Lorena Zilo
Lorena Zilo was 13 years old when economic turmoil struck Albania, her native country. Concerned about the unrest and seeking better economic opportunities, Zilo’s parents took her and her sister to the United States Embassy, hoping to obtain lottery visas for the family.
When they arrived, there were 20 visas available.
“The first family that went in (to get visas) was a family of six, then the second was a family of five, so we kept counting how many visas remained,” Zilo said. “Everyone who went in got a visa, but wondering if we were going to get visas was stressful.”
Five years after arriving in the United States, Zilo became eligible for citizenship. After she passed the citizenship test and was sworn in, one of the first things she did was apply for a passport.
“I was looking forward to not having to apply for visas everywhere I went anymore,” she said.
Currently employed by the city’s IT department, Zilo has worked in different parts of the country, including Minnesota and Princeton. She also spent three years in Hong Kong working for a relocation company.
Had she remained in Albania, Zilo, now 34, believes she would not have been able to earn a college degree or travel as much as she has.
“Now I have a career,” she said. “There, I probably would have had a job.”