In my early childhood, my parents moved numerous times back and forth between the Untied States and Iran. Eventually, my family ended up settling in North Houston, where my father bought a traditional two-story home in a typical gated community. Throughout the years, the house preserved many struggles, and witnessed many successes between my family and I. However, not only did our home observe our experiences, but it also embraced our culture. Throughout my life, my home has had a revolution of its own; transforming from a dreadful and dull place to a home that I now look proudly upon.
However, what I truly value in my home is the fact that it acts as a safe haven for my Persian culture, something that is as delicate and as priceless as my home country, Iran. In addition, my home is a personal place that remains eternally significant to me in countless ways. In brief, while the experiences dealt within my home are part of my history, the interior designs demonstrate my culture and the spatial uses represent my natural habits. In other words, my home is like a canvas that is painted with Persian elements and personal emotions that identifies who I am and reflects my personality as an individual.
When my family first moved into our home in Houston, it lacked the same sentiments that our previous homes have once possessed. Unfortunately, in the beginning of our stay, our home was quickly destroyed when two enormously tall trees from our backyard fell straight down into the middle of our living room during a severely strong hurricane storm. As a result, our home was deeply damaged with unstable walls and an unprotected open roof. Moreover, all the carpets had to be removed due to the water damages, which revealed the dusty dark grey concrete floors with sharp needles under the beige carpets.
Due to the economic recession at the time, my father was not able to afford reconstruction and improvements on the house. Meanwhile, this unsentimental house was useless due to the constant struggles of collecting and dumping water out during stormy nights. Eventually, after years of patience and financial struggles, our home had dramatically transformed with newly tiled floors, freshly painted walls, and a perfectly high-pitched roof. Years later, little by little, as my father’s business began to improve, our home was finally able to transform into a space that was pleasant.
Our home became furnished with classical burgundy furniture, extended chandeliers, and golden decor, modernizing this drab house into a formal and prestige arrangement. While others may struggle to envision the renovations my house endured over the years, the image of the old, drab and tragic house embedded beneath this newly transformed household has not escaped my mind. In brief, I have come to realize that even though my home in its previous state was anything but endearing, it is the foundation that my family and I built our memories upon.
In other words, the history within the walls of my home creates a strong bond between my family and I. In addition, my home’s history builds a strong attachment that reminds me of my past and struggles that my family and I have once overcome, which advises me to stay strong and never give up. Furthermore, besides the history and transformation of my home, the overall interior design and decors ultimately define my Persian culture. My home completes the customary insight of the typical Persian lifestyle that is based upon the Middle-Eastern interest of gold, luxury, and formality.
In addition, the flooring of my house is covered with customary hand-made Persian rugs. To illustrate, the minute you step into my house, there is a long Persian rug extending down the hallway, a round Persian rug on your right in the home office, another Persian rug on you’re left in the dinning hall, and so forth. The formality of my culture is shown throughout my home with a classical design of extended chandeliers, classical burgundy furniture, and a huge golden-framed mirror placed above the fireplace.
Moreover, whenever we have guests over, tea is always freshly poured and ready in traditional teacups with saucers that are usually set on the table with a Russian samovar on the side. A samovar is an old-fashion water boiler that was used in accident times that is still commonly used in the Middle East. On a daily bases, when there are no guests, the crystal teacup sets and the golden Russian samovar are placed on the dinning table as decor. In addition, although I was born and raised in the states, the formality of the Persian culture that is embedded within my home has unconsciously enhanced my attitude and behavior.
The interior design of my home emphasizes luxury, formality, and proper manners that identify my personality and moral values. In other words, like the interior design that reflects my culture, I am also posed and formal in all occasions. The spaces used within my home may have not changed over time, but my personal behaviors have travelled along with me to Austin, resulting in a new spatial attitude at home. In other words, my parents’ daily routines within our home has barely changed, whereas, my personal actions and emotions have slightly altered every since I have moved to Austin.
My father nevertheless comes home from work, changes his clothes, grabs something to eat, and for the rest of the night, he remains in his office resting on his personal, leather, and inclined sofa chair watching TV. On the other hand, my mother spends most of her time cooking in the kitchen or sitting down on the couch talking to her friends on the phone. After all these years, my parents’ spatial uses within our home have certainly not changed over time. On the other hand, my personal experiences and attitudes towards my home have somewhat revolved.
Before moving to Austin, I would automatically open the fridge, turn on the TV, and toss my backpack on the kitchen table, and I would productively study and finish my reading assignments before nighttime. On the other hand, whenever I come home for the weekend to visit my parents from Austin, I can barely focus and read one single reading assignment. My attitude of being home has transformed from focusing and working to being completely unproductive and relaxed. Although I have always had a desk in my room, I never once studied there and have constantly ended up studying in the kitchen.
Likewise, after graduating from high school and having my own place in Austin, I still study around the kitchen table, even though I have bought and placed a desk in my room. In other words, it seems as if I have transferred my actions from home to my apartment in Austin and have replaced my attitude at home with a new conception of relaxation. To sum up, the spatial uses within my home have shifted differently, whereas, the same spatial uses were carried on into my new place in Austin. The spatial attitudes that originated from my home in Houston have never left my natural habits.
My home in Houston identifies me personally in various ways, historically and culturally. Although the constructive transformation and interior designs of my home is unknown to others, the images and experiences are embedded within my mind and will never be forgotten. The interior designs and decor perfectly demonstrate my Persian culture that enhanced my formal and proper behavior. Although my parents’ spatial uses inside our home has remained constant, my personal attitude and reactions have changed as a result of transferring them into my new space here in Austin. In summarization, my home is who I am, and I am proud of where I come from.
