Americanized: Rebel without a Green Card

Sara describes phone conversations with friends who often think she is having a party at her house because of the noise in the background. It turns out Sara’s relatives are visiting, and they always talk loudly. Sara often wishes her father would not phone his relatives in Iran because they are so loud, and she is embarrassed to talk with them because she cannot speak Farsi well.

While Sara is not close to her paternal relatives, her mother’s family—the Sanjidehs—mostly live in the Bay Area, and Sara has close relationships with them. In Iran, the Sanjidehs were upper-middle class but left their wealth behind to immigrate to the United States. Eventually and through various methods, most of the Sanjidehs, gained documented status in the United States—except for Sara’s family, who are still waiting for their green cards. Sara describes the 1980s as a difficult time for Iranian immigrants since the American media often portrays them as “public enemy number one” (150). Sara’s parents counter these negative representations with reminders about the beauty of their culture and closeness of their family.

This closeness extends to Sara’s 19 first cousins. Sara does not understand the concept of family reunions since she constantly hangs out with her cousins. She credits her mother’s brother, Dayee Mehrdad, with this accomplishment since he makes it his mission for all the Sanjidehs to spend time together. He plans elaborate gatherings, which they refer to as the “BAD Club” (153)—in Farsi, each letter in the acronym signifies their relationship to Dayee Mehrdad as their father, brother, or uncle. Even to this day, Dayee Mehrdad arranges gatherings and trips for everyone.

Sara devotes much of the chapter to describing her close relationship with two older female cousins, Neda and Mitra, who are best friends. While Neda is considered the “good girl” and Mitra the “rebellious black sheep” in the family (157), both play pivotal roles in Sara’s life and her exposure to alcohol, drugs, and boys. Sara credits Mitra for providing her with one of the best days in her life: She arranges for Sara to attend a book signing event that features her movie star crush, Ethan Hawke. Sara reiterates her gratitude for the closeness of her extended family, whom she describes as “thick as thieves” (165).

Sara describes her parents’ love for one another: During the day, they work alongside each other in the luggage store, and in the late evenings, they eat dinner with each other, always finding something to talk about.

Sara’s parents, Ali and Shohreh, met in 1974 in Iran. At the time, Ali was a 28-year-old mechanical engineering student at Louisiana State University. Shohreh was 19 years old and planned to attend a university in London, plans she jettisoned once she met Ali. Within two weeks of meeting each other, Ali and Shohreh were married. Technically, Ali and Shohreh entered into an arranged marriage, but they had a choice in the matter. After the ceremony, Ali returned to Louisiana while Shohreh waited for a visa. Eventually, the visa arrived, and Shohreh made it to the United States. Sara’s parents lived in Louisiana for two years and returned to Iran in 1976 after Ali graduated from college.

In 1992, despite their happy marriage, Sara’s parents divorced in an attempt to receive permanent residency in the United States. Shohreh’s mother, Maman Soury, received her green card, and she could sponsor Shohreh and her children. However, this strategy of applying for residency through a parent was only available if the applicant was unmarried. To solve this dilemma, Ali and Shohreh opted for a quick divorce in Nevada. They planned to remarry once Shohreh received her green card, which would make it possible for Ali to receive permanent residency too.

The strategy for permanent residency through Maman Soury, however, does not work (as explained, Maman Soury dies), and in 1997, the Saedis learn their adjustment of status application (sponsored by Dayee Mehrdad) is pending consideration. Sara’s parents, at the urging of their lawyer, quickly remarry so Ali is eligible for a green card again. Sara concludes the chapter by noting her anger at the absurdity and arbitrariness of immigration law. She still resents that her parents felt compelled to end their marriage so their children could become American citizens.

Sara refers to an Iranian cultural practice known as taarof. Because there is no exact translation of taarof in English, Sara offers two examples of its meaning. First, she sets up a scenario in which two Iranians go out to dinner. When the bill arrives, they argue loudly about paying for the meal. They consider such fights as the right and polite thing to do, and it is an example of taarof. The second example focuses on a visit to a home. The host offers the guest something to eat, and the guest declines. This interaction occurs repeatedly before the guest, who is very hungry, relents and accepts the food. This is also an example of taarof because the guest wants to be polite and not inconvenience the host. 

Sara states she is “a product of incest” (187). She explains these details by chronicling the life of her maternal grandmother, Mansoureh Naficy, whom she calls “Maman Soury.” As a child, Soury had a difficult upbringing. At seven, she became an orphan and was left to the care of her older brothers and her father’s cowives (he was in a polygamous marriage). Soury received her high school diploma at a time when, in mid-20th century Iran, education was not a priority for young women. At 23, Soury agreed to an arranged marriage to her first cousin. The first time she saw her husband during the wedding ceremony, Soury realized she would never be attracted to him. Nonetheless, he was kind and caring, and they had three children together.

When Soury was 28, her husband’s 21-year-old nephew, Ata Baba, moved in with them. They fell in love, and Soury divorced her husband to marry Ata Baba—an extremely bold decision for a woman in 1940s Iran. While Soury’s second marriage lasted until Ata Baba’s death 35 years later, it was extremely tumultuous. Ata Baba had many affairs, and they argued often. Soury never recovered from losing her children from her first marriage, as the two oldest primarily lived with their father and the youngest drowned at the age of six.

Soury and Alta Baba had five children together. Sara’s mother was the fifth child, and before her birth, Soury contemplated having an illegal abortion. Her oldest daughter from her first marriage, Mandana, begged Soury to keep the baby, and Sara believes this is why she has a special bond with Mandana today.

After her children moved to the United States, Soury joined them and lived with them until her death on Christmas Eve 1994. Soury suffered from emphysema and often stayed in the hospital to recover. On Christmas Day, Sara learns her grandmother died in the hospital. Many relatives come to Sara’s home, and they spend the evening remembering Soury. Late in the night, Neda smells smoke coming from Samira’s bedroom. Everyone runs outside, and the fire department extinguishes the fire before it consumes the entire house. If they had not stayed up much later than usual commemorating Soury, it is likely Sara and Samira would have been sleeping during the fire and could have died from smoke inhalation.

In 1997, Sara’s parents decide to sell their home because they can no longer afford the mortgage payments. Their business, “Peninsula Luggage,” is not doing well, which Sara is initially unaware of because her parents do not want to worry her. She describes their strong work ethic, including her father’s regular trips to airports to pick up luggage for repair. When Samira goes to college, their financial situation worsens. As undocumented immigrants, they are not eligible for financial aid loans and pay her college tuition in full.

Sara is devastated at the thought of moving. She loves her home and its proximity to her friends and school. Her family moved into it when she was 11 years old, and she considers it her true home. Sara particularly loves her bedroom, which she decorated with a large magazine mural that cannot be removed. Prior to vacating the home, Sara writes a lengthy poem on the back of her closet door, claiming the house will always belong to her.

After selling the house, Sara’s family is homeless. They decide to stay with relatives until they find an affordable home. Sara’s parents and Kia stay with an aunt and uncle who live in a modest home, while Sara chooses to live with her Aunt Geneva and Dayee Mehrdad, who are extremely wealthy. Sara’s father is devastated by her rejection and cries inconsolably, something Sara says she has seen a million times before. This time it is different because he is crying from shame, which Sara attributes to her actions of leaving her family. Although her Aunt Geneva and Dayee Mehrdad treat her well, Sara is unused to their routines and misses her family. Two days later, she moves in with her parents. When her family eventually finds a new home that is much further away from her school and friends, Sara does not complain and makes a new mural for her bedroom, which she entitles, “Resilience.”