My life before Govanhill: Reza Ahdi
From the salt shores of Lake Urmia to the streets of Govanhill, one resident shares their journey across continents. Along the way, they discovered unexpected joys in Glasgow’s most diverse neighbourhood – from familiar flavours to lasting friendships.
Interview by Marzanna Antoniak | Photo by Zahra Karamizade
Where are your origins?
I was born on a hot summer day in 1994 in a city in Western Iran called Urmia. Big and densely populated, Urmia has the highest number of cars in the country. Different ethnic groups such as Turks, Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians and Jews live there, and I was able to find good friends amongst those different ethnicities. My city and province used to be called the “Gate of Europe” due to the proximity to the border with Turkey. For this reason Urmia attracted many travelers and truly prospered. One of the world's largest salt lakes, lake Urmia, lies to the east of the city, and instead of fish, you will find Artemia Salina, a creature that can live in saltwater.
What about your education?
The days of my childhood passed quickly and before I knew it I was at university studying architecture. After finishing my studies I moved to Germany. I found the country very beautiful, with a strong industry. It took me a year and a half to convert my academic qualifications in Germany. While I was waiting, I made sure to learn the difficult and complicated German language. Once I achieved B2 level in German, I was able to find a good job with the BMW company and enjoyed working there for a while.
How did you end up in Scotland?
It was due to the non-renewal of my visa in Germany. I was forced to emigrate again and ended up coming to the UK and settled in Glasgow. After ten months in Scotland, I went to London as I wanted to experience a life there. However, I quickly realised the prices for teeny-tiny rooms were sky-high and so I decided to return to bonnie Scotland and the friendly city of Glasgow.
Why Govanhill?
It was unintentional. It wasn’t easy to find accommodation in Glasgow in spring 2024, but I was able to rent a flat on Allison Street through a friend. Initially, I wasn’t sure whether I’d enjoy living here but contrary to the opinions I had heard of Govanhill, I think it’s one of the good areas in Glasgow. Both in terms of proximity to the city centre and in terms of the number and quality of amenities. I’ve enjoyed the positive and multicultural environment here. I appreciate the fact that I don't need to leave the neighbourhood each time I want to cook Iranian food because there are many shops locally that have the basic foods from the Middle East, such as pomegranate paste or canned vegetable puree. And I always enjoy buying organic fruits and coffee from Locavore.
Do you think you’ll stay here for good?
We will see… I’m currently considering a new job opportunity and it may take me away from Govanhill and even from Scotland. But even if I move away, I’ll always be happy to visit my good Glasgow friends!