Henna Eghbalian wants Americans to know that life in Iran is not as bad as they might think.
‘We’re not all riding camels,? laughs the 41-year-old Groveland Township resident and owner of Sormeh Salon in Brandon Township.
Eghbalian, born and raised in Tehran, came to the United States to visit her brother in Clarkston in September of 1985. He applied for a green card for her so she would have a choice to come back if she wanted.
‘When I first came to the U.S., I was not very crazy about it,? Eghbalian recalls. ‘I was out in the country and I was used to the big city. It was hard to adjust, because you can’t go anywhere without a car.?
Eghbalian had to get a U.S. driver’s license, which took her six months.
‘Then I would get lost’often,? she laughs.
It also took her about six months to learn English. The language barrier may have contributed to her first impression of Americans? that they were very cold and unfriendly. She no longer feels that way.
Eghbalian lived in the U.S. for two and a half years before returning to Iran for eight months, longer than she intended because of a war between Iran and neighboring Iraq.
‘I went back because my family lives there,? says Eghbalian, who has a sister, brother, aunts, uncles and cousins still in Iran. ‘But when I got there, they started bombing Tehran, too, and closed down the airports and so it took me longer to come back.?
But return she did, to stay permanently after she met and married her first husband, an American.
‘I was young and made a decision,? says Eghbalian, who believes it is easier for a young person to achieve things in the U.S. than in Iran, which is slightly larger in size than Alaska and is home to almost 69 million people. ‘Once you start building your life around it, you can’t just leave.?
She attended beauty school and would later have a daughter, Layla, now 13. She is divorced from her first husband and married her second husband, Amin, a year ago.
Eghbalian says she misses her family in Iran. She returns to visit every other year and says the people love Americans.
The trouble between Iran and the United States lies not with the people, but between the government of each nation, she believes.
Iran, a theocratic republic, is governed by Muslim rules, says Eghbalian, although they accept and allow the free practice of other religions.
There are no bars or alcohol because of Islam and women must cover their hair in public as a show of respect to the religion. Women wear longer sleeves generally, with some covering up more than others. However, Eghbalian believes women are treated ‘pretty equally? to men in her native country, where they drive, have jobs and comprise 51 percent of the students in universities.
In Iran, children have more homework, although subjects are similar to the U.S., as is the length of the school day.
The food in Iran is less processed than in the U.S., with less canned food. Most Iranian dishes are served with rice.
Eghbalian believes Americans would be surprised to see the hospitality of Iranians and on the flip side, Iranians would be surprised to see the size of the U.S.
She received U.S. citizenship in 1996.
‘I plan to always stay here,? she says. ‘I like my freedom. I think this country is a land of opportunity and anyone who tries can achieve… I’m glad to be here, living a decent, peaceful life.?