SPECIAL REPORT: Why new Americans are choosing south central Kentucky

 It’s more than just a water tower, but a symbol.

The big and bold stars and stripes of the American flag on the BGMU water tower is a welcoming first sight to foreign born individuals looking to start new lives in Bowling Green.

Amira Zukic and her husband fled Bosnia as refugees in 1992. After eight years in Germany, it was time for change. The couple, along with their two children, moved to Bowling Green for a better opportunity.

"My real message to everybody is that anything is possible in America. Dreams can come true if you work hard," said Zukic.  

Now, the Zukiches are well known owners of a successful transport business, Taz Trucking. 

"I’m glad i came to the United States and experienced the beautiful country and work with great people. We should all be happy to live here," said Zukic.

Bowling Green Police officer Hany Elhubishi is also happy to live and work here. The 31-year-old was born in Yemen and immigrated to the United States in 1996.

"I’ve been blessed by the American people," said Elhubishi.

He feels so blessed that a few years ago he added yet another uniform to his closet. Elhubishi serves as a Black Hawk mechanic in the Army Reserve.

"I don’t think I could ever give enough to this country as a whole or the American people because of the opportunities I’ve been given and the life I’m living right now. It would have never happened or, even existed, if i was still in Yemen," he said.

Elhubishi and Zukich are just two of more than 11,000 foreign-born immigrants, who now call the Bowling Green area, home. 

According to a recent study commissioned by the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, just over 9 % of Warren county’s population was born in another country.

A majority are from Bosnia, followed by Mexico, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia. 

According to the chamber’s study, in 2016 alone, foreign-born residents in Warren County contributed more than $564 million to the county’s GDP through wages and spending. 

"Often times there are a lot of misconceptions about people just because you don’t know," said Leyda Becker, the International Communities Liaison for the City of Bowling Green. "Seek out ways and opportunities to learn. There are many different ways to do that. There are community events, celebrations you can get plugged into, so you can be better informed about the representations of those communities and who is here. that helps bridge that gap between unknown and known."

For many immigrants it’s only natural that there’s a fear of the unknown when they step foot in their new country, but in Bowling Green, Zukic and Elhubishi will be the first to tell you that there’s been southern hospitality from the very first day they laid their eyes on that red, white and blue symbol of freedom in Bowling Green.