Author: e.lavery

“You are rich, if you live in America you are rich” repeated Andrew Nouri, 24, as we sat in the Athens Alliance-Relief center. Andrew, who has lived in Afghanistan his entire life up until last year, bases his view of America off movies, music, and celebrity tabloids. His youngest siblings, Dara and Daria, age 7 and 9, were the most intrigued by America. “I do not like Afghanistan,” Dara told me. “I do not like my home in Afghanistan, and I do not like now living in Greece.” When I asked them why that is, the younger of the two, Daria, responded “It is not America, and I just love America.” I listened to them go on about the wonder of America, a country to which they have never been. Even their studying of the English language is fueled by the hope that one day they will live in America. But does America live up to these expectations?

To get the perspective of an Afghan American, I first spoke with Shah Haya, 70, who has been in this country for 46 years. “When I moved here (1971), it was the America I thought.” Haya told me, “There was so much opportunity to build yourself up. You could find work and study. Today, it’s not. Today it is limited and hard.” While many in Afghanistan still operate under a romanticized view of the Western world, he points out the discrepancies that have come to be. “You want to educate yourself,” he tells me, “but you cannot do that here, because of the price. So you have to work, you have to pay, you have to borrow money from the bank who will charge you all that you have.” Haya feels he has watched the country shift from one with countless opportunities of growth to one that sets traps to keep its people in debt. “And then, when you finish school, you have to pay all these bills, and you just work for companies, you don’t work for yourself. Education and healthcare should be free.” This now money-hungry country is not the one of opportunity and support that Haya expected and first knew. “If the government spent money on the right things, there will be change, good change. I wish one day I am alive to see these changes, but I don’t think so anymore.” Haya concluded.
Relating to the experience described by Shah Haya, a man by the name of Emde Mirza took the time to speak with me on America’s growing competitive nature, and how it has warped the country from what he expected. Bundled in a winter jacket, scarf, and hat, Mirza has operated his own produce stand for 4 years on 112th st. “I love the stand, but really there is not much other things for me to do” Mirza explained. Before coming to America 11 years ago in 2006, Mirza lived in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was under the impression that the American assists the pursuit of an education without the burden of unreasonable price tags. “You come to America, you study, and you can be Lawyer, Doctor, anything you want.” said Mirza describing his view of America prior to moving here. Mirza was surprised and to a degree, discouraged by the competitive and expensive nature within both Universities and the job market. “It is hard to do much else,” he reiterates while ringing up several customers, “but it is a good place with no crime.”

Exploring a different aspect of American expectation vs reality, I spoke with Sal Bahri, a man on an extended visit from his home in Afghanistan. “I expected more pride from where you are from. It is home to immigrants, but nobody keeps their culture after a while.” Recognizing America, and specifically New York City as one of the most culturally diverse and expressive places in the world, I questioned this assertion of Bahri’s. He went on to ask where I am from, not where I was born, rather where my grandparents were from, and their parents, he was asking for my heritage. Upon telling him that I am of Italian descent, but do not speak Italian, he responded “Yes, that is what I mean. Your parents did not keep the culture, the language, they did not teach you to keep it.” Bahri had expected America to be a melting pot of cultures around the world even more so than it already is. He was under the impression that there was not much of an “American-only culture” at all,but that all Americans strongly held on to the culture of their original heritage. “It is not too bad a thing, but worries me that I would lose my culture if I moved” Bahri added.
While discrepancies in expectations are widespread, nearly everyone I spoke to, in the same breath, made a point to mention their fondness of America. While America may not have streets of gold and the unparalleled opportunities of an easy climb to riches, it is still the home that many long for. It was Shah Haya who told me, “When i come to this country, I didn’t feel like I’m a foreigner. When i come to New York I was thinking that I fit with Americans. I don’t even feel different.”

To leave the country from which you were born, to completely uproot your life and leave what you are familiar with is no easy feat. With this story I hope to dive into the motivations, expectations, and realities that come with immigrating from Afghanistan to America. Through interviews and research I will paint a picture of the journey and perspective of an Afghan-American in New York City. This includes preconceived notions of the country, first impressions, discrepancies in international perceptions, as well as each interviewees “two cents” on the state of America now.

I began my research interviewing a well educated man named Shah Haya who, at the age of 25, moved from Kabul, Afghanistan to New York City. It was 1971 When Haya came to America, and initially, he had not planned on staying. He remembers the Afghanistan he left by saying “It was very peaceful, and security was very good. Everything was in progress.” However, during his time in America, Haya began to hear stories of turmoil back home, of political turbulence and violence. “They killed the president.”  he told me, referring to communist parties of the time. “They killed the whole family. Everybody. His brother, his family, all dead.” It was this horrid scene that pushed Haya to stay in America. “I was here, I was watching, and I said I don’t want to go back, it was disgusting.”  This was 1978. I will make a point to ask if this specific moment in history prompted immigration to America for other Afghan-Americans here in NYC.

When I began to question Shah Haya on why he chose America, he told me that his decision had come down to two countries; Russia and America. “I had no experience of America.” Haya told me, but what he knew of Russia prompted his decision. “One of my friends was in Russia for studies,” Haya explained, “he said when you go over there it is not a free country. They teach you to become a member of the (communist) party.” That was all it took for Haya to decide on America. It is clear his life growing up in Afghanistan has prompted him to recognize and demand equality, respect, and peace.

It was what he discovered next that shaped his view of America. Haya told me, “When I came to this country, I didn’t feel like I am a foreigner. When I come to New York, I was thinking that I fit with Americans.” I found this to be an amazing quote and plan of finding out if others had a similar first impression.

Haya justifies his favoring of America with the assertion that “the political system of the US is the best in the World.” The stability and steadfast nature of the American government are major components in how Haya has come to see the country as a whole, and why he has come to like it. As far as Haya is concerned, the country will not have a problem unless it falls to dictatorship, “the system is a good one, it is what keeps the country stable.”

Of course, there are discrepancies in America today compared to what Shah Haya had imagined when he first decided to live here.”Number one,” Haya begins, “education should be free for everybody. Number two is health care has to be, if not free, very very cheap.” These are the issues that he has with the country today. He began to tell me that he is disappointed to see the pressure put on Americans to rack up debt (mostly college debt) only to spend their lives working “not for themselves, but for a big company.” Haya feels that this country, that was full of opportunities for citizens and immigrants just 30 years ago, should have figured this out by now.
However, it doesn’t taint his view much. “It is going to change.” he tell me, “It is just a little too early for these changes. People will get smarter, intelligent, the new generation wants to change this.” I was especially intrigued by Hayas perception of and hopes for America because they are somewhat contrasting (and refreshing!) to the dismal view and predictions many Americans are currently holding.

Mr. Haya served as an excellent beginning to my research for this story and has only encouraged me to go further into my research development. Tomorrow I will be having a conversation with Naheed Samadi Bahram, the NY community program director of Women for Afghan Women.

Located in south-central Asia, Afghanistan sits landlocked between Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. With a population of well over 30 million, Afghanistan is measured to have an area of 252,072 mi2. Of those living in Afghanistan, 99% practice Islam. The official languages of Afghanistan are Pashto and Dari, which is often referred to as Farsi.

Officially establishing itself as a single country in 1747, Afghanistan has a long history of political unrest. Beginning in the 19th century was strife between Afghanistan and Britain, as Britain attempted to annex Afghanistan. However, in 1919 Afghanistan defeated Britain, and again had full-independence. Briefly established as a monarchy, between 1926-1973 Afghanistan becomes a democratic nation after the Prime Minister overthrew the King in a military coup. Mohammed Daoud Khan had deemed himself the president. Khan attempted to modernize what was becoming a communist nation, granting women rights and proposing a new constitution.
Unfortunately, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 in support of the growing communist regime. This war resulted in 6 million people fleeing Afghanistan to Pakistan and Iran, and the death of at least 1.5 million people. After the Soviet Union withdraws, the power of Afghanistan is undecided and civil war erupts. Kabul, the capital, fell to the Taliban in 1996. By the year 2000, 90% of Afghanistan was controlled by this group. The Taliban has holds a harsh interpretation of Islamic Law, and therefore leads a very oppressive rule over the people of Afghanistan.

Following the September 11th terrorist attack on NYC’s twin towers, America joined the Northern Alliance in attempting to eliminate the Taliban and liberate the people of Afghanistan. The Taliban were deposed in 2001 and so began political reconstruction. By 2004, Hamid Karzari was elected as Afghanistan’s first president. He served for 10 years and was then followed by Afghanistans current President, Ashram Ghani Ahmadzai. Afghanistan has taken considerable steps to becoming a stable united country under a central government but it still troubled by the oppressive and aggressive manner of the Taliban.

The most popular news outlets in Afghanistan are the Afghanistan Times Daily, Benawa, Pajhwok Afghan News, the Kabul Press, and the Daily Afghanistan. Facing repeated political unrest, many Afghans have flooded the globe as immigrants, beginning new lives. Within NYC, Fulshing, Queens holds the largest population of Afghan immigrants, it is often referred to as little-Afghanistan. I plan to frequent this area throughout my research. Most recently I spoke with a man not in this area, but the owner of a Halal food cart on 88th street and Central Park West who goes by Ronny. In 2000 Ronny, then 41, moved to New York with his family in an attempt to “leave the danger and fighting” in Afghanistan. Although Ronny does not remember much on how he viewed America before moving here, he remembers telling himself that it was “big, and safer than home.” Now 55, Ronny describes his life in America fondly by repeating the word good in between spurts of his daily routine (which was basically just work). In speaking to Ronny, I gathered that his favorite part of America is that he can live, work, and go about his day knowing his family is safe. I would like to dive further into the preconceived notions of life in America as compared to the reality as I continue interviews.

A potential source for information regarding Afghan life in New York City that I came across is a group called Women for Afghan Women. They are located in Fresh Meadows and have been labeled the “only culturally competent organization able to serve the specific needs of the New York Afghan population.”

 

Women for Afghan Women:

New York Office

158-24 73rd Ave.

Fresh Meadows, NY 11366
Tel: +(718) 591-2434

 

CNN

  On June 1, 1980, The Cable News Network, known as CNN, made history as becoming the first 24-hour news service on Television. CNN was not always the affluent corporation it is today. After being told by his superiors in the broadcasting field that a 24-hour news service was not feasible, Ted Turner took four years developing what would soon be a powerhouse in American media. Turner was then up against the 3 networks that practically controlled all of America’s TV news, ABC, CBS, and NBC. During it’s first years of production, CNN was widely criticized for its poor funding and minimal networking resources. However, Turner was not going to give up on the potential he saw in the network. It was Turner’s main goal to steadily expand CNN’s connections and media resources. As a result, CNN was often first to the scene on all matters, domestic or international. They became known for their live coverage of current events and ability to get the story out before other networks. Gaining more momentum, CNN bought out the Satellite News Channel in 1983. This only strengthened their ability to report first on any and all issues around the world. Within less than 10 years of being on air, CNN was surpassing other news networks with its on-site, non-stop, full coverage reporting.
What is often seen as the most pivotal aspect of CNN’s climb to fame is its coverage on the Persian Gulf War in 1990. It was the broadcast that truly introduced America to both CNN and reporter Wolf Blitzer. CNN was the only network providing 24/7 live coverage of The Gulf War. During a time of stress, intrigue, and fear, the urgency of CNN’s coverage was needed by the people of America. It was the first time that a real war was being covered in actual time, viewers were watching the war progress in a clear way. Many networks covering the War refrained from putting reporters in the middle of the live action, but CNN refused to leave. CNN, faced by Wolf Blitzer, covered the entirety of The Gulf War in excruciating detail.

Now, thanks to Ted Turner, 24/7 news coverage is widespread, and CNN is a thriving network that many households depend on.

 

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cnn-launches

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/01/politics/wolf-blitzer-gulf-war-iraq-kuwait-cnn/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cable-News-Network

As of right now I’m interested in reporting on the Afghan community within New York. More specifically I hope to learn and write about how the expectations they had of America compare to the reality they’ve been faced with. This topic interests me largely because of my experience in Greece with refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia. Throughout the month that I was working with these families, what stuck with me the most were the conversations I had with two young girls from Afghanistan, Dina and Delara. Very mature for their age, these girls would opt out of the roughhousing most children their age came to the ‘kids room’ for. Instead, they asked nearly everyday to sit with me and talk over tea. While we were talking it became very obvious that Dina and Delara are amidst challenges in their life most could not fathom. Their families were forced to leave their home when it became a war zone, and they are now living in a refugee camp based in Athens, with little to nothing. They constantly told me about how they hated their home and never enjoyed growing up in Afghanistan. They went further to describe just how hard life is in the refugee camp, they hate living in Greece as well. It was after they told me this that Dina told me she “just loves America.” Dina’s eyes lit up when she spoke of America and all that it has to offer. I listened to these girls speak of America, a place they have never been, as if the streets are paved with gold. I became curious as to how their expectations would match up to a life in America. I plan to get the perspective of Afghan immigrants living in NYC concerning their life now vs the one they imagined when first deciding to leave their country. I understand that Flushing, Queens is often referred to as “Little Afghanistan” due to its high Afghan population. This should be a great location for me to conduct interviews and meet people dealing with the trials of immigration.