What Was Supposed to be 1 Year to Learn English Became 20+ with Ilona (Czech Republic)

Welcome to episode 44 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. I am your host, Heidy De La Cruz, and I am on a mission to change the narrative of immigration one immigrant story at a time! Today’s guest is Ilona Phillips. She is an eating disorder specialist. Ilona came from the Czech Republic, and the original plan was to stay for a short while to learn English. Growing up in former Czechoslovakia, Ilona couldn’t learn English until high school, and Western media wasn’t allowed there. Her father used to sneak and listen to the radio from Europe, and her mom would be terrified when he did that.  Ilona came to the United States through the Au Pair program - the nanny visa program. This is also discussed in episode 25 - she stayed with the family in Columbus, Ohio. She first arrived in New York City and said that after a week, she was overwhelmed.  What was supposed to be a year of staying in the United States became studying Psychology in college and eventually Psychotherapy to becoming an eating disorder specialist.  Listen to Ilonia’s journey on episode 44 of The American Dream in The Eyes of Immigrants Podcast. With Love, Heidy P.S. At the end of this episode, Ilonia provides a mental health tip, so make sure to listen all the way through! :) Connect with Ilona: ⁠Instagram⁠: @ilona_phillips YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ilonaphillips Website: https://www.ilonaphillips.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.