The Journey - An Immigrants Story

Preface

I believe that whatever the reasons are for leaving one's own country, it can be a positive move, providing one is aware, realistic, and cognizant of the challenges to be faced. It is my desire to assist the reader in understanding how difficult life in Iran is and problems that the Middle East immigrants have in adjusting to their new lives and culture in other countries.

This story is told from the heart and its purpose is threefold. First, I wish to share my life as an immigrant and, hopefully, to inspire other immigrants in their quest for a brighter future. Second, I want to help people to understand the difficulties Middle Eastern immigrants face in establishing roots in new countries. Third, I hope to inspire readers by sharing a true survival and success story which proves that with determination the human spirit can overcome adverse circumstances.

Traveling throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America, Australia, and New Zealand during the past fifteen years has given me the opportunity to converse with many immigrants. The feedback I have received has shown that the problems are universal. Language, specifically slang, customs, religion, morals, family conflicts, cultural differences often are serious barriers in understanding, conforming, and assimilating to a new life. I admire all those who persevered, beat the odds, and succeeded in their dreams.

Born into a wealthy Iranian family in 1938, I ironically was denied food, clothing, and affection because I had an abusive father, an uncaring mother, and a mean stepmother. My youthful life was one of constant struggle. Deprivation, starvation, and physical abuse are my unhappy childhood memories. Survival for the children of the Middle East with poverty, corruption, over population, lack of education, wars, and many unpleasant conditions has become quite difficult. These harsh conditions made me learn at an early age to rely on myself and my own resources.

I could easily have grown up to be the typical poor Iranian boy selling postcards or shining shoes in the streets, destined for a career as a vendor of sunglasses. Instead, as a child I imagined myself a star soccer player in a big stadium. In my dreams, I was able to transform the mad honking of horns in our daily dangerous traffic congestion into cheering fans and athletic triumphs. My fantasies became a reality at the age of nineteen when I became a member of the Iranian national soccer team. By 1960, I dreamed of coming to the United States. It took seven long, arduous years to compile, complete, and remit numerous mandatory admission forms to enter my new country with a student visa.

I immigrated in 1967 with my wife, daughter, and three suitcases. In lieu of money, I had an education, motivation, ambition, integrity, and a dream. Leaving my motherland gave me the freedom to pursue and explore career opportunities in a democratic society.

I thought my trials and tribulations were over when I came to America. This proved not to be true. Being from the Middle East and a Moslem, I painfully learned that my challenges and obstacles were much greater than those of immigrants from other countries. I attended graduate school at the University of Wyoming, receiving my Master of Science degree in 1969. I continued my education at the University of Northern Colorado and Denver University, studying for a doctoral degree in Educational Administration.

Because of the constant turmoil in the Middle East and the uncertainty of a promising future in Iran, I had no intention of going back. I was unhappy living under the dictatorship of the late Shah, and I could not disagree more with the unpleasant conditions that the present Islamic government has created for its citizens. Therefore, I purposely took my time, prolonging my studies and practical training to stay in America. I worked hard to earn my citizenship. The fortunate ones, who need only be born on U.S. soil to be granted this citizenship, should be appreciative of the great gift given to them at birth. We have a precious life in America and should be very thankful.

I applied for and was awarded my certificate of naturalization in 1980 in Denver, Colorado. At last, I was a free man able to enjoy a life never possible in my old country.

Acceptance in America has not been easy for people from the Middle East. Most are given the stigma of "terrorists" because of terrorism around the world in recent years, and most particularly in our homeland with the heinous act of 9/11. These acts of terrorism are committed by a minority group of Moslem fundamentalists, constituting only one per cent of the entire Islamic population. In most cases, their actions are a response to their interpretation of American foreign policies.

I am an American by choice and very proud of it. The fact that some immigrants give priority to their old country versus their newly adopted nation seriously troubles me. They should be grateful for the many opportunities which they have now but did not have in their former country. Regardless of our religion or the country we came from, as immigrants we must consider the future of our new country more important than that of the one we left.

People study second languages for various reasons, such as, vacationing in foreign countries, communication for ordering a beer, asking directions to the toilets, and other simple desires. Learning another language proficiently, to move to a new country, completing graduate school, or competing in the work place are enormous challenges. Therefore, earning a degree in a foreign language to pursue a career is an even more monumental task and often quite frustrating. Writing a book in a second language is a major accomplishment, and being published is, of course, the ultimate reward!

This book describes my continual struggle to achieve a livelihood to make a successful life in a new country. It has not been easy and certainly not the fairy tale which most immigrants, myself included, thought it would be. Often the road was quite painful; however, I kept reminding myself I had no country to return to. This was it! I am grateful that I did.

Table Of Contents

Chapter I: The Making of Parviz
Chapter II: Life and Human Rights in Iran
Chapter III: Cultural Differences
Chapter IV: Choosing a New Country
Chapter V: Conquering English in America
Chapter VI: How Long Does It Take?
Chapter VII: The Seemingly "Impossible"
Chapter VIII: After the Coldest Night

Copyright © 2003 Firooz Zadeh
All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in retrievalsystem, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author.
ISBN 0-9674480-2-6

Library of Congress Control Number: 2003113502

Twin Lakes Publishing Inc.
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