EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) - Moving into a new home is the start of a new chapter in life, but for Masooda and Mamid Qazi, it’s been a chapter a year in the making.
“One year ago, when the government collapsed in Afghanistan since we were working with the International organizations and the government entity, that was the reason we left Afghanistan on August,” Masooda Qazi said.
The couple met at a university, both became well-accomplished attorneys, and worked with the U.S. embassy in Kabul at one point in their respective careers.
“And my last job was public attorney or prosecutor with the counter-narcotics prosecution,” Hamid Qazi said
But, most importantly, they were raising two young boys.
With the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Qazi family received an email from the Acting U.S. Ambassador in Kabual there were flights to get out of the country.
“We went to the airport just with one backpack with a small amount of food,” Masooda Qazi said. “We just left behind everything. All stuff. We just locked the door and came to the airport.”
Eventually, they made their way to the Netherlands by way of Pakistan, waiting for the special immigration visas and green cards to be approved.
“They told there will be a transition; a short transition, from there to the United States. But unfortunately, that transition took almost 10 months,” Hamid Qazi said.
Those 10 months took a toll on the family. But this June, they finally made it to the U.S. — specifically in San Diego County in El Cajon.
After staying with family and getting plenty of support from local refugee support groups, the family is settling into their home in El Cajon.
“That finally in the U.S., we have our own home. We have our own apartment now. We can settle down and we can think about my kids’ future and also me and Masooda’s future,” Hamid Qazi said.
As this family begins to pen the new chapter, along with a new baby girl, one thing is for certain they’ll never give up.
“We have big dreams for my own self, for my kids, for our life. And so, we are optimistic for the life. And I’m sure will have a good life here as well and we’ll make it again,” Masooda Qazi said.
