There are a lot of cats in Iran. They’re just on the street, lounging about, doing what cats do.
That wasn’t exactly the key takeaway of GYP’s Iranian intercultural seminar, but it certainly was an interesting fact that you wouldn’t find in any textbook. Like this, there were many other insights into Iranian culture that only a person who experienced and lived it could tell you.
Global Youth Philanthropy has been hosting intercultural seminars for a couple of years now, exploring the traditions of countries all around the world to promote mutual understanding and collaboration. This July, we listened to Melika Mostafavi, a member of GYP and a rising junior at Boston Latin School in Massachusetts. She was born in Tehran, Iran, and is currently spending the summer there. While in Iran, she logged into the meeting and gave a detailed and engaging presentation.
Melika first told the story of how Iran became the country it is today, starting from the Achaemenid Empire to the Pahlavi Era, which ended in 1979. Although Iran’s history is long and varied, Melika condensed it down to the highlights of each of the ages while preserving all the interesting details.
Melika then spoke about historical sites. However, she provided her own unique spin on it, including pictures that she herself had taken. Melika’s been to the Kakhe Saadbad museums, including the former residence of Reza Shah, as well as the Takhte Jamshid—the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid empire and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Isfahan Bazaar
For those who are looking to visit the country, she’s also got experience with all the popular tourist sites. She’s been to the Borje Milad: the famous Milad tower in Iran and the first telecommunication tower. In addition, she recommends visiting the Parke Ab-o Atash, a beautiful park with water fountains, towers producing fire, and the Pole Tabiat—the largest pedestrian bridge in Tehran.
Of course, a crucial aspect of any country’s culture is its food. Melika shares her favorite Iranian dishes, including Ashe Reshteh—a type of noodle soup—and Fesenjan—pomegranate paste on meat, often served on rice with walnuts as a garnish. Shirin Polo, also called wedding rice, is a sweet rice dish known for its versatility in its ingredients. But aside from dishes, Melika shares a unique insight into Iranian cuisine by demonstrating the difference in available ingredients. For instance, Iranian cuisine often uses rosebuds or rosewater, something uncommon in the US.
And, of course, after spending her entire summer in Iran, Melika shares what she found to be the most prominent cultural differences. Weekends are on Thursday and Friday, as opposed to Saturday and Sunday; traffic lights have timers to show how much longer you need to wait; most malls are outside. A hallmark of Persian culture is the bazaar, an area filled with stores and shops, often family-owned small businesses. And, of course, who can forget the cats? Melika theorizes that these cats were allowed to prosper because an Islamic prophet once preferred them.
Sure, you can learn about culture from a history textbook or a Wikipedia page, but it is only through listening to the experiences of an individual that can you get the full story of day-to-day life.
Sweet rice
[ Reported by Caroline Song in Boston]
