Synopsis "Celayirs, Diary of an Immigrant Family (in English)"
This is the unusual and epic story of an ethnic Laz (of Eastern Black Sea) family of a medical doctor, his American-educated wife and three children from Turkey to the United States, of how a well-established radiologist with 20 years of experience living a jet set lifestyle in Turkey had to restart from scratch as a middle-age intern at a second rate hospital in New Jersey, the circumstances that prompted the rest of the family to migrate to Germany for 2 years to allow him to prepare for medical examinations in a language he barely spoke, how they finally reached middle-class status 5 years later, and how 12 years after their arrival, isolation and loneliness of American life exacerbated their homesickness so as to persuade them to build a summer villa at a resort in Istanbul, causing the family spent a small fortune traveling to and from Turkey every summer for 23 years, just to recapture the warm Turkish ambiance and friendships they yearned for . . . their trials, tribulations and alienation while assimilating to American life . . . and how they finally became Americanized, curiously not in the U.S.A. but in Tuzla, Istanbul in 1992, 34 years after their migration, when they finally and permanently departed from Turkey. The story is as captivating and romantic as Dr. Zhivago-here Cavit & Zekiye-with its stage unfolding from the eastern Black Sea coast of Turkey and Eastern Anatolia, to Germany, and to all over the USA. Our life and initial disaffection in the U.S.A. is delineated in Volume 1; Volume 2 gives a detailed description of our history, background and lifestyle in Turkey, so as to offer a focussed impression of the contrasts we faced upon arrival in America, and the variety of hurdles we had to overcome to make sense of our lives. Volume 3 digresses attention to our intimate relationships in U.S.A., as a way of focusing on how our modified personalities coalesced with native Americans and American lifestyle. Along the way, I offer a sensible and coherent discussion of religion and how we became a spellbound audience to the way (the very advanced) America practiced religion. My 8-year intense bond with my "Christian Delight" Sharon is worthy of a fine movie say by Ned Benson. The 68 pages of photos in 4 photo albums between the volumes-in addition to the historical photos embedded into the text of Volume 2--add faces and places to the many names who have crossed our paths and provide glimpses to our ultimately very blessed lives despite enormous obstacles and inner conflicts. The Celayirs who have hence been born in this country are now the ones who will continue to enrich and be enriched by this wonderful country with its inherent problems.
