El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 98, No. 54, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 29, 1982 Page: 31 of 37
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El Campo Leader-Newt, El Campo, TX, Wed., Sept. 29, 1862 Pane
News/F eatures
\
Iranian Natives Adjust To Life In The Western Worl
By GERARD PYM
When considering names like
Abolfazi Estahbanati or Majid
Armiri, an Arab Shiek or the
popular cartoon series The
Adventures of Johnny Quest may
come to mind. But to regulars at
the Branding Iron Restaurant,
these are household names.
Abolfazi, or “A.B.,” is the
assistant manager of El Campo’s
popular restaurant. A native
Iranian, A.B. came to the United
States in February of 1976 in
search of a college education.
The manager lived in Isfahan
and served a three-year stint in
the Iranian Army where he at-
tained-the rank of sergeant. While
in the army, A. B. played soccer
for the military team and was
named captain. A lover of the
game, he still regulary kicks the
ball.
The transition frOB Middle
East to Western culture is not an
easy one. Coming from a society
where parents decide their
children’s future, A.B. had to
make some radical changes in his
lifestyle.
“I like it in America. I had no
other choice than to quickly ad-
just to the lifestyle.” The biggest
difference A.B. notices when
comparing the two cultures is the
industrial society of the United
States
“There is so much industry with
all the cars and machinery. Life is
so mechanized,’’ he said In Iran,
manual labor is still very popular
ministration He also participated
on the college volleyball team
American culture has rubbed
off on the Iranian native. “I’ve
learned a lot of different ways to
live from the people over here. If I
didn’t come to America, I would
still be like the Ayatollah Now I
can think in many different
ways.”
A.B, found himself caught in a
difficult situation in 1979 when the
Iranians stormed the US.
Embassy and captured the
American hostages.
Throughout the county when
anti-Iranian sentiment was high,
“/W learned a lot of different
ways to live from the people over
here. If I didn’t come to
America, I would still he
like the Ayatollah
“A. B.” works out with ball.
but he feels that the industrial
boom will ultimately result in the
elimination of manual labor.
Another adjustment that the
Iranian had was adapting to the
liberal lifestyle of the Western
world. “Everything is so liberal.
People have much more freedom
with family relations.” In con-
trast, Iranian parents must ap-
prove a teen-ager’s marriage
plans.
A.B. attended Wharton County
Junior College and transferred to
the University of Houston’s
Victoria Campus in May of 1981
He received a bachelor of science
degree in business ad-
Iranian residents were keeping
low profiles to avoid trouble. But
A.B. was lucky and said he had no
problems during the hostage
crisis.
Fellow Iranian Majid Amiri is
also employed at the local
restaurant.
He also came to the United
States seeking a college
education. Like A. B., Majid at-
tended WCJC but later tran-
sferred to the University of
Minnesota. In 1982, he received a
bachelor of science degree in
mechanical engineering. He has
also spent time in Nebraska.
Majid underwent a form of
culture shock when he arrived in
America. “The East and West are
two different cultures. It took a lot
of getting used to. 1 like this
country and I respect both lands,
there are good people in both. ”
Unlike A.B. who will probably
spend the rest of his life in
America, Majid will spend his
time in both countries. “There are
good things in both countries,” he
said
Also an avid soccer fan, Ma;
spends his free time kicking
ball and looking for pick
games He also enjoys wa
American football.
It's a long way from the
fields of Iran to South Texas,
A. B. and Majid have made
transition an educational
perience.
ky Omrv4 Pyai
Majid takes five after workout.
We Invite You To Come Visit
With Us . . . See The New 1983
Cadillacs, Buicks, Oldsmo-
biles, Pontiacs And G.M.C.
Trucks Now On Display.
Bueltel, Inc.
543-2729
El Campo
GMC
I
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Barbee, Chris. El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 98, No. 54, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 29, 1982, newspaper, September 29, 1982; El Campo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1006895/m1/31/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Wharton County Library.