DEPARTED FROM
Karachi, Pakistan
ARRIVED IN
Chicago, Illinois
YEAR
1978
AGE
8
NOW LIVES IN
Chicago, Illinois
TRANSCRIPT
What is your name?
My full name is Al-Murad Gillani. And usually my friends just call me Al.
When did you come to the United States?
In 1978.
Where were you coming from?
Karachi, Pakistan. That's where I was born. I was basically eight years old when I got here.
Now we're going to talk about the few days, starting off with the first day here in America. If you could please share anything that you remember, anything that you saw, anything significant that stood out to you, or any feelings that you were experiencing at the moment?
Well, the first day, for example, just like anyone else who comes to any country around the world, it's very exciting when you're young. That was my first flight in the plane. So that was already exciting, as is landing at the airport, coming out. In Karachi, we don't have snow and up here it was my first snow. And it was cold. But of course, I was so excited. I didn't feel cold at all.
Do you remember what month you arrived?
I believe it was somewhere around December, about, around Christmas time, I would say, you know, either 20th or 26th or something.
Did you already have any family here in the United States before coming?
My dad was here, my eldest brother and a couple of my relatives. They were here before us.
Anything significant that you should know apart from that first day? Any experiences that you would like to share with us?
[Brief pause] Well, the first day was a little too much. I remember going to McDonald's. That was our first treat when we landed and when we got picked up by my brother and my cousins, they came to pick us up. We went to McDonald's and I couldn't eat anything because everything was so different. The flavor was different. The food was different. So basically all I did was eat some fries and that's pretty much it and eat, yeah, that's pretty much all I did.
