Tehran to Malibu written by Violet Baghdasarian
The story of Violet Baghdasarian
I share with you the progression of my life leading me to where I am today, all while maintaining my belief that every event and decision holds the power to reroute our entire lives. In turn, determining where we all stand today and the story that we call ours. My story begins in Iran, where I experienced what it was like being a young Christian Armenian girl growing up in a Muslim country. Being required to conform to a regime was not the greatest obstacle that I overcame in my childhood years. My father’s untimely death was the greatest loss I have ever endured. Experiencing events no child should ever come to see inevitably altered my outlook.
The thick skin I acquired from my unfortunate events enabled me to continue establishing my place in society in the face of war and uncertainty. The sweet memories of my life in school, with my friends, and doing the things I most enjoyed made life in an oppressive war zone a little less bitter.
My story transitions as my desire to move to America becomes a realistic possibility. I spent my early twenties in the foreign country of Germany with my sister while awaiting to be reunited with the entire family in America. I was happy to be en route of fulfilling mine and my father’s dream to relocate to America. Finally arriving in America, I experienced life as a young working class woman. The strength my childhood instilled in me allowed me to maintain independence in an unfamiliar world. On my journey of finding myself and embracing my freedom and self-reliance, I met the man who changed my whole perspective on marriage; my husband. Through the endless search, I realized that it is much more simple than I anticipated. I found my identity the instant I became the mother to my children whom I adored.
I faced a health scare that had the potential to cause mass destruction, but due to one life altering decision, I survived. My life and all of its endeavors allowed me to become the person I am today. The final progression of my story, I am found at peace, on the shores of Malibu, California. The final chapters of my book finish with my self reflection about how far I have come and all of my decisions and experiences that brought me there.