Travelling to a country that is arguably the nemesis of the United States with laws based on a religion that is completely opposite of 'American' does not get too many reactions such as 'awesome' 'wow' 'jealous' or 'that's my next trip.' The one question that every one has asked is "Why Iran?"Why not Iran? Iran has one of the longest continuous civilizations and a complex culture resulting from it's ancient history, traditions and external influences including Islam. The Iranian culture has also influenced other cultures far and wide. Random example, paisley a common pattern pretty much seen in any country, has Iranian origins which is said to represent the cypress tree.
A friend once said: Travel Broadens the Mind. Some trips are meant to be relaxing, some are wild & crazy, some are meant to bring you closer to nature, others help you find your purpose in life. This trip was to quench our curiosity. We learned about the history of Iran, the old traditions, the old and current religions, the different ruling dynasties and monarchs, the evolution of the Persian culture, how the past events lead up to the Iranian Revolution and most importantly what Iran is like in the present. Iran has always seemed elusive, mysterious and even ominous, but having been there we learned more about the people and of their kindness, hospitality and generosity which made the experience all the more memorable.
Disclaimer: Although our experience was positive, there are concerns when travelling to Iran as a US citizen and as a woman. There is also the obvious difference in the way men and women are treated and regarded. It did provide a unique experience and a different perspective, but in no way did I feel that I was in any danger.
Most common comments and questions:
Are you crazy, they hate Americans and women and infidels?
- Almost all the people we encountered threw their hands up in the air and said "Americans!!! Welcome!!!" when they found out we were travelling from the United States
- In all of our travels, we have never received more invites, more offers to pay for our meal/tea and more friendly conversations without hidden monetary agendas than in Iran
- The women have more fundamental rights for an Islamic nation in terms of dress, work, voting, driving, holding government positions, marrying and divorcing in the region.
- Other religions are allowed to freely practice in Iran, including Catholicism, Christianity, Zoroastrians and Judaism... just don't try to convert anyone to your religion... the plus side? there are no Mormons on bikes going door to door.
How do you get there?
- Obtaining a visa and travelling to Iran as a US Citizen is surprisingly easy as long as you are not a declared spy or journalist.
- When travelling, it is compulsory to be accompanied by a guide... not bad if you are lucky enough to have a travel companion as cool as ours...the foxcat lives on!
- Getting visas are pretty easy... easier to go through a travel agency for an approved itinerary that will be verified and checked by some government agency in Tehran.
- Once you get your visa numbers, you send your passport to the Iranian interest section of the Pakistan Embassy in D.C. to get the official visa in your passport. Very boring but very straight forward.
- There are no direct flights from the US to Iran, a commonly used route is Istanbul to Tehran. Some travel agencies offer a train ride vacation package on the silk road from Istanbul to Tehran... not going to lie sounds really cool
- Customs: non-eventful... unless you don't have visas then there really isn't a problem leaving and arriving in Tehran...at least for us..since we are neither spies nor journalists.
Other tidbits: - Money
- souvenirs and food are lower in cost
- cash only transactions - foreign debit/credit/atm cards will not work in Iran
- some carpet sellers will route their transactions through Dubai which allows you to use credit/debit to purchase carpet
- Laws
- no pork products... bacon, maple bacon donuts, thick crispy bacon for example.
- no alcohol - there are actually delicious non-alcoholic beers served in restaurants
- no photos of government buildings or government officials... if it looks sketch, don't take a photo and there are signs on all government buildings prohibiting photos.
- if it looks sketch but you are Danny and want a photo in an anti-US, anti-France & anti-Israel rally then feel free to take said photos... surprisingly no one will stop you
- do not bring anything in print that is pornographic in nature
- do not bring anything in print that is contradictory of the Islamic faith
- do not pass around fliers, books, magazines etc. trying to convert anyone to your religion
- internet is censored and monitored, websites that are blocked will pop up with a message from the government written in Farsi that I assume translates to "back the eff off, this website is not approved"
- social media is possible... illegally unless you are the Imam who has his own Twitter.
- Dress Code
- Women travelling in Iran must follow hijab... hijab means Islamic dress code. No you do not have to wear a burqa, no you do not have to wear a chador... Generally speaking arms and legs must be fully covered, nothing skin tight, and a scarf that covers your hair (which is the source of much societal controversy between the fashion conscious and religious followers). There is sooo much leeway, young Iranian women push the limits of how far back their scarf sits on their head... in a way it's a sense of defiance that one truly appreciates as an observer. Other ways that women push back is the use of make-up, colourful wardrobes, even plastic surgery...a nose job is seriously the new black dress. In observing the way women dress, you will be able to differentiate their political/religious stance. In my backpack... Jeggings, pea coat that went past my butt and sweaters/sweater dresses...oh and the scarf, with full make up and attempting to perfect the eyebrows.
- For men... as long as you don't wear shorts and a tank top you can pretty much wear whatever you want. A full beard is not required. Another small act of defiance is lacking a beard, it shows opposition to the current regime.
From what we observed, many Iranians really want Iran to move forward without the religious regime. This does not mean that they are atheists or not religious, but some believe that religion doesn't have a place in government. Some believe that Iran should have an Iranian identity, not one that is dictated by a theocratic government. They embrace the culture that evolved from the great ancient civilizations of the Achaemenid to now and embrace their long heritage even before the invasion of Islam. The government is strict. But mixing government and religion will definitely infringe on your civil liberties.
Some photos:
trying to sneak up on some camel
desert oasis...one of my favorites
some goats from the oasis
sporting / practice event...prayer push ups and chanting involved
favorites from Shiraz
.
