A conversation with Wahid Amani, a cook, physical trainer, and army veteran from Afghanistan  

Wahid Amani studied physical education in Kabul and joined the military in 2012, working closely with U.S. and NATO allies and building up a sports program for the Afghan army. When the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, Wahid and his brother and cousin, both Afghan Air Force pilots, had to evacuate with other military personnel who became targets for the Taliban.  

Their journey brought them to Boise, Idaho, where Wahid now works as a cook at St. Luke’s Health System and Zullee Mediterranean Grill. He dreams of opening his own Afghan restaurant someday and helping people as a physical trainer. 

When Wahid arrived in the U.S., he saw a woman in the airport holding up a sign that read, “Welcome to your country.” That small gesture made all the difference  

“When you lost your country, lost your family, lost your friends, everything -- you got so far and you come in a new country, and somebody accepts you. Somebody says, welcome to your country. … From the first day I'm feeling it’s my home, it’s my new home,” Wahid said. “It’s my second country.”