Iran

Well I've been in Tehran now for about 2.5 weeks and things are going pretty well. I just realized the other day that in my two years off, I've spent 5.5 months in Iran...that's quite a bit of time. Tehran has started to attain that comfortable feeling of a home away from home for me. The streets have started to find a location in my brain and wandering around on my own or with taxis has gotten quite easy. Some of you might be thinking I'm a bit slow, but just to get a sense of the city, think New York big with the opposite of the lovely ny grid street system...the streets aren't exactly orderly here. Anyhoo, thankfully its easy to orient yourself here as it is often assisted by the slope of the hill. That said, Tehran is so spread out that I've probably really only become familiar with about a third of it (albeit the most interesting third;) One interesting improvement I've noticed since last year is the streets are much cleaner....I've been waking up to go to Park-e-Laleh early in the morning to run (the park is packed with people excercising early am...they even have this aerobics class that all these cute older people go to...and baba, just an fyi vali khodet hasti tuye un guru, vali daghighan nemidoonam aghe unjaham hasti baraye khoshgel factor ya na...schiad 10 sale dige;) Along the way the street cleaners are in full business, cleaning out the canals on the sides of the streets, using huge vacuums to clean the sidewalks and grooming the grass and plants in the park. It's quite a nice change, and very welcomed after India. I've seen some funny things along my walks. For one, there was a young boy in a car trying to turn right at a congested intersection....as he was trying to turn, people (and other cars turning left) were in the street making it difficult so all of a sudden he turned this sound like a police siren on, everyone moved out of the way and he easily turned, the siren went off and he went on his way. The kid next to me and I realized what he did and burst out laughing...it was pretty ingenious. There was also this amazing guy on the street demonstrating a veggie cutter which I watched for a good 10 minutes...in no time at all he cut all these veggies into really cool shapes and made little slinkies out of them. It was pretty sweet. I may have to get one one of these days. I also went to cafe naderi to get a yummy steak with creamy mushroom sauce and crispy fried potatoes...mmm, was so good. Met an armenian girl there who was quite nice. The cute older waiters working there (apparently ever since before the revolution) are entertaining and when I got the bill, he joked with me saying that the $15 on lunch was a common cost in the jomhuri-e-islami. But it is actually amazing that considering the vast differences in income, things like coffee and restaurants (except fastfood) are the same price as back home.

Walking around alone a lot lately I've started to have some interesting encounters with the other kind. It's never been creepy like in some of the other countries I've been to, thankfully. Usually the guys do it when no one else is around and then when they walk by you they say hello or some such thing (racy I know;) Two boys once asked me if I was waiting for them...and a group of suit-clad boys at a bus stop broke out singing for me as I walked by. was quite entertaining although I was a bit annoyed at the time. last year my cousin and I were trying to cross a big intersection and a car all of a sudden stopped for us...I was like woa, that's never happened before, I can't believe they actually stopped to let us walk across, and she informed me that that's what guys do to pick up random girls! hah! man I'm so naive. I've even managed to get some guys phone number of all things...happened in a handicraft shop of all places (persian handcrafts, unbiasedly of course, are hands down the most beautiful). started talking and when I was going to leave he was like my name's ali, come back, here's our card, oh wait, here's my cell number, the name's ali. lol, was pretty funny.

Met a nice anthropology professor and have been going to some of her classes and such with her lately. she told me about her experiences in mongolia and how she stayed for a few days out in the countryside with a tribe...they only ate meat and dairy products but had managed to make vodka out of yogurt! Pretty interesting to go to class and talk to the students. Some of the girls told me that they choose to wear a chador bc it tells boys that they aren't loose and such...they said that if you just wear a scarf and coat it shows that you have different beliefs and may be ok to flirting with boys and such. They said that if they went to the US, they wouldn't wear it and would just wear a scarf, because there it is the equivalent of a chador...was pretty interesting to talk to them about it. She brought me along to her yoga class at her friend's apartment which was cool to go to. mostly was meditation and was very relaxing...two hours of relaxation really helps you stay calm, which is particularly important in hectic Tehran.

Went yesterday to a friends presentation for finishing medical school...was cool to see although it was hard to understand most of it. An interesting tidbit I've noticed in Iran is the concept of the chai server...whatever school or company I go to, they have someone that comes around and gives tea and sweets to the workers everyonce in awhile. It's nice, although personally I like the distraction offered by getting up and grabbing your own coffee and chatting with a friend.

As familiar as I am with some parts of Persian culture, there are some things I don't think I'll ever be fully comfortable with, and there will always probably be things that I will learn about it. Persian culture is so complex, I don't think they even fully understand it. Something I'll never be comfortable with is seeing someone for the first time in awhile and having them immediately discuss whether you've become fatter or skinnier since the last time they saw you. They'll discuss this for awhile, kindly the entire time as if they're discussing the weather, and either way it's not bad. It's just...odd. I think coming from a culture where you generally steer clear of talking about your weight with others and then being in front of people that you don't know well and having them ask how many kilos you are, or discussing your weight in front of you is just uncomfortable. and no matter how much I try to tell myself that it's just their culture, it just comes off as extremely rude and awkward for me. I usually just shut my mouth and go into a zen mode until they get over it, but really inside I just want to be like, you know, it IS so good to see you again and how HAS your life been since I saw you last? but of course I don't.

another thing that's frustrating is ta'ruf. you know, I'm just not used to saying no the first 5 times and then saying yes. if someone asks me to do something and it sounds like fun, I just say yes. It's hard for me to realize that they usually just say stuff and expect you to say no. and they use such tactful language to show that they don't really mean what they say.....things like "if you don't have other plans" or "if you have permission to come" when they really mean that they are inviting you but not really inviting you bc if they truly wanted you to come they would be like "I'd be really happy if you came" or "we'd all really like to see you." I don't think they understand who they are talking to...to me, I take it all literally and if I don't have other plans and want to go, then I say yes. which I think I have unknowingly probably surprised many people and made them think I'm rude. I don't think they understand that 110% of my energy is going into trying to figure out what it is they've just said, and how I can say my response. I don't have the capability of deciphering hidden messages....nor perhaps most importantly, I don't have the mindset for thinking about hidden meanings. I'm a very straightforward person-I say what I mean and I mean what I say (for the most part) and I expect the same out of others. It's very hard for me to lie about things, and usually you can tell by my language because when caught between lying or saying something potentially rude or even slightly impolite, I usually defer to vague language like "yeah it's not bad" or in the case of rock climbing "I'd love to but unfortunately I have plans." ->that one's for you josh;) but usually, I don't even have a strong opinion and am good with going with the flow...as long as the flow is in a desirable direction;) anyhoo, it's tiring and I miss good old america;) I think it's important for people to live in other countries and experience different cultures because then you really get to see your own culture from a different angle and see what you like and don't like or at least get another view or be more understanding of others. (for example a somali girl in high school who had just came from somali once opened up to me and told me she hated the US...at the time, I took it as a personal affront and was a bit hurt-i mean, how could she not like my homeland??-but now I realize that it probably was exceedingly difficult for her to adjust to the new culture and surroundings, and plus, she was probably struggling with the right words to properly display her feelings and maybe she reached for one that wasn't quite right but the only one she thought of or knew at the time) language and words and gestures have so many connotations that we take for granted. I think in the last few years I've really realized the importance of communication and the affects it can have not only between individuals, but between countries. That's not to say I'm perfect at communicating...in fact, far from it. But it is amazing how much affect language can have and I for one need to try to concentrate more on it.

Last night I was at a friend's house and their young son asked me, "I'm not quite sure, are you Iranian or American?" The question took me a bit offguard and I wasn't sure how to answer it, especially in farsi;) at the time I basically answered it by saying the I am Iranian-American, and I still think that's basically true in some sense. I mean, I can speak some Farsi, know some about the culture and have pride for my origins. I like the sense of roots that it gives me...a sense of a history, an ancient culture, an artistically and intellectually rich culture. but upon further reflection, I think what I really am is American. and it's that fact that I am most proud of. I like being an individual, doing what I want, being responsible for my own actions and free to act on my own free will and not confined so strongly by a society. I like being able to voice my opinions and being surrounded by open-minded people (ok so obviously not all americans are, but I would venture more so than Iran...I mean, the more you are exposed to, the more open you tend to become and we certainly don't lack diversity in the us). I like having a more informal society where not so much effort is put into putting up a front. I like choosing my friends not by what they look like or wear or who their family is, but by their personality and goodness and heck, their interesting factor. Not that American culture is better than other cultures...just that it's this culture that I was brought up with, this culture that I understand and am comfortable in, and this culture I feel most like me. I think it's safe to say that a lot of americans have a second or third or fourth cultural influence. and for me, thats Iranian culture. but something I've realized is that I'm American first, with sprinkles of persian flavoring. and personally, I couldn't be more happy. ok enough sappiness...too bad it's not the fourth of july;) but really, I guess what I'm saying is I heart you america;0 I'm really thankful I was brought up in a country where the concept of freedom is for the most part, fully realized.

anyhoo, its chahar shambe suri here (just before persian new year, during which I'll be spending a lovely two weeks on kish, an island in the persian gulf;) traditionally people would jump over smal bonfires in the streets (apparently if they were sick it would heal them) but apparently in the recent past its taken a nasty turn where kids explode fireworks and such and has become exceedingly dangerous. lots of peole lose limbs or get burned from accidents. they showed a nasty show about it on tv last night and made me a little scared to step foot outside tonight...anyhoo, hope you all are enjoying some lovely spring weather!

Bombay, Mumbai, a bay;)

Ali and I successfully survived a 24 hour bus ride from Diu to Mumbai. and boy was it nice to be there. it was rather warm, but the dry warm that is tolerable as opposed to the insufferable humidity. Still technically winter, being February and all, and temps were already in the 30s. I'm so glad we weren't there in the summer! The bus ride wasn't all that bad and Ali and I were actually pleasantly surprised with how quick the time flew by. We had a sleeper, which basically means we had a little box all to ourselves where we could lay down and shut out the craziness that is India. Stayed at the Salvation Army's place for a whopping $4 a night, breakfast included. It's kitty corner from the taj hotel, where all the crazy stuff went down a few months ago. Didn't even phase my mind until we went out to grab drinks with a few Brit girls at Leopold's, the famous foreignor hangout, and saw bullet holes in the windows. Then it hit me, why the whole front side of the Taj was boarded up and blocked off. I know, don't say it, she's a quick one mr. grinch;) anyhoo, mumbai was awesome...I totally could live there for a period of time. There was the feeling of India, but then the comforting presence of the modern world that I'm used to. The first thing that hit us was how clean the streets were! and how little pollution there was for such a large city...we could finally maneuver the streets and sidewalks without having to avoid feces and crap of some kind or other. Lots of modern buildings, interspersed with ones from the Brits, and then adjacent to slums. Kinda a crazy background. Went to see Slumdog Millionaire again, and it was amazing for the second time again. It was so cool to see it in the city it was filmed, and brilliant to be able to recognize where the scenes were filmed. heck, we had just walked by most of them. Had some funny experiences with some street sellers...one guy tried to get us into his shop by claiming he was selling "museum pieces." hah. got some balloons from another guy who was walking around with a GINORMOUS balloon. I got giddy like a kid in a candy shop and got some. imagine all the fun you could have with a balloon the size of a small person. anyhoo, ali decided to get some the next day, and right after she bought them, this guy came up to us and informed us that they had sold us small balloons! duh, we totally should have figured given the size of the balloons in the bag. He demonstrated how far they could get blown up, a decidedly wimpy size compared to the others, not that size matters or anything, but anyways, he was trying to get us to pay more for the bigger balloons that he had. we figure they are probably all in it together and make money off of suckers like us. meh, it was fun.

as far as the food goes, Mumbai warrants a trip all on its own. man was it good. tried some of their faloodeh, although Iran's is much better. they put milk in theirs, and the noodles were like glassy spaghetti noodles, too thick for me. but the ice cream was good. had melt-in-the-mouth chicken kebabs, vegetable raita, vegetable fry and naan at the olympia cafe, a parsi restaurant that served delicious food...the whole meal along with fresh sweet lemon juice cost ali and I together a whopping $2! another day we went to another delicious parsi restaurant called Ideal Corner, where I had some brown rice flavored with lots of spices and some mutton curry sauce that was just like a persian khoresht but spiced up a bit with Indian spices. so yummy!

anyhoo, Bombay was awesome. flew to Iran via Qatar a few days ago, and now I'm nicely settled in Tehran. Thankfully it's cooler here...about 22c or so. it's good to be back. my aunt told me something funny today...she came home and told me I shouldn't eat the sausage/kilbasa anymore. Apparently the cops stopped some truck driver and checked out the back of the truck and found it filled from top to bottom with dead cats...upon inquiring as to what the cats were for, the driver said he was bringing them to the meat factory to make sausage!!!! yuuucckkk! I couldn't help it, I just burst out laughing one of those uncomfortable laughs as I racked my brain tried to count the number of times I actually ate the sausage. thankfully I never was much of a fan so it was probably limited to only a few times. well, at least the meat's halal here...;) man, I still can't believe it. that's so gross. maybe I'll be a vegetarian for life...after all, India showed me that it wasn't that bad...in fact, I really didn't miss meat that much. meh, hope you guys are enjoying your sausage;)