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Immigrant Stories From the Mouths of Babes Originally published in U Magazine Summer/Fall 2000 Web publishing with the permission of the Fargo/Cass Economic Development Corporation Safe and confident in her surroundings, 11-year-old Kirsten Kvalsten has life by the tail. She already knows she's going to go to North Dakota State University and will major in Interior Design. "I've heard they are a really good school for that," she states matter of factly. Just three years ago, Kirsten moved to this area with her Mom and teenage brother. They had been living in a Minneapolis suburb, but Mom was getting married to a farmer from Casselton and "we couldn't move the farm to Minneapolis, sooo..." says Kirsten. Dressed in her red Casselton Squirrels t-shirt and glittery blue jeans, this glossy-haired spitfire begins to explain why she likes living in North Dakota better than Minneapolis. "You know you're going to be safe here. You never know in Minneapolis when there might be a gang or someone might try to steal you or kidnap you. People are really nice here; there's no snobby rich people." Making the transition from the big city to Fargo and Casselton wasn't seamless. "At first it was kind of strange. People are different here than in Minneapolis. The kids there always talked about the mall, what they bought at the mall and their shopping trips. Here they talk about tractors and…what do you call a group of cows?" "A herd?" "Yeah, herd, well I know that now, but then I didn't have any idea what they were talking about." Schools are different too. "Minneapolis had a really big school and lots of kids; here there aren't as many kids in each class. I think you learn more here; there's not as many distractions. I pay attention more and school is easier." Wide open spaces seem to have a hold on her heart-strings. "There's lots of space here. In Minneapolis we didn't have much, just your backyard was the only space you had. There are no tall buildings here so you can see the sun and sky and smell the fresh air every morning when you wake up." So let's see if we've got this right: safety, fewer distractions, open space and fresh air - maybe it's not so tough to please our kids these days. U

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