ccc-50110682 @ccc-50110682
I was born in Tehran, Iran in 1992 to a traditional middle eastern family. I moved to the United States with my parents when I was 16 years old for a better education and a safer environment. My father is an engineer and my mother is a nurse. They met while they were studying abroad in Egypt.
Growing up in Iran was a beautiful experience, but also very difficult. The conservative laws and strict rules made it hard for me to express myself freely. I remember being constantly judged by society based on my body shape, my clothes, and even my hair style. It made me feel like I had no place or identity of my own.
When we moved to America everything was new and exciting. But the culture shock was real. At first it felt like I didn't fit in anywhere. People were always staring at me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. They couldn't understand why someone who looked so different, spoke another language, and wore such strange clothes was allowed to exist.
I went through a lot of struggle before I found my place here. It wasn't easy but slowly I adapted and learned English. I met other immigrant kids who shared similar experiences and we became each other's support system. But there were still many times when I felt like I didn't belong, that I was just an outsider looking in.
