Immigration

Topic One: Afghan immigration

__** When in the US, where do Afghans settle?**__

•     During the 1920’s and 30’s, the main place for Afghanistan is Washington D.C. mainly because it is the capital of the Untied States. They also settle is big cities on the Coasts off of the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, such as Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Los Angles, San Francisco, and other major cities. •	Many Afghanis settle in San Francisco because it is a very warm area, and the temperatures are much like Afghanistan. •	California is a very generous state for welfare. Many Afghanis that come from the Middle Eastern Countries are not wealthy when they come to the United States. •	55 to about 65 percent of Afghanis live in San Francisco. •	Present day, Afghanis are found in every state of America. •	Afghanis settled in America for the “American Dream”. •	They also fled to America because of the war. It was not safe at all. •	The majority of Afghanis who first inhabited in America was upper class, very educated, and had a trained occupation. •	In the 1980’s was when the most amount of Afghanis fled to America because of the Soviet War. •	The first record of Afghanis who arrived in America was in the 1920’s.

__** What cities have the largest populations?**__ *New York *Washington, D.C.          *San Francisco (Bay Area). The climate in California is much like the climate in Afghanistan. *Toronto *Quebec *Philadelphia * Cities on the West and East Coast.

__** Approximately how many Afghans are in Philadelphia? Are there any standing community networks here?**__ According to the United States Census Bureau, there are approximately 186 Afghanistans living in the city of Philadelphia. One Afghan community in Philadelphia is located on South Broad in the neighborhood of Girard Estate.

__** What are some of the hardships that people endure when adjusting to America from Afghanistan?**__


 * Many afghanis were literate, and held great jobs in Afghanistan, but when they arrived in America they found it almost impossible to obtain a profession.
 * Many Afghanis lacked social support, money, communication, etc.
 * They feel like strangers in their new home.
 * Many Afghanis were questioned, threatened, and kept isolated when they first arrived in America.
 * The Afghanis normally settled near each other in main cities because they were new and felt very alone. This caused neighborhood problems with other religions and ethnicities. Anti Immigrant neighborhoods.
 * Much different beliefs in America.
 * Different cuisine, customs, and culture.

__**Connection to the book**__

Immigration shows itself in the text when Baba and Amir move to America. Baba, who was once a very famous, popular, and rich person was degraded to a poor gas station worker. Another connection to the questions, is that they move to San Francisco, which is a place where many Afghans move to because the weather on the bay there is very much like the weather in Afghanistan.

__**Extra Information**__


 * Many Afghanis left the country because of the war and invasoin, they were torn by the civil war and the foreign wars occuring at this time. It is also one of the poorest countries in the world, which is not a safe environment to live in.
 * Pork and Alocohal are forbidden in the Muslim/Afghani religion.

__Works Cited__ http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Afghan-Americans.html