My Parents' Restless Journey
- Natalie Manvelyan
- Glendale, California
- UNITED STATES
It was a long and restless journey for both my parents. Neither my mother nor father knew what they were in for. They were both born in Iran, my father five years before my mom. Their families were friends and they grew up playing together in the parks and streets. My mother’s family decided to move to Armenia first. My grandpa and grandma packed up everything and moved to the capital of Armenia, Yerevan, with their three children. Two years later my father’s family moved to another town in Armenia, Abovian.
About three years later my mother's family received their Visas and began their journey to the United States. Their first stop was Europe. My grandfather worked for a family who traveled around the world. They moved to Rome, Italy for about four years. My grandfather worked and made enough money to support his family. My mother, aunt, and uncle were home schooled by my grandmother, a very intelligent woman. By this time my mother was about eight years old. With two older siblings, she was very mature for her age. By this time they finally were ready to make it to California. After leaving Rome, my mother's family stopped in Germany and France for my grandfather’s job. They stayed with family that they had in both countries. About 5 months later, my grandfather had brought his family to Los Angeles. My mother and her siblings went to public schools here in Glendale.
When my mother was an 8th grader at Roosevelt Middle School, my father's journey from Armenia to the United States was on its way. After finally getting their Visas, My grandfather, grandmother, aunt, uncle, and father began their short journey to California. My father was about 16 years old at this time. He had his high school diploma and had saved money to help support his family during this journey. When they finally arrived to the United States, my father's family lived in Virginia for about two months. After that they moved to Glendale, California. My mother and father were reunited at a family gathering. My mother was a senior in high school and my father had just begun his own business. When my mother was 19 she married into my father’s family and they started their life.