The Big, Brown Suitcase
A Woman's Journey to Freedom
by
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I lean over to the portable fence, letting go of Big Brown’s handle. A revolutionary guard who looks like he has an agenda walks by close enough. I grab onto his khaki jacket. He has a deadly and intimidating expression on his face. His furrowed, bushy eyebrows send a chill down my body. Touching men has been forbidden since the revolution, but I have no choice. This is my only chance to reach my dream. I find the courage to hang on to him. A shiver goes down my spine as I glance at his machine gun. “Sir, sir! I need to go inside the embassy!” I hold my passport and university admission up in front of him with the other hand, but he’s busy keeping the crowd away. “Please! I need to go inside the embassy! Look!” “Na!” he yells at me. “We got hostages in there.” “But I’ve got a university admission!” I yell again, pushing my university admission slip into his face. He swiftly detaches himself and, pushing his gun against my chest, uses it to shove me away. It feels like the tip of his gun has cut through my sternum. I bend forward in excruciating pain. But, undeterred, I rise again. “What does that mean?” I ask. I feel like a child learning a new word. “We’ve got them all as hostages in the devil’s house; no one can go inside. Understand?” His voice is deep, filled with venom. I understand what hostage means now. My jaw drops wide open as I finally understand that the Americans in the building are being kept there against their will. They are captives. I can’t imagine how someone could capture someone. It is scary. I am shaking from fear and fuming with anger at the same time because not only did I learn about the hostage crisis this way, but the chances of getting my visa stamped were close to nothing. The crowd around me is still chanting, “Down with the USA!” I linger around for a couple of hours, hoping in vain that something might change, but the crowd is getting thicker and thicker. My dream of freedom has washed away before my very eyes. Tears pour down my face as I realize my future looks bleak and my only chance to escape the regressive nation has been sabotaged. My eyes reflect the despair as my remaining will is crushed. I back away in sheer distress. A sense of numbness settles in as I stare back at the tall metal gates surrounding the US embassy. These gates now represent the demise of my hopes for freedom. I feel stuck, like a captive, wrists bound with a handcuff, feeling no less than a hostage.
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About the Book
Raised in a traditional Iranian family, eighteen-year-old Parvin Kolahdooz felt increasingly restricted after the 1979 Islamic revolution. She was trapped in a society where just a few strands of her hair showing from under her hijab could land her in jail, where her fatherlessness left her increasingly vulnerable to being given away in marriage, and where venturing alone put her at risk of sexual harassment or death. Left with no other choice, Parvin prepared to flee. In a candid retelling of her escape from an oppressive regime to gain freedom, Parvin leads others through her courageous journey as she purchased a big brown suitcase and made her first trip alone to apply for a US student visa where she was confronted, at gunpoint, during the hostage crisis at the American embassy. As she details the numerous social, political, and personal challenges that followed, Parvin reveals how she remained steadfast in her pursuit of freedom, confronted inner conflicts stemming from generational beliefs, and ultimately tapped into an inner strength that paved a clear path to freedom. The Big Brown Suitcase is the inspiring true story of a young Iranian woman’s escape from an oppressive regime to gain freedom, change her beliefs, and step into the life she desired.
About the Author
Parvin Kolahdooz is an Iranian-born Canadian memoirist, a certified integral master coach, and a lover of nature. She is dedicated to helping individuals unlock their full potential and navigate life’s transitions with grace and confidence. Her compassionate approach and unwavering commitment to personal growth make her a trusted mentor and guide for those seeking transformation and fulfillment in their lives. For more about Parvin’s work, visit www.innerpotentialcoaching.com.