Alumni Now: Once a student, now a teacher
2008 Lakeland College graduate, Dino Mujakovic, becomes an American citizen and is now a teacher at Oak Creek West Middle School
Sandy Sternitzky
Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: Features
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Raised in Doboj, Bosnia, Dino reflects on what life was like before he moved to America. "[Doboj] is a medium-sized city, kind of in the center of the country," he said. "It was, and still is, based on a lot of farming and factory work."
Dino said that his mother was a stay-at-home mom while his dad worked in a factory for a while and traded money (currency exchange) as well. "The trading money on the side was more of a money maker than his work in the factory," he said.
When they lived in Bosnia both of Dino's parents worked in Germany as well. "They would switch with one working for three months and then the other one," he said. "In a way, Grams raised me the most."
In April 1992, Dino, his mom, and grandparents moved to Munich, Germany. A war had broken out between Serbia and Bosnia, because Bosnia wanted separation from Yugoslavia. Dino's dad had to stay to fight in the army. "He joined us in Germany within a few months [due to a wound]," Dino said. "He is also the kind of father and husband who could not handle his family being in a foreign country and was constantly worried."
They stayed in Germany until 1998, before they moved back to Bosnia. "The German government decided that it was a safe country to go back to," Dino said. "So many Bosnians were kicked out of Germany and had to go back. My mom was worried that I would get caught up in drugs and bad friends," Dino said. "So we moved back to Bosnia instead of trying to come straight to America."
Bosnia's economic situation wasn't the greatest. After two years, Dino, his parents, and grandparents moved to Sheboygan, Wis. "My aunt had actually moved in 1999 and once she was there for a year, she was able to send us paperwork to try to come to America," he said. "Luckily, this all happened before 9/11."
The transition from Europe to America was not easy for Dino. He said it was like a double-edged sword because he knew he could have a future in America, but he left everything he knew and loved behind.
Dino explained some of the many differences between Europe and America, such as transportation and being open-minded. "Europe is way more open sexually," he said. "There are not too many topics that are taboo and it shows in social situations as well as in the media. They know that sex and relationships are out there and what the consequences are. The youth is not made to feel guilty if they decide to do something.
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