When I first met my friend and former co-worker Naz Helms, we immediately hit it off. Though we had several similarities (a shared love of fashion, coffee and travel to name a few), one big one was the fact that we’d both immigrated to the U.S. with our families at a young age.
Naz is originally from Turkey but has called California home for the past 25 years. Today, she is married to the love of her life and a mama to sweet Eloise. I started this series because I love hearing immigrant’s stories and how where they’re from has shaped them, read on to learn about Naz’s experiences growing up as a Turkish-American and how her cultural background influences her life today. Follow along with her adventures here and here.
On making the move to the U.S.: I was born in Istanbul, Turkey and moved to California when I was 2. My dad got a job here and it seemed like a good opportunity so that was the main reason that we moved here. It was hard leaving the support system (as a mother now I can see how difficult it would be to move across the globe), it seems that’s what they wanted to do to provide the best life for us. We came straight to San Jose so I was raised here (along with my sister who was born a few years after we immigrated.)
On her culture/heritage playing a role in her life growing up: We spoke Turkish at home but we didn’t embrace the culture as much and my parents didn’t enforce it either. I remember going to Turkish school on Saturdays and I was more Americanized than the other kids in my class.
I think my parents did a good job of maintaining our heritage but also blending it with American culture so we had a rounded experience.
It was great because we weren’t oblivious to what our peers were experiencing, as far as Thanksgiving or Easter Eggs hunts, but we also had a tight knit community of Turkish families that would ensure we were familiar with Turkish culture, songs, language, history etc.
On her new American life being at odds with her Turkish heritage:
For the longest time, I didn’t like the name Naz but eventually as I grew and matured I learned to love and appreciate it.
In high school, I explored the history and culture of different places and I realized it was pretty cool to have this whole Turkish background. Getting to show my best friends where I’m from, where my family was from became of a point of pride after that.
On feeling connected more to a certain culture (the culture she from vs the American culture you’re raised in): Though we traveled to Turkey for weeks at a time every two years until I was 18, I never really embraced that side of myself because I wanted to be “cool” among my American peers. My parents were understanding about me trying to fit in and they found a good balance to make me feel comfortable.
On hopes for her child’s view of their cultural identity: I want it to be a part of her heritage because she is 50 percent Turkish after all. Because my husband Andrew does not speak Turkish though a lot of it gets left behind. Luckily, my parents do their best to talk to Eloise in Turkish so she will hopefully pick up some of the language. Andrew toys around with Duolingo and will try to bust out phrases when my Turkish-speaking family visits and has adopted little nuances of our culture as well.
We eat Turkish meals and incorporate the culture into our home life in ways that feels comfortable for us.
In addition to teaching her as much Turkish as we can with only one parent who speaks the language, we plan to take her in the coming year and hopefully, if we have the budget go back on a regular basis so that she knows where she is from.
On her Turkish heritage and its place in her life today:
My parents worked so hard and made a wonderful life for us here. It wasn’t easy leaving their parents and friends and moving to a place where you don’t really speak the language in order to provide for your family. Their commitment and perseverance inspires me.
On the hopes and dreams she has for her own daughter: There can’t be anything quite like raising a child in your image. All the values you hold dear and passing them on and watching them become their own individual is an invaluable experience. I can’t wait to see how her personality influences these things to make them unique to her.
As long as she is happy and healthy my dreams will be fulfilled. I’m sure that whatever her dreams become I will adopt them and do my best to help her make them come true.
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