Immigrant Voices Podcast Project

The Immigrant Voices Podcast Project brings you the voices of the courageous people who have made the U.S. their home. In their own words, you’ll hear about the lives and people they left behind in their native countries, their journeys here, their struggles and successes. You’ll hear from parents of “dreamers,” “dreamers” themselves, undocumented to naturalized citizens, and everything in between.

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Immigrant Voices Podcast Project

Remzi from Turkey

August 31, 2022 • Deborah

Since his elementary school days in Turkey, Remzi’s passion for history, geography, and meeting people worldwide has never ceased. In his early 20s, he befriended American GIs stationed in Turkey to practice his English. His career as a professional tour guide took off as he showed them the historical sites of his country. Lifelong friendships between Remzi and his tourists led him to visit and eventually move to the States in 2009. I consider Remzi an ambassador for peace because he brings together people from many different countries and cultures. Living in the U.S. seven months of the year, he spends his summer guiding tours in Turkey. I caught up with him for this interview while he was still in Istanbul.

Guest Intro/00:40

Since his elementary school days in Turkey, Remzi’s passion for history, geography, and meeting people worldwide has never ceased. In his early 20s, he befriended American GIs stationed in Turkey to practice his English. His career as a professional tour guide took off as he showed them the historical sites of his country. Lifelong friendships between Remzi and his tourists led him to visit and eventually move to the States in 2009. I consider Remzi an ambassador for peace because he brings together people from many different countries and cultures. Living in the U.S. seven months of the year, he spends his summers guiding tours in Turkey. I caught up with him for this interview while he was still in Istanbul.

Making American Friends in Turkey/01:49

Deborah: Today my guest is Remzi and he is from Turkey. Welcome, Remzi. Can you tell me a little bit about how you first came to the United States and what motivated you to come to the United States and settle here?

Remzi: My passion with the United States started when I was in the elementary school. In the fourth grade we started studying about geography and history of the States. And I admired that the U.S. had the longest railways and the longest river in the world, the Mississippi. And Rocky Mountains, I adored hearing all those. Then when I started studying English at the elementary school, I wanted to learn it and I wanted to go to the States one day. But I had no opportunity to practice my English. Then when I moved to a bigger city, I heard that there was the U.S. Air Force base there. And I saw some GI’s wandering around in downtown for shopping on Sunday. But I was a very shy boy. I did not know how to start the simple talk. When so shy, I asked them, there were two boys, I said, “Excuse me, Sir. I am studying English by myself. I need practice.” They said, “Sure, come with us. We need you. We need your interpretation.” And then at the end of the day when we left each other I said, “May I come and see you next?” So I started visiting them and they introduced me to their friends, so many friends. Finally, one of them said, “Remzi, you must be a tour guide!” because I started showing them the area. “You must be a tour guide!” Finally, I attended classes and I became a registered tour guide and started taking tours from the base to historical sites.

Becoming a Tour Guide/03:38

Deborah: How old were you at that point when you became a tour guide?

Remzi: When I started practicing my English, I was 22 and as a registered tourguide I was 27. And then one couple said, “You must be a tour guide.” They encouraged me. And then, I started guiding them. I met another friend called John McDonald. One day I said, “John, all Americans tell me that I must visit the States to be more academic with my tours. Would you invite me?” He said, “Sure!” When he was back to Florida, he sent me a letter. I went to the Embassy in Ankara. And they asked me my purpose. I said, “All my American guests tell me I must see your country.” They said, “Sure, you must.” And they gave me the visa in 1993, January for seven weeks. I loved it. And then two years later John told me, “Your daughter must come and see here too.” And my daughter spent summer holiday. She loved it. And I wanted to educate my children in the States because in Turkey we have a severe university entry test, very tough. The students from big cities have private classes, better schools. They have better opportunity. We did not have it because I was living in a small town and a friend from the base, a doctor, said, “Remzi, we are moving back to the States. We would like your daughter to come with us.” So it was a great opportunity, but my father, my father-in-law everybody, my wife said no, she cannot go to the States because gangs and drugs, you know they know America like that problem all the time.” I said, “No. You don’t know much about America. This is a great opportunity for my children’s horizons. I want them to be educated there. Better opportunity, better income.” So in 1997, September, I went to visit her in wintertime. So every winter I spent a couple of months with her there and that’s how I started. Then 2001 they invited my second daughter for their friends. And then she came. Now the elder daughter works for the Brookline Bank. Then the younger the other works for Cisco Systems. That’s why we are with them every winter. My purpose is to educate my children and then my son also came there, studied at the University of Southern New Hampshire. He got his master’s degree MBA and he’s in Istanbul now. He’s a tour guide and computer programmer in the States.

Deborah: Wow. So when did you come to the States to live?

Remzi: December 2009. We got our green cards. Then we moved to the States.

Life in Two Worlds/06:14

Deborah: What’s it like living in two worlds?

Remzi: Actually, I love it. Both countries are special to me. I love both countries. Turkey has unimaginable, incredible human history. Because it has been positioned between continents and countries from every nations, even Celtic, from Viking to Mongolian, Arab history to Russians, Romans, Greeks, and Turks. And when I go to the States, I love that country. Everything is well-organized, people are friendly and hardworking, and all kinds of opportunities. That’s why my daughters stay there. They don’t want to move back to Turkey. We’re expecting my son’s green card next year that is his time. So he will move there.

Deborah: How many months out of the year are you in the United States and how many months of the year are you in Turkey? And also what happened during COVID? Were you stuck in the States?

Remzi: Seven months in Boston in the U.S. and five months in Turkey. And during Covid we were in Boston and we couldn’t come to Turkey for two years. We were sad not to see our son because he was here in Istanbul. But I enjoyed. I was not bored. I enjoyed living in Brookline. I used to go there for fishing with a friend and also I enjoy reading books and studying English and it was fun. Joining ESL classes on Zoom. I followed all the ESL classes of Newton or Brookline—all of them.

A Move from New Hampshire to Boston/07:55

Deborah: What was the most difficult part of coming to the United States to live? Were there any obstacles? Did you have to adjust to life in the United States in a way that was different from Turkey?

Remzi: We used to live in New Hampshire, Bedford, New Hampshire. And our condo was right at the outskirts of the town. No transportations. There was no public transportations. And my daughter needed the car to go to her work to drive her work. So we rode along, my wife and I. One of the biggest problem in small cities in the United States is the public transportation. And we wouldn’t go anywhere. We used to hike around the condo and the same places and wintertime, very cold, very boring, isolated, no friends, that’s why finally we moved to Boston.

Deborah: Is there music in the background or TV on or something where you are?

Remzi: It is the prayer call now finishing it, the prayer call for the night.

Deborah: And how many times a day does that happen?

Remzi: Five. And this is the last one. I woke up at five. 5:00 AM. Five AM this morning for praying. Second praying was at 1:00 PM. Number three, 4:00. Five, sunset 7:30 and this one is the last.

Deborah: And do you follow that religious practice?

Remzi: I do.

Deborah: What happens when you’re in the States?

Remzi: The closest mosque is one mile from my home. I sometimes go by walking, sometimes by driving. But I go on Friday. Friday is the Islamic communal day. The other thing I can pray at home. Roxbury Crossing. This one is at the Roxbury Crossing. And so I go there for Fridays, but sometimes I go other times too. Only Friday praying at noon-1:00 PM is mandatory community. The other ones I can pray at home if I can’t pray with the community, the other praying, even more good deeds. But if I cannot, it’s still alright.

A Compassionate Ambassador of Peace/10:05

Deborah: Where were you when 9/11 happened?

Remzi: I was in Turkey and I was guiding. I had a group, about 15 people. We have very interesting historical places. There was a rock castle. We call this rock castle, carved out of a huge cliff for their sheltering or for their events. I was up there showing them the sites from the top, the cave, all the historical places, panoramic view. When I was down I saw crowd people in a rush. I said, “What’s happening?” And one of my friends said, “Remzi, your America is attacked (because they, they know, I have relations my daughter in the States). Your America has been attacked.” I said, “What!” They said, “Come on in.” There was a cafe and then they were watching it. Then I invited my guests. So we looked the second airplane hitting the second building. I thought it was a joke. I couldn’t believe it was true. It was shocking events.

Deborah: I was going to ask you if you had encountered any kind of problems.

Remzi: I had an experience that year and then December I went to the State again with my wife and my daughter and it was this time of the night we were driving. I thought my daughter, “Can I pray in this park?” So she pulled the car and I had my praying rug and rolled it, unrolled it and I prayed. An American seeing me, “You see, you guys, you bomb us, but you bomb us, but we are tolerant. We let you pray here.” I was shocked. You know, I did not expect somebody that night in the evening. I think he was watching at me praying you know? And so he blamed all the Islamic people, I said, “They are terrorists. And there they have no religion, no nation. I am a poor guy. I am innocent. I love America.” Those were the words I could remember. And I can tell them because they have no religion. Even if they had a religion I would not do that.

Deborah: That must have been upsetting for you.

Remzi: Yes. I was shocked. I did not expect he was behind me waiting until I finished. And then he said, “Look, you are bombing us! And we let you to live here, to you pray here!” Incredible! It might happen. Because of tourism, I’m tolerant you know.

Deborah: Tell me how being a tour guide makes you more tolerant.

Remzi: I get people from all over the world, so different ideas, different views, different expectations. And I respect them because they come all the way from Japan or Hong Kong or New Zealand or South America, United States. And they spend time, they spend money and I feel the responsibility for this. So I try to have the best and some might be tired and so. I used to be a part-time English teacher. I also know students, the experience of all these and I always try to feel them and understand their feelings. And usually, I had no problems, usually all love my hospitality and my passion and paying attention to them.

An Ever-growing Passion for History and Geography/13:28

Deborah: Your tours are so in-depth because of your knowledge of history. You said when you were in grammar school you started to get interested in history. You want to say a little bit more about that?

Remzi: I was interested with the geography and history and, I feel myself a kind of passion for it. I love learning about new countries and their resources, their people, their lifestyle, and also I adore human civilizations and their history. And even today I like watching movies based on true stories. I don’t like Star Wars that kind of things. I remember in my village, people used to dig historical sites to discover things. I was curious what kind of things they will find, like rings, and from the Hittites or Greeks and Romans. I love it. I was number one in my class in elementary/middle school in English and history and geography.

Deborah: That’s great. Did you ever go on an archeological dig?

Remzi: Yes, I have many archeologist friends. I also do interpreting, translating for them voluntarily. And they invite me digging. And I also try. You need more passion for it to work with the brush. Imagine whole area slow like you cannot hurt the item. You never know what you encounter. To one American guy I said, “You can try.” He left the brush, and grabbed the shovel. He started digging. I said, “Stop stop! Because this is not like that. There might be a very valuable jar in there you can break you know.” He has no idea about it. So I had the experience sometimes with my guests also I want them to see and especially I used to take GI’s and John McDonald, my friend, those because they were permanent in Turkey sites working together and they loved it. Also the underground sheltering cave dwellings not only regular sites. We had many excavations together.

Deborah: Great. And have you started your tour business in the States—having Turkish people, and showing them some of the historical sites around Boston?

Remzi: No, because I couldn’t come to Turkey last year and I came here two months ago and now my daughter and my son they say, “Dad, you worked since you were born, so we will take care of you. You don’t need to work. You take care of my mom.” So I take care of their mom. And I do some guiding in Istanbul because I cannot stay at home. I have to have some actions, so part-time, I still do guiding. And it is great to be back to those places to visit. Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Topkapi palace. And those sites—the Egyptian obelisk from 1500 BC. Things are all here, you know, and Hagia Sophia, the greatest Christian Church from the sixth century and the items in the museums. So I cannot forget them. I have to see them.

Deborah: How do the people find you now? People that you are taking on guided tours now—are they personal friends or how do they find you?

Remzi: After two years there is a kind of platform I put my name and they recognize me right away. They remember my name and those travel agencies and friends call me all the time. They say, “Are you available tomorrow?” I have another call from a friend today, some travel agents and friends, you know, and so I will have another tour tomorrow.

Second Generation Tour Guide/17:15

Deborah: Are you booked most of the summer when you’re there? Is your son doing a tour guide business as well?

Remzi: Yes. He speaks Portuguese, Spanish, English. He guides in three languages. He’s booked every day. Sometimes he’s too tired. So today he got a day off. But I’ve been working last four weeks because my kids don’t want me to work. They said, “Enjoy!” So we were traveling, my wife and I were traveling lower Turkey. And so we are back to Istanbul. So last four weeks I’ve been working and soon my daughter from Boston will be here a month later. Then we will go another Turkey tour together with her. She wants to see the sites and places. She missed Turkey, too.

Advice/18:01

Deborah: Is there anything else that you’d like to share from your experiences as an immigrant starting your life in the United States, maybe some advice that you would give to somebody?

Remzi: I would say America is a very nice country, beautiful country, all kinds of opportunities for studying, working, and no discrimination. We have no experience with discrimination in the States. I have never seen somebody— only my praying after 9/11. So people are very friendly as long as you are good. And it is easy to attend classes. There are all kinds of opportunities for work, profession, whatever you want. So when I am back, I would like to study Spanish. My son encourages me. I want to attend Spanish classes. He says, “Why not? Second language English is enough.” All professions, whatever you want to and all kinds of so I will recommend them, “Don’t be lazy or don’t be shy. Just try to attend any classes for professions and they will have good jobs. And then you will not be unemployed and you will not be helpless.” For example, in Turkey people don’t have that much opportunity because of high inflation or high unemployment. And they cannot have classes like in the United States free of charge. So in the United States, whatever you want, you can get it. If you are willing, don’t worry. Just wish it and desire it.

Deborah:Desire it and you can make it happen here.

Remzi: Definitely. Yes. In Turkey, many things you cannot have. Because no opportunities, no options.

Citizenship/19:58

Deborah: What about citizenship? Have you thought about becoming a naturalized citizen in the United States?

Remzi: Yes. Finally, my wife and I decided to take the classes when we are back. We’ll also take online classes and I would like to take the test. I’ve been studying history by myself and I love it, you know. I like all the history, all kinds of human history. And I’ll apply for it. And then I’ll take the test.

Deborah: Will you be able to have dual citizenship, two passports?

Remzi: Right. Turkey and the U.S. have an agreement for it. So I will have two passports, dual citizenship.

Deborah: Great. So the idea of being a tour guide in the States has been tabled for now. Your children are encouraging you to be semi-retired. Is that what’s going on?

Remzi: That’s what they want.

Deborah: You’re going to limit your tour guide business to when you’re in Turkey.

Remzi: Right. They want me to take care of their mom. They don’t want me to do anything else. They say, “Enjoy your life. Just for fun. Do it for fun.” So they don’t want me to work in the U.S. either. They buy our flight tickets. They don’t let us spend money in the States either.

Future Travel/21:16

Deborah: You have very devoted children, that’s for sure. I would hope someday to be one of the people that comes to Turkey and gets shown around to these historic sites by you. I think your depth of knowledge is so great for the area. Is there someplace else in the world that you want to travel that you haven’t seen yet?

Remzi: Yes. I love traveling. I traveled a lot in the States. All my American guests invited me to visit. Saw the most places in the States, even taking by Greyhound. Travel by bus all over. Flight I did. But I want to see the land. I want to see the people. And now I would like to see South America, Asia, and we might go to Egypt when my daughter comes next month. In Europe, I have been to Lithuania two weeks, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands, but I want to see more in Europe too.

Practicing English/22:20

Deborah: That’s great. How long have you been taking English classes?

Remzi: Several classes with Boston libraries, the libraries have classes, you know. And actually I started substituting for some of the teachers when they were busy, and I helped them as assistant also in some libraries.

Deborah: You helped run some of the conversation classes at the libraries?

Remzi: Yes.

Deborah: That’s great. Okay. Anything else you’d like to say about your immigrant experience or your adjustment to the language, to the food around the United States? How has that been?

Remzi: I am very happy educating my children there. And that was my dream rather than myself. My dream is to improve my children’s horizons. Despite all my relatives were against me. Even before my father died he told me, “Bring those children back to Turkey! Bring them, don’t leave them!” Of course, he couldn’t figure out how happy they were in the States would not know it, you know? So my dream happened. Both of my daughters have good jobs and they are very happy living there. And my son enjoyed studying in the States and taking computer science there. He’s been waitng for his green card for 14 years. Next maybe he will move somewhere there. And so we will have family reunion in the States. As a computer programmer here [Turkey], he doesn’t have much income. That’s why he is back to the tour guiding in summertime. Wintertime there’s no tourists and he does the computer business. So he will have a good opportunity there too. Working conditions, they’re much more comfortable, you know, enjoyable, even Boston area is cold and expensive, we don’t mind it because they have really good life there. Very happy there.

Family Fears Transform into Family Fandom/24:22

Deborah: You were saying that your relatives—other people had discouraged you from going to the United States and sending your children there? What did they say to you?

Remzi: As I told you, my father, my mother, my wife’s father, mother. My brothers, sisters, uncles, everybody told me, “Don’t send your daughter.” This was 1997. “America is very dangerous. Gangs, the drugs, you know, all those movies you can, you watch all them all problems in the, in the United States. You will lose your daughter. And then if you send the other one, you lose your children. Your generation in the United States don’t send.” Everybody was against, but they haven’t been to the never have been to the States. And they had no idea. Just movies, news. I told them not to worry about them because I’ve been to the States many times and I have many friends there.

Deborah: All these years later you’ve proved them wrong. Did they, say, “Oh, we were wrong and you were right”? Do they say that? Or did they still think you made a mistake?

Remzi: No, they say they are wrong and I am right. They see everything and they see how nice jobs my children have, have a nice life they have there. And they are happy and they have good income. But now my second daughter has her own condo and she has room for us. If she was here, she couldn’t make that much income. She wouldn’t have that a good life, comfortable life, you know, she would be ordinary people with little income and got married and then tough life. So my relatives, everybody knows, they say that well. They say, “Can you take our children? How can we send our children or neighbors?” It’s not easy. And they want their children to get educated there, but it’s not easy. Even as a student, it’s not like that now. It’s very hard to get a visa now.

Deborah: It’s harder to get a visa now?

Remzi: Because people from all over the world will like to move to the States and educate their children, make it better life, better lifestyle there.

Deborah: All right. Remzi, it’s been great talking to you. I loved having you in my class when we did the English for Immigrant Entrepreneurs class. That was great. I’ll catch up with you maybe in Brookline or maybe in Istanbul one of these days. Thank you so much.

Remzi: You’re welcome. I hope one day Obama or you, or some people will be my guest and I would like to share my language with them and show these places. It is an unbelievable country also in one summer. And nice to see again, Deborah.

Deborah: Thank you so much.

Wrapping Up/27:18

Not only does Remzi bring his guests to all the significant spots in Turkey—from caves to castles to mosques, but he also continues to explore the cultural heritage of his adopted country. Loving his ability to live in two different worlds, it’s clear that Remzi’s interaction with people from other countries and cultures has made him a great unifier. Over the years, all three of his children have been educated in the States. Remzi and his wife are eagerly studying for U.S. citizenship.