Hamad Waheed

10-6-14
Connie Douglas
UWRT
ORAL HISTORY
Ameed Nabulsi born on May 4th 1977 moved to the United States of America
in 1996 at the age of nineteen with nothing but the clothes on his back. Ameed
arrived in New York but lived in New Jersey with his uncle until he could afford to
rent an apartment with some of his friends. When he originally moved here he had a
hard time finding a job because he knew little English. He is now 37 years old and
his main source of income is from his BP gas station located in Greensboro. I first
met Ameed at the local mosque, and then I ran into him again at the gym. After
becoming good friends with Ameed he told me his life story. I thought it was
interesting enough so chose him for my interview.
Waheed- what is your fathers name? (I ask this out of respect for his family).
Nabulsi- my fathers name is Muhammad Nabulsi
Waheed- how was life for you back in Palestine?
Nabulsi- as a child under Zionist occupation I could play around the house or
apartment but I was not allowed to go to school.
Waheed- how was life like for other people in Palestine?

Nabulsi-citizens were under Zionist occupation. They were not allowed to go to

work and they had a curfew. People were not even allowed to go to mosques for
Friday prayer. The lights had to be turned off at night or soldiers would barge in and
kill whoever was there. I remember once when I was little I turned the light on in
the kitchen in the middle of the night and there were soldiers standing outside.
Lucky for me my grandma turned them off before they saw us.
Waheed- how did you come to the conclusion that you wanted to move to the United
States?
Nabulsi- I wanted a better life and more freedom.
Waheed- what difficulties did you initially run into when immigrating to the United
States?
Nabulsi- navigating the airport terminals was after arrival to the U.S.A.
Waheed- what difficulties did you run into by not being able to speak English
fluently?
Nabulsi- I could speak and read very little English. I could sometimes understand
what others were trying to say to me but not to the full extent. Anything that
involved filling out paperwork was hard. I usually had my uncle assist me until I
could read and write better.
Waheed- what did you do to become fluent in English?

Nabulsi- everyday life gave me an opportunity to practice my English. I would learn

new vocabulary from people everyday. Eventually I took a course on Basic English
that was held at a community college.
Waheed- what was your first job after you arrived here?
Nabulsi- since in did not know English that well I worked as a dishwasher at a
restaurant
Waheed- How did you like your first job?
Nabulsi- I was just happy to have a job. I would work full time everyday and when I
would leave work I was soaking wet.
Waheed- How long did it take you to become independent?
Nabulsi- after about 4 years I moved into an apartment with some friends that had
also emigrated from Palestine.
Waheed- did you ever consider getting an education?
Nabulsi- I really wanted to but I did not have the time or the money. One of my
friends whose father supported him as a student told me to get an education and I
felt really bad because my father had passed away and I could not be like him.
Waheed- do you ever regret moving here? Why or why not? Life was hard at first
and I was always homesick, but now that I am doing well I do not regret moving
here.

Waheed- what was a problem you ran into during your early life here in the United
States of America?
Nabulsi- I did not know a lot of things, like how I needed to change the oil in my car .
One day my engine just turned off and when I got it checked out the mechanic asked
me when I had last changed my oil. I did not know that I had to change the oil in my
car.
Waheed- what do you like about the United States?
Nabulsi- I like the opportunity. When I first came here my uncle was a taxi driver
and he made a lot of money just doing that.
Waheed- what dont you like about the United States?
The culture is different. Alcohol is common here. In my home country it is not.
Waheed-are you married?
Nabulsi- yes, I got married in 2001
Waheed- where did you get married?
Nabulsi- I got married in my home country
Waheed- do you have any kids?
Nabulsi- I have 2 kids
Waheed- what are their names?
Nabulsi- I have a daughter named Fatima and a son named Ahmed.
Waheed- are you satisfied with your current occupation?

Nabulsi- I am happy with what I have now. I have worked so many jobs and this by
far is my best option.
Waheed- do you still value Palestinians culture?
Nabulsi- yes. Life is very different in Palestine, but I still value my culture and plan
on keeping up with my religion.
Waheed- what morals do you wish to instill onto your children?
Nabulsi- I was born a Muslim and I want my children to also be Muslim. I know that
they will not fully understand Palestinian culture because they grew up here but if
there is one thing I want to instill upon them it is the respect and humbleness that I
learned as a kid.
Waheed- how do you feel about modern day adolescence?
Nabulsi- children are too dependent on technology. Cell phones, iPods, video games,
they are all too much. When I was a kid we would just play outside but kids now
want to have party and drink alcohol.
Waheed- do you ever wish to go back to your hometown permanently?
Nabulsi- no, I am content with life here, although I would love to visit.
Waheed- if you could go back in time, would you make the same decision to come to
The U.S.A.?

Nabulsi- yes, life over there is very violent. We would have random acts of violence
almost everyday. Cars were set on firefights would sometimes abruptly start and
stop. I am just glad my kids have the chance to grow up in a peaceful place.
Ameed is a successful immigrant and his story gives me a different
perspective of life and society. He told me many more little stories that were
irrelevant to the interview but they were still interesting. Although Ameed has lived
an interesting life, he is still young. He plans on supporting his children through
college and he wants to see them grow up and be successful. Ameed says that even
though many people have it better than him, hes grateful for the opportunity he has
and that he can give his kids. I am glad I chose to interview Ameed instead of
anyone else. I did not originally know about the Zionist occupation in Palestine but
now that I am aware, I am grateful I grew up were it is peaceful. I can relate some of
the things Ameed says because my parents grew up in Pakistan and I am the first
generation in the United States. This success story is motivational and just goes to
show that dedication goes a long way.