Parastoo Aramesh

March 26, 2019

What country are you from?

photo by Katie Golden

Iran.

Do you speak more than one language? If so, which one(s)?

I speak English, Farsi (or Persian), and I’m learning French at school, but that doesn’t really count.

What is your current citizen status?

I am a U.S. citizen.

How many years ago did you immigrate here?

I permanently immigrated here about five years ago.

How hard was the immigration process?

We actually were relatively lucky and it wasn’t as hard for us as it was for a lot of other people. It was still difficult because of where we were immigrating from — a middle eastern country.  My dad taught at a university related to the government, which made the process more difficult for us. My uncle was a pharmacist, so he wasn’t related to the government and they got their visas much faster. My family had to wait for about six months longer.

Why did your family decide to leave the country?

Originally, we stayed here for short amounts to visit family. After going back and forth so many times, we saw that we couldn’t maintain this back-and-forth travel. We noticed a difference between the two countries and decided that if we were going to choose one, it would be here where we could have a better future.

What has your experience in America and at North Allegheny been like?

Fantastic! Everyone is very nice. It’s been good and I enjoy it.

Have you visited Iran since you moved the US?

Yes. I go back every summer, sometimes for as long as two months or as short as one week. It’s very interesting. Some people say that I have an accent now and I’m definitely treated as “the one who comes from America” whenever I visit. I go back with my family a lot just to see family and everything. I would not be able to survive on my own there, walking around the street and going to a store.

I notice the changes more significantly. I’m not in the environment as it changes. I come to America, the changes happen, and then I go back and see them. I’ve really noticed a decline in the economy, but I’ve also seen the good changes like people getting more freedoms and being able to express themselves more. We have a lot of coffee shops now and we have our own McDonalds. It’s not technically legal because of copyright stuff, but that doesn’t exist in Iran.

Is there anything you miss from Iran?

Yes, the bread. We have amazing bread and we don’t make toast like Americans. In the morning sometimes we would go to the bakery and buy freshly baked bread. It’s completely different. In the bakery, some of the bread would be half my height and it is so much better that way.

I miss those in my family who still live in Iran, and I miss going to family gatherings. I also miss the interactions with people there because it’s just a whole different environment.

What is the biggest difference in school life?

I’ve come to the conclusion that in any country the school system reflects the government system. In America, students have representatives, they have organizations, they can comfortably talk to a teacher or counselor, and they can get their voices heard. Just like the government. In Iran, it’s a lot more like a dictatorship. The administrators and the teachers have a lot more power and there is a love/fear relationship with the students.

Another thing that is different that we share with a lot of the rest of the world is that we don’t change classes every period. The teacher changes, but the students stay in the same classroom. As we went through classes we would become a whole big family. Everyone got invited to the other students’ birthdays. We would have our own group, and it made the dynamic with the other students a lot different.

Is there any change in the way people act or behave here?

Oh yes. People are like more … I don’t want to say nicer and that people from Iran are rude … more smiling when they see you. For example, greetings are a lot more formal. In America, you say “Hi!” and you hug each other. In Iran, you ask about the family, you ask about the children, you ask about other relatives, and it’s a lot closer because of that, but still very formal. America is a lot more blunt: you say how you feel and you don’t hide it. In Iran, you put on a face most of the time. There’s a lot of formality. You can express emotions with close friends and relatives, but there is definitely more openness in America. There is more family drama and gossiping in Iran.

Do you get to go out more or are there more things to do?

When I first got here, I was in 6th grade, so I didn’t get to experience that much in Iran. There are more freedoms here and it is a lot safer to go out, especially as a woman, so I have more choices in what I can do.

How is the location different? 

It is much more humid here and I don’t really like the summer because of that. The Middle East is famous for being hot and sunny and women have to wear a hijab, which also makes it hotter, but it’s not humid — it’s very very dry which makes it more bearable. I would not be able to dress the same way in Pittsburgh because it is so humid in the summer.

Despite what other people may think, it does snow in Iran. I have noticed that every year it snows less and less as the climate gets warmer in Iran, but we do still get snow and school cancellations. We have four seasons, but overall it’s just more dry and with a shorter winter.

What’s the greatest opportunity you’ve had at North Allegheny?

Education and freedom in every aspect of life. Freedom to say what you want and not be hunted down for it. Freedom to wear what you want. Believe what you want. For example, you can have your own religious and political beliefs and not live in fear of going to prison for them. Especially education. In Iran, education is very religion-based. There are many mandatory religious classes. It’s just great to have that opportunity to learn things that are not centered around religion. Here it’s separated: you can have your own beliefs at home, while at school you can learn everything else.

What is your favorite memory from North Allegheny?

The 9th grade Fashion Club show. I love fashion and designing clothes. Getting to do that with my friends and see the clothes I made on a runway was incredible. I also found my one and only Iranian friend there.

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