Americanized: Rebel without a Green Card

Chapter 5 focuses on Sara’s introduction to marijuana and her attraction to boys who smoke it. Sara’s father has a liberal perspective about experimenting with drugs. He encourages Sara to bring drugs home and use them with him so he can control the environment and ensure she is safe. Sara never accepts her father’s offer but appreciates his openness. During Sara’s first year of high school, she does not attend parties, social events at school, or use drugs. She describes herself as a prude. Sara notes that her rule-abiding behavior results from “ICGS, also known as immigrant child guilt complex” (80). Sara recognizes and appreciates the sacrifices her parents made for her to live in the United States, though this appreciation manifests in her self-imposed obligation to behave prudishly.

Sara’s first time smoking marijuana occurs at home with her older sister and cousin. Initially Sara enjoys the experience but then dislikes it because she feels paranoid. Sara’s view of marijuana changes when she meets Evan Parker, a classmate whom she wants to date. Evan smokes marijuana and occasionally uses other recreational drugs. He treats Sara like a friend and does not reciprocate her romantic feelings. After they graduate from high school, Sara sees Evan at a party, and he tells her he has stopped smoking marijuana and wants to give away his pipe. Sara offers to take it. She still has strong feelings for Evan even though she has a boyfriend. Sara keeps the pipe in her room, but her parents confiscate it when her brother finds it. Sara hints there was a time when Evan broke her heart, but she does not explain what happened.

Sara’s preoccupation with Evan keeps her from realizing that smoking marijuana is another privilege of citizenship. If she were caught, she would have a criminal record that could lead to deportation. Sara now understands this is why her father encouraged her to use drugs only at home.

Sara describes the immense cultural and generational gap between herself and her father’s mother, Maman Farideh, who stays with them for extended periods of time. Farideh drives Sara crazy, but her parents encourage her to be patient. Sara provides the details of her grandmother’s life, starting with her childhood.

Farideh was born in France in 1926 to a Lebanese mother and Iranian father. As a young child, she attended a boarding school in France. When Farideh was 12 years old, her mother died, and her father lost his job. He brought his two daughters to Iran and arranged a marriage for Farideh’s 14-year-old sister. Farideh did not see her sister for another 10 years. At the age of 15, Farideh entered an arranged marriage to Mohammad Saedi. They had four children, including Sara’s father. Their marriage was strong, and Sara describes her grandfather as kind and gentle; however, his parents often beat Farideh, causing her to attempt suicide. Eventually, Sara’s grandfather banished his parents from his home. Farideh became a pious Muslim after her oldest son died in a plane crash. Six years later, Mohammad died of cancer. Farideh spends the rest of her life living in an apartment in Iran and visiting her children and grandchildren.

Farideh’s hardships make her difficult to live with, and Sara describes many of her grandmother’s annoying habits. Yet, she also recounts an incident that creates a lifelong bond between them. One evening while her parents are away, Sara climbs the kitchen counter to fetch a dish. She jumps down and lands on an open cabinet door with her legs splayed. Sara is in agonizing pain when Farideh finds her and takes care of her. The incident is humiliating for Sara, but it makes her realize how much her grandmother loves her.

In 2011, a car hits Farideh, and she dies shortly afterward. Sara remembers how much her grandmother enjoyed walking city streets and wishes she spent more time appreciating her. Sara also remembers Farideh’s independence, open-mindedness, and curiosity about other people’s belief systems.

Sara explains that, because bidets are not common in the United States, Iranians came up with their own solution: watering cans. They use them to clean their bottoms. As a teenager, Sara would hide the watering can or lie to her friends when they saw it in the bathroom. Now that she has her own home, Sara proudly uses a watering can to clean her bottom.

Chapter 7 focuses on Sara’s relationship with her younger brother, Kia. Despite the provocative title of the chapter, Kia is not an anchor baby, which Sara defines as: “a child born to a noncitizen mother in a country that has birthright status” (111). Sara is eight years old when Kia is born, and his birth signals her parent’s financial stability in the United States. Sara notes that, contrary to Donald Trump’s assertions about undocumented immigrants, her parents pay taxes and private health insurance.

Initially, Sara finds Kia unattractive and, according to her parents, feels neglected as the middle child. Her love for Kia quickly grows as he becomes cuter. With her parents working long hours and Samira in college, Sara assumes many caregiving responsibilities and describes herself as a surrogate mom. Sara takes care of Kia after school, and he accompanies her while she works various jobs. Sara makes it her mission to instill sensitive values in Kai so he treats girls well.

Sara reflects on some of the differences in their childhood experiences based on their citizenship status. She narrates a story about the hassle of renewing her Iranian passport, which requires wearing a headscarf for the photo. Although headscarves in the United States were not as stigmatized in the 1990s as they are post-9/11, Sara finds it embarrassing to wear one, an event that Kia witnesses and makes them both laugh.

Sara’s most memorable fight with Kia occurs when he inadvertently reveals to Evan Parker’s best friend that his sister has a crush on Evan. Furious, Sara yells at Kia and refuses to talk to him for several days. She ends the chapter by describing their close relationship, her mothering instincts, and Kia’s kindness toward others.

Sara addresses her struggles with feeling attractive as a teenager. Her lack of self-confidence stems from a barrage of comments about her appearance, particularly her facial acne. Sara’s parents attribute her hormonal cystic acne to a poor diet, while classmates, including Evan Parker, tease her about unsightly blemishes and make jokes about poor hygiene. Even strangers comment on Sara’s acne. She refers to these comments as examples of “skin shaming” (131).

Sara tries a number of remedies, but they are not effective. Her mother suggests she take birth control pills, which provide marginal relief. Sara’s only consolation is that two of her close friends have severe acne and understand her experience. In college, Sara takes Accutane, a strong medication that causes dangerous side effects. The medicine eventually works, and Sara describes it as “the most hard-core drug” she has ever used (134).

Sara also hates her large nose and explains that, in Iran, rhinoplasty is a common procedure for women and regarded as a sign of wealth and privilege. Sara’s mother had a nose job when she was young and, at the age of 17, Samira has a nose job too. Sara admires her sister’s self-confidence for undergoing the procedure before completing her final year of high school. Sara considers rhinoplasty but decides against it because she is worried about the results and also wants to embrace her Iranian heritage. As she writes, “My nose is undeniably Persian, and changing it would feel like rejecting the most significant part of myself” (138).