Iran is a country in the Middle East full of culture. From the language to architecture to the bustling cities, the country has many of its own unique aspects. Lately, however, conflict between the citizens and the government has caused many people to worry for their safety and even make the difficult decision to move from their home country.
In the recent months, Iran has experienced lots of turmoil as protests spread against the country. Citizens and especially the younger generation are seeking to reform the government, fix the economy and gain rights. Unfortunately many lives have been lost when protests ended with violence. To learn more about the current situation visit NBC, CNN, and AP News.
“It started initially because of the economy,” Y.S. said. “There were a few hardships and prices were just through the roof, so people started protesting.”
The economic situation is still an issue that Iranians are currently facing. Food and gas prices remain high, and many elderly citizens in particular wait until a safer time of day to leave their houses to buy groceries. These concerns affect Persians here at Emerson High School as they watch family and friends in Iran being impacted.
“It’s a tough time [for my grandparents] not being able to access the resources to get through their daily needs and activities,” Y.S. said.
This situation is difficult for both those currently living in the country as well as Persians elsewhere who have family and friends back in Iran. Throughout the turmoil, many families worry for those back in Iran, and try to stay in touch the best they can despite internet blackouts.
“I feel helpless because I can’t really do much…[except] try to raise awareness as much as possible,” Y.S. said.
For those who have made the decision to move away from Iran, whether due to safety concerns or other reasons, adapting to a new country with a different culture and set of laws can be a challenge.
“I went to elementary school in Iran, and…at the school I attended, I never had any boy classmates,” S.M. said.
In addition to having separate schools for different genders, school for S.M. took place in an apartment building and girls were required to wear a scarf, something that the people of Iran are still seeking to change.
“As a girl, I always wanted to do my hair and go out, and that was not really possible,” S.M. said.
Upon moving out of Iran, S.M. looked forward to getting the chance to wear her hair down, however, despite her excitement, there are many things she and many others who have moved miss about Iran and its beautiful culture.
“Our language is honestly very poetic and beautiful,” S.M. said. “ If you’re sitting with your back to someone, you tell them, ‘I’m sorry, my back is to you,’ and they say, ‘it’s okay, a flower doesn’t have a front and a back.’”
As well as adjusting to the language differences, food in the United States is very different. Persians eat many rice dishes and stews that contain ingredients that may be difficult to find at local grocery stores in America. Furthermore, social gatherings in Iran also have their differences.
“In our culture, we’re very family oriented, and we all love to get together,” N.S. said. “There’s always a lot of parties.”
Along with its closely-knit communities, Iran is home to cities such as Isfahan with lots of old architecture. These values combined with the beautiful architecture, gives these places a unique feel.
“I love the crowd of people,” Y.S. said. “[Tehran is] very busy, but people shop for fruits in the street or are reading books on the sidewalk.”
Though Iran is currently in a state of conflict, there is still so much to appreciate about the country and its culture.
“Three summers ago, I got really fascinated with Iranian culture, and I just fell in love with it again,” N.S. said. “I’m really proud to be able to call that country my home.”
