every spring my mom used to plant boxes of violets and propagate the geranium
of violets and propagate the geranium
of violets and propagate the geranium she’s been going for years in small
she’s been going for years in small
she’s been going for years in small garden on a balcony in Tehran
garden on a balcony in Tehran
garden on a balcony in Tehran I remember her telling me when you move
I remember her telling me when you move
I remember her telling me when you move a plan from one place to another you
a plan from one place to another you
a plan from one place to another you need to give it some time before it will
need to give it some time before it will
need to give it some time before it will grow new leaves
[Music]
[Music] my journey started in 2011 when I moved
my journey started in 2011 when I moved
my journey started in 2011 when I moved from Iran to the u.s. to pursue my dream
from Iran to the u.s. to pursue my dream
from Iran to the u.s. to pursue my dream of studying abroad it was one of the
of studying abroad it was one of the
of studying abroad it was one of the worst times for Iran’s international
worst times for Iran’s international
worst times for Iran’s international reputation there was always something
reputation there was always something
reputation there was always something bad about Iran in the headlines
bad about Iran in the headlines
bad about Iran in the headlines it seemed that where I grew up was the
it seemed that where I grew up was the
it seemed that where I grew up was the biggest research a lot of people some
biggest research a lot of people some
biggest research a lot of people some were surprised that I knew how to die
were surprised that I knew how to die
were surprised that I knew how to die and that I used to rise up late to work
and that I used to rise up late to work
and that I used to rise up late to work the Tehran is a city of 10 million
the Tehran is a city of 10 million
the Tehran is a city of 10 million people who live in skyscrapers it’s not
people who live in skyscrapers it’s not
people who live in skyscrapers it’s not the best place to come from these days
the best place to come from these days
the best place to come from these days is it but it was a proud Iranian tigress
is it but it was a proud Iranian tigress
is it but it was a proud Iranian tigress we were an empire once I tried to use
we were an empire once I tried to use
we were an empire once I tried to use every opportunity to be a representative
every opportunity to be a representative
every opportunity to be a representative of Realtors and culture
of Realtors and culture
of Realtors and culture I had statements and arguments ready I
I had statements and arguments ready I
I had statements and arguments ready I was reading the news of the day who’s
was reading the news of the day who’s
was reading the news of the day who’s trying to keep up with everything that
trying to keep up with everything that
trying to keep up with everything that was happening around the world just in
was happening around the world just in
was happening around the world just in case someone asked me something I knew
case someone asked me something I knew
case someone asked me something I knew enough what he was asked about things
enough what he was asked about things
enough what he was asked about things that I never expected
that I never expected
that I never expected do you have apples in Iran I wasn’t sure
do you have apples in Iran I wasn’t sure
do you have apples in Iran I wasn’t sure if he was asking about fruit or
if he was asking about fruit or
if he was asking about fruit or computers
computers
computers [Music]
[Music]
[Music] the first few months were a lot to take
the first few months were a lot to take
the first few months were a lot to take in instead of speaking English five
in instead of speaking English five
in instead of speaking English five hours a week now it was 15 hours a day
hours a week now it was 15 hours a day
hours a week now it was 15 hours a day everything was a challenge playing games
everything was a challenge playing games
everything was a challenge playing games that required languages those felt like
that required languages those felt like
that required languages those felt like retaking my English competency exam how
retaking my English competency exam how
retaking my English competency exam how fast you can decide what you want on
fast you can decide what you want on
fast you can decide what you want on your sandwich from 32 different
your sandwich from 32 different
your sandwich from 32 different ingredients that I listed in front of
ingredients that I listed in front of
ingredients that I listed in front of you when you barely remembers except
you when you barely remembers except
you when you barely remembers except their names in English and you keep
their names in English and you keep
their names in English and you keep trying to revert your brains English
trying to revert your brains English
trying to revert your brains English dictionary to remember what they’re
dictionary to remember what they’re
dictionary to remember what they’re called while they’re at these 1,200
called while they’re at these 1,200
called while they’re at these 1,200 people standing in line behind me all
people standing in line behind me all
people standing in line behind me all staring with you
staring with you
staring with you I could hear my funny accent I knew I
I could hear my funny accent I knew I
I could hear my funny accent I knew I was making grammatical mistakes my
was making grammatical mistakes my
was making grammatical mistakes my middle-eastern features stood out in the
middle-eastern features stood out in the
middle-eastern features stood out in the blonde crowd writing Farsi in public
blonde crowd writing Farsi in public
blonde crowd writing Farsi in public after someone called it weird signing
after someone called it weird signing
after someone called it weird signing symbols what was going on was it all in
symbols what was going on was it all in
symbols what was going on was it all in my head
my head
my head [Music]
I clearly remember my first Thanksgiving
I clearly remember my first Thanksgiving when my friend’s dad bought me a box of
when my friend’s dad bought me a box of
when my friend’s dad bought me a box of baklava the closest thing he could find
baklava the closest thing he could find
baklava the closest thing he could find to an Iranian pastry in Florida so the
to an Iranian pastry in Florida so the
to an Iranian pastry in Florida so the family your taste would make me feel at
family your taste would make me feel at
family your taste would make me feel at home must homesick
I keep thinking about my mom’s drain
I keep thinking about my mom’s drain Ian’s and what she told me when you move
Ian’s and what she told me when you move
Ian’s and what she told me when you move a plant from one place to another
a plant from one place to another
a plant from one place to another its roots may get damaged the still
its roots may get damaged the still
its roots may get damaged the still changes it needs time before the roots
changes it needs time before the roots
changes it needs time before the roots grow strong and then you’ll see
”
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