Family life…

THE transition to life in Montreal wasn't easy for the family. The children had to attend a French-language school even though they had studied at an English-language school in Dubai. Rona spoke French but had few social opportunities to use her linguistic skills. Mohammad and Tooba spoke virtually no English and no French. The children, as happens in many immigrant families, became the official interpreters.

Before they left Dubai, the family had also made a pact: no one was to date until they finished their education. When they were old enough, they could marry. In the meantime, no dating.

Hamed seemed to have no problem with this rule. He wanted to study business in college. As the oldest son, his path seemed clear: he would likely enter the family business of importing and exporting. By the age of 18, he was hopping planes on his own and heading to Dubai to meet up with his father. His command of English meant he would conduct the online sales. He was arranging for tradespeople to do work at the $2 million family-owned shopping plaza in Laval. Plus he had a driver's licence.

His older sister Zainab did none of these things. Her freedom was severely restricted and monitored. She never learned to drive and never had a driver's licence. But neither Zainab nor her younger sister Sahar subscribed to the family's monastic existence. They liked western fashion. They enjoyed socializing. They liked being in the company of boys and flirting and falling in and out of love, like most teens their age. These desires would result in serious repercussions for them and created ugly conflict within the household.