Thursday, May 26, 2011

Even After All This Time: A Story of Love, Revolution, and Leaving Iran, Afschineh Latifi

This was a recommendation from my friend Katie - thanks!! This was an excellent book!!

The background of the story is that Afschineh and her family lived in Iran during the reign of the Shah. Her father was a high-ranking official in the military. When the Shah was overturned, many of her father's fellow officers left the country, fearing what was coming. However, her father refused to leave and he was eventually arrested and executed. The family (her mother, sister, and two young brothers) were left to fend for themselves in an increasingly restrictive government. Her mother decided the girls would be better off being educated in Austria. So Afschineh and her sister, Afsaneh, were sent to a convent school in Austria without knowing anyone or much of the language (Afschineh had studied German so she was in a pretty good position on that front). Their mother left them money at a local bank for day-to-day needs, as well as to hide the money from the Iranian government. In the course of one year, the girls spend almost all of the money, about $15,0000!! Obviously two young girls were not the best financial advocates for the family!!

Because the money was gone, their mother could not afford to keep them at the school. They were sent to live with their uncle in Virginia. They stayed there for about 5 years. Unfortunately it was not a pleasant 5 years in that their uncle either ignored them or complained about them. They had few friends and spend most of their time avoiding their uncle. They eventually graduated from high school and moved out of their uncles while going to college. Their mother and brothers were finally able to join them and they were all together again after 6 years. She and one of her brothers became lawyers and her sister and other brother became doctors.

I think it is interesting that the American dream still exists. The girls were obviously spoiled before growing up - it is difficult to spend $15,000 on nothing but junk. They realized this when they saw how upset their mother was when she checked the account. They learned their lesson and through hard work, succeeded. Very much a struggle, but they survived.

This isn't the best written book - but a good story about the American Dream!!

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