In fall 2019, Sandeep Brijesh Pillai was finishing a fine arts project when he overheard his parents whispering in the room across from him. Moments later, his mother came to his room and broke the news that the family’s visas had expired. They would need to return to their home country of India.
Sandeep, 16, had lived in Beaverton for the past seven years. His family immigrated to the United States when he was 7. He had only visited India once, when his grandmother passed away in 2017, and now he had to return to a country he didn’t really know.
“I cried for, like, two hours because it was really hard to comprehend,” Sandeep said. He realized his life was about to change. “All the friends I made — I would have to leave them behind.”
Sandeep thought he would be gone from Oregon for three months, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, three months turned into two years.
After returning to his family’s home state of Kerala, South India, Sandeep slowly came to terms with his new living situation and fully embraced his Indian culture. He was happy to be reunited with both sides of his family.
Even though Sandeep loved being with his extended family, the unfamiliar education system and exams were a challenge. He attended Loyola School Trivandrum for two years, which he said was itself a learning experience.
“Those tests are always a headache because you can’t finish it,” Sandeep said. “They frame it so only the fastest writers can finish it. And I’m not a fast writer, so I could never finish it.”
Due to spending all of his time studying, he didn’t have time to pursue his true passion — photography and videography. But once his family secured their visas and returned to Beaverton, he had the opportunity to make up for lost time.
Sandeep felt relieved to be back in his old classroom at Beaverton Academy of Science & Engineering and to reunite with his film teacher, Jared Agard. “He’s the best, like a second dad to me,” Sandeep said. “He’s like my pillar.”
Agard recommended Sandeep join the Public Broadcasting Service Student Reporting Labs. Sandeep tested the waters by entering his first video story on sleep deprivation and its effects on student success. To his surprise, he won his first national award from PBS.
Sandeep wanted to keep going and highlighted the story of Cambodian refugee and restaurant owner Saron Khut, who uses food to spread awareness about his culture. With the story came his first nationwide broadcast.
Sandeep realized he had a passion for culture reporting. He loves sharing diverse and nuanced stories.
“Being from a different culture, there are many other cultures around me that have many different backgrounds and stories,” Sandeep said. “There’s a story everywhere. You just have to find a way to tell it.”
— Moss Weigel, Tigard High School
This story was produced by student reporters as part of the High School Journalism Institute, an annual collaboration among The Oregonian/OregonLive, Oregon State University and other Oregon media organizations. For more information or to support the program, go to oregonlive.com/hsji.
