At Granite Bay High School, the halls echo with the stories of students from diverse backgrounds. Among them are Nadia and Saba Ahmadi, Afghan siblings who came from Afghanistan to America.

Before arriving in the United States, Nadia and Saba lived in Turkey for seven years. While Turkey provided safety after their leave from Afghanistan, their lives were not without struggle. As non-Turkish nationals, they constantly faced discrimination.

“Even though Turkey was a beautiful place to live, at the end of the day, we were always reminded that we weren’t Turkish,” Nadia, a senior at GBHS, said. 

“It was hard not to feel like we truly belonged,” Nadia said.

This feeling of exclusion raises more problems. Foreigners in the country of Turkey were treated unfairly, given less salary, and fewer resources to enrich their lives.

Nadia’s transition of leaving was bittersweet. She was just months away from graduating high school in Turkey when her family’s decision to leave was settled.

“I was supposed to graduate, but we didn’t have enough time. I was really disappointed,” Nadia said. 

Though this setback in her academic journey was difficult, she shifted her focus to the future and the promise of continuing her education in the United States.

The move to America came with high hopes of a better life. The U.S. was known as the land of opportunity, a place where the Ahmadis could pursue their dreams without being judged for where they came from. 

Upon arriving in the U.S., the siblings found themselves in an entirely different environment, one where they had to navigate a new school system, unfamiliar cultural norms and a language barrier that made schoolwork especially challenging.

At GBHS, both Nadia and Saba struggled to keep up with their homework and assignments. English was a new language for them, and they hadn’t fully mastered it during their time in Turkey. To manage, they would call friends back in Turkey who spoke English to help translate their homework.

“We relied on our friends in Turkey to translate our homework for us,” Saba, a sophomore at GBHS, said.

“Without their help, it would have been really difficult to finish everything,” Saba said.

Natasha Cattolico, an English and ELD Teacher at GBHS, has been a huge support. She uses a flexible approach to teaching, working with students at different levels of English proficiency, which has helped Nadia and Saba catch up.

“We differentiate by level in our classes. The curriculum can become a challenge when students are at varying levels of English. Sometimes I have two or three levels working at the same time, using different textbooks and materials, ” Cattolico said. 

With her support, Nadia and Saba have made significant progress, and their confidence in their academic abilities is growing.

Culturally, the U.S. is vastly different from both Afghanistan and Turkey, and adjusting to these differences has been one of the most significant challenges for the Ahmadis. One of the first things they noticed was how expressive people are in the U.S., especially when communicating.

“In the U.S., teens use their hands a lot when they talk. People are much more animated. In Turkey, it’s more reserved. People don’t express themselves as openly,” Saba said.

The lifestyle and interaction is formal and reserved compared to schools in the U.S.

“Back in Turkey, we weren’t used to seeing so many people express their emotions openly. In the U.S., people aren’t afraid to show what they feel, and that was something new for us,” Saba said.

Despite feeling overwhelmed at times by these cultural differences, both siblings are starting to feel more comfortable and empowered in their new environment. Connecting with other Afghan students at GBHS has also been a source of support.

“Meeting other Afghan students has been really helpful. They understand what I’ve been through, and it makes me feel like I’m not alone.” Saba said. 

Nadia and Saba’s journey has been full of challenges, yet they remain hopeful for the future. Nadia dreams of going to college and becoming a doctor, despite the academic setbacks she faced in Turkey.

“My future plans are to go to college and become a doctor,” Nadia said.

Nadia and Saba’s journey as immigrant students highlights their strength and determination. Moving to a new country, adjusting to a different culture and learning a new education system is tough, but with the help of caring teachers, supportive friends, and each other, they’ve faced these challenges head-on.