for my kids. They’re back home, in Serbia. I came to America as a refugee.
“I came to America as a refugee. I had to seek fortune in the country of possibility, America.”
I came here because I needed to provide for my family. In Serbia, there were no jobs. So I had to travel abroad for my family. I had to seek fortune in the country of possibility, America. I got my kids through college by working as a security guard in Las Vegas.
”I got my son and daughter through college by working as a security guard in Las Vegas.”
Three years ago I lost my job in Las Vegas because business went down. I’ve been looking for a job here in San Francisco for the past three years. Very hard though, nobody wants to hire a foreigner. Most people think I’m a Russian terrorist because of my accent. ”You kill Americans. People say these things based on how I look and speak. It’s tough, you know? I get sad at heart when they shout like that at me. I just try to do good and provide for myself and my family.
“Most people think I’m a Russian terrorist because of my accent.”
I applied to GA (Government Assistance) housing, I need help to find a job. They say they will help me with a job. Each month they say the same thing: “Next month you’re going to have a job. Next month you will be working.” But nothing. It turned out to be no action and merely words. That’s reality, just a lot of empty promises.
The thing is, I don’t want anybody to pay for me. I don’t want your tax money. A lot of people are happy with taking money and not working. But I am not. I’ve been living in a SRO (Single Room Occupancy) for the last 18 months, but some weeks ago they threw me out. I was on this program where I got food stamps plus 100 dollars each month, but what does that get you? Nothing. This way of living in a government program, it’s just not for me.
I’m homeless now. When I’m not searching for a job I like to read books online at the library. It’s a good way to keep up with the English language. I came here knowing no English at all. I partake in English class for 2 months. I read books and I listen to when people talk.
“I’m homeless now. When I’m not searching for a job I like to read books online at the library. It’s a good way to keep up with the English language.”
I’m going to bring some of these books back to Serbia. I returned my U.S. citizenship, I’m heading home. I’m saving up for my ticket by cleaning and get some help through online donations, still some left though. I have around 746 dollars, 500 I put on the side. My ticket is around 900 dollars. Last week somebody gave 25 dollars. Now I need around 375 dollars more. My son says I should come and live with him. But I don’t wanna live with him, I want him to have his own life. I don’t want to be a hassle, I find own house. My policy is that I stand strong on my own two feet.
I don’t have any advice to give if you find yourself in my situation; I hope you don’t. It’s not good living on support and unable providing for yourself, it’s a terrible feeling. I don’t talk to many, I don’t trust anybody. I’m a reserved guy and I guess you could say I’m a simple man. A man who just wanna work and live my life.
I haven’t told my kids about my situation here in America, I don’t want them worrying about me. I’ll see them soon; the past won’t matter.
“I haven’t told my kids about my situation here in America”
Shared periodically on Medium, and soon to be published in a book, ‘Stories Behind The Fog’ is a compendium of 100 stories of people affected by homelessness in San Francisco. The project was triggered by one man’s story that will be released next year in the form of a feature-length documentary: www.mosesdoc.com
Nenad’s story has been written by Carl Fredrik Lindvall and photographed by Jonath Mathew in collaboration with our partner The Gubbio Project.
