Firouzeh Bagchehsarai: From Hardships to Happiness

July 11, 2007
Emily Villanueva

Meaning “turquoise” in Persian, Firouzeh Bagchehsarai has a name that is as foreign and exotic as her many travel experiences. From California to Nevada, Florida to Hawaii, Firouzeh has passed through most of these United States. She has also visited Malaysia, Thailand, China, France, and England during frequent vacations with her family. Her parents immigrated from Hong Kong and Iran to attend college in the United States and succeed in a country so different from their own. It was difficult at first, with the Bagchehsarai family struggling to stay afloat financially. “When I was little, we were really poor. My dad was a really generous person though and gave money to his brother to support him, despite our situation,” she said. They eventually moved from Northridge to Encino to Woodranch, California, where her mother found a job that offered a secure income and stable lifestyle. They have resided there ever since, comfortably and contently, with their humble beginnings behind them.

Presently, Firouzeh attends Santa Susana High School and is involved in many extracurricular activities. Next year she will participate in Leadership as Junior Class President, and dance team. In fact, she has 10 years of dance experience behind her and is determined to continue dancing for as long as she can. Her favorite subjects in school are math and science, but she enjoys the creative aspects of writing. Her high school is relatively small, topping at about 1400 kids. It offers a sense of closeness and familiarity reminiscent in most of the relationships in her life, including her family. “I’m really close to my parents. My mom and I shop and travel together, and my dad and I watch sports together and even my brother and I are cool,” she said. Both of her parents are very adamant about teaching their children the right morals and values. Firouzeh is drawn to people with characteristics that she aspires to have, “like honesty and trustworthiness.” Anyone who is genuine and straightforward has her respect.

As for the future, it is an open book, full of possibilities and options she is willing to explore. She definitely wants to attend UCSD and live in Southern California, but is undecided about her career. She might dabble in journalism or politics or even open her own business. Whichever path she chooses though, her main priority in life is to be happy. “I don’t want to do something where I’d be making a lot of money but not enjoying it,” she said, “I’d like to make enough money to take care of my parents, but I just want to be happy in life.”