OVERLAND PARK, KAN -
The Hassan family is loving their new life in America, but to say that the past year has been a big transition for the Iraqi family would be an understatement. But as the nation approaches Independence Day, the Hassan's say they've never felt more free.
"We have plans to do like the Americans," said Ammar Hassan, who moved his family from Iraq a year ago. "Go see the fireworks, go where the celebration and enjoy it like the rest of Americans."
Ammar's young sons, Al-Hassan, 7, and Al-Hakam, 6, have just begun swimming lessons, a big cultural step for two kids who have never had the opportunity to swim before. So far, they say that they're not afraid of the water.
"It's not deep," said Al-Hakam. "It's three feet and six inches."
"We don't have this number of pools in Baghdad where we live," said Ammar. "Here its very clean, very organized, very nice for the boys and they can enjoy."
As his family celebrates their first Fourth of July, Ammar says that he watches nervously as American troops begin their withdrawal from his former home city of Baghdad.
"Actually I am worried," said Ammar. "I'm worried about my country, and I'm worried about my rest of the family there. I'm afraid of something bad happened, that's my concern."
The Hassan family has had to learn English, enroll their boys in school and adapt to a new culture. Ammar says that he is still looking for work - he says that he's great at math, is bilingual in Arabic and English and can fix just about anything. But he says that overall, his family's transition to America has been a successful one.
"(Al-Hassan and Al-Hakam) already passed from the first to the second grade and their skills are better now," said Ammar with a laugh. "They enjoy the life here very, very, very much."
"We have plans to do like the Americans," said Ammar Hassan, who moved his family from Iraq a year ago. "Go see the fireworks, go where the celebration and enjoy it like the rest of Americans."
Ammar's young sons, Al-Hassan, 7, and Al-Hakam, 6, have just begun swimming lessons, a big cultural step for two kids who have never had the opportunity to swim before. So far, they say that they're not afraid of the water.
"It's not deep," said Al-Hakam. "It's three feet and six inches."
"We don't have this number of pools in Baghdad where we live," said Ammar. "Here its very clean, very organized, very nice for the boys and they can enjoy."
As his family celebrates their first Fourth of July, Ammar says that he watches nervously as American troops begin their withdrawal from his former home city of Baghdad.
"Actually I am worried," said Ammar. "I'm worried about my country, and I'm worried about my rest of the family there. I'm afraid of something bad happened, that's my concern."
The Hassan family has had to learn English, enroll their boys in school and adapt to a new culture. Ammar says that he is still looking for work - he says that he's great at math, is bilingual in Arabic and English and can fix just about anything. But he says that overall, his family's transition to America has been a successful one.
"(Al-Hassan and Al-Hakam) already passed from the first to the second grade and their skills are better now," said Ammar with a laugh. "They enjoy the life here very, very, very much."
