kiekie

Africans started coming to the plant 10 years ago, but most have arrived in the past three years, according to Kiekie.

Kiekie said friends and relatives pay the costs to allow new immigrants to come over, and the new immigrants reimburse them once they earn enough in the United States.

"We talk life, how to integrate into this country, problems we face at work," said Kiekie.

"Leaving a teaching position and pulling tongues - that's a big gap," said Kiekie, who talks with his wife and three young children by Skype or phone every day.

So Kiekie, 44, entered a lottery for one of 55,000 annual visas to enter the United States.