Markari-Davoodian 1

Linda Markari-Davoodian
Professor Makarosyan
English 114B
10 March 2016
My Space, My Home
Everyone has a culture that a person represents and can classify as a place where their
culture is expressed. I am a proud person of two cultures: Armenian and Persian, my family and I
are Armenian, but born in Iran. Of course the most cultural place for my cultures would be the
countries of Armenia and Iran, but I believe in my heart my space that my two cultures are
expressed is my home. Both my cultures are respectfully and proudly seen in my home. The food
we eat, music we listen to, shows/movies we watch, the languages we speak is by the two
cultures that my family and I identify with mainly at home and in public. My home is the space
where I believe is the root of the pride I show for my cultures as well as where I show a sense of
self and identity. For the group project, my group and I learned about the Mexican culture by
going to Olvera Street, where the Mexican culture is fully demonstrated. The reading by William
Saroyan Pomegranate Trees from the novel My Name Is Aram is a perfect example of the idea
of identity and culture coming together in a space one can call their own. I am a proud IranianArmenian girl that embraces both cultures. My parents have taught my siblings and me to never
forget where we came from and who we are. My identity has started with my two cultures,
growing and becoming a girl that cherishes who she is. My parents sent my siblings and I to
Armenian and Farsi classes for years and thankfully we can read, write, and speak in both
languages fluently.

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My home as I call my space is where my cultures are heard and seen the most because
outside my home everyone speaks English and perform American customs, even though the area
I live in is filled with Persians. My safe zone is my house because I am able to speak my native
languages, eat my native home made food, watch my native shows and so on. I am IranianArmenian which means my dialect is somewhat different then the traditional Armenian that
people from Armenian speak and different from the Armenians from Lebanon and so forth. My
family and I watch mostly Iranian shows, movies and eat mostly Iranian food, but still speak
Armenian and follow Armenian customs as well as Persian customs. An Armenian customs I
celebrate is Drendez, in the first week of March which is the beginning of spring, Armenians
celebrate it. Drendez is a day where we build a fire and jump over it. An Iranian custom Shabe
Yalda which is the longest night of the entire year, family and friends get together and the
culture fruit for the night is pomegranate for purity. Its on December 21st and Iranians stay up
the entire night and celebrate life and happiness.
My sense of belonging is in my country Iran, my family and I go to Iran once a year to
see our family and our country. I was born in Tehran, Iran and at the age of three years old my
family and I immigrated to America. It was and still is important to my parents that my siblings
and I never forget our cultures. My family and I celebrate events from both cultures, for example
when it is Christmas for Armenians known as Jerornek we celebrate it just like how we
celebrate Iranian New Years known as Eid e Norooz. That is one of the many holidays and
events we celebrate. My identity, as my friends and family know is my Iranian and Armenian
cultures expressed especially at home and in public.

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The ideology about my space which is my home is the idea that home is where
everything begins, it is where one feels safe and comfortable, it is a place where the true self is
shown, it is even the place as they say, home sweet home. Every family speaks, eats, listens,
and acquire customs of a culture which all begins from home. I enjoy and appreciate speaking
English and being exposed to so many different cultures, but when I get home and hear the sweet
sound of my two languages with the amazing smell of my native home made food along with all
the other wonderful things my cultures provides I am most at peace. When I enter my house I
see, feel, and hear my cultures expressed fully because my mom is usually in the kitchen make
and baking food and desserts and if not in the kitchen she is along side my father, brother, and
sister watching Persian shows and movies. The smell of the home made food lingers around the
house, the sound of native shows playing on the T.V, drinking tea after dinner, making Armenian
pastries for snack during the weekend all express my cultures at home on a daily basis.
The physical characteristics that is highly known in my Armenian and Persian culture and
is very opposite to any other culture is for one, the first thing that is obvious that it is an IranianArmenian home is the big patterned rug in the living room. Another physical characteristic is the
small statues of Iranian history that is displayed in a glass display cabinet. We also have physical
the blue Evil Eye charm which is used in many cultures along with the Iranian culture and we
placed it above the main house door to ward-off bad luck. There are many more physical things
that have a cultural characteristic in my home. By having these physical things in my home, it is
a wonderful way to keep in touch with my cultures in a tangible form.
A sociocultural issue based on the cultures of Iran and Armenia is that girls must grow up
to be great housewives. However my father and mother have taught my siblings and I that that
should not be the case, they have taught me the idea of girl power and men and women equality

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from all aspects. Another sociocultural issue in Iran, to be specific, is how they perceive men to
be more dominant than women. They believe that men are stronger, better, and overall number
one in most if not all thing. Of course not everyone in Iran believes that but majority does.
Women wear hijab(clothing to cover hair, arms, and legs) to be more cautious and less free than
the men. Cultures all have their own ideas, but one must respect yet be strong enough to go
against an idea if one believes it may be unfair or wrong.
There are so many different cultures in the world and when you look in-depth of a culture
there are similarities with other cultures. My group and I went to Olvera Street for the group
project to learn about the Mexican culture. Before going to Olvera Street I didnt know much
about the Mexican culture. However being there I got a sense of my cultures and my countries,
because the music playing out loud and smelling delicious food allowed me to think about my
cultures. The Mexican culture has a long and meaningful history from Spanish conquering
Mexico for years then becoming independent again is similar to my cultures in the idea of being
conquered and then becoming independent like the Armenians. But Iran being conquered and
still not fully being independent. My point is even though each culture has its own language,
customs and so on, they still have one main similarity which is they all have a history whether
good or bad. Every culture and country started centuries and centuries ago, Iran and Armenia are
two of the oldest countries in the world. Both have been through many things life changing
events, the Armenians with the Armenian Genocide and Iran with the 12 year Iran and Iraq war.
People of any culture have experienced cultural changes and have learned to not give up on their
country.
In the reading Pomegranate Trees Saroyan writes a story of hard work, fighting for
dreams and what one may think is important. The uncle in the story mentally and physically

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worked hard to grow his pomegranate trees, but was not a success and eventually had to give it
back to the original seller.The uncle took care of the land he wanted to grow his fruit tress mostly
pomegranate tress to make money and to represent his culture the Armenian culture, since
pomegranate is an important symbol in the Armenian culture. The idea of the story was to keep
pushing for what one wants in life and to be proud of where one believes is where it brings him
or her joy. I can relate to the story because I push for what I want in life which is to always be
connected with my cultures and for generation after generation to keep both cultures alive and
going, just like how the uncle and his nephew did. In the story Uncle Melik said, Ive got to
give you back your property, but I would like to ask a little favor. Ive planted twenty acres of
pomegranate trees out there on that land and Id appreciate it very much if youd let me take care
of those trees ( Saroyan, 345). Basically Saroyan is explaining that the uncle ultimately didnt
care if he lost a lot of money and time for the pomegranate trees, all he wanted was to keep his
wish alive and to never stop believing or trying. I can relate because I know the Armenian and
Persian culture is a perfect example of keeping their wishes alive and never stop believing. Iran
has a smaller population than most countries and Armenian is even less than that, which means
we as Armenians have to stick together and we as Persians have to stick together to keep alive
the culture, language, and ideas. In order to do so we as Persians and Armenians mustnt forget
our native language and traditions.
I have learned a great deal about myself and the type of person I am as a result of my
space. For one, I am a proud Iranian-Armenian girl that respects and follows traditions and
customs. My home allows me to express my culture where my family understands and does the
same with me. I express my culture in public as well by speaking those languages with other

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people that also speak it or wearing a necklace that represents Iranian history and so forth.
However, at home it is demonstrated much easier. As far as society is understood, it is great to be
around other culture because it allows me to have a better understanding of the world. My human
conditioning is at most to be happy and grateful because I respect everyone of every culture and
in return I get respect back. To me, respect is one of the most important attributes one can have.
By hearing people speak my two native languages, it makes me feel like I am back home in Iran
where everyone speaks both Armenian and Farsi.
As for the connection between my cultures and society I think it is great when I hear
someone speak Armenian and/or Farsi (who are minorities in America) I get a wonderful feeling
because to hear someone else speak the same language I only hear at home is a nice
reinforcement that there are people that are proud to speak their native language in public. My
family and I proudly follow traditions and customs of our cultures because it brings joy to us and
to our home environment. Culture is something that is very meaningful to me and I am very
grateful to be representing both my Armenian and Persian culture by listening to the music,
eating to food, reading and writing in the languages and celebrating the events.

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Work Cited

Saroyan, William. "Pomegranate Trees." My Name Is Aram. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1940.
336- 346. Print.