Welcome to Tehran

There is so much going on in Tehran. I have been in a slight culture shock since I got here. When you travel to diverse countries in the world, you experience a sense of confusion. I also know that I will be feeling this way when I go back to Chicago or the Caribbean. For me it takes 2-5 days to adjust.
Tehran is the biggest cosmopolitan city and the capital of Iran. Metro Tehran's population is over 13 million people and there are cars and people everywhere.  Many move from all over Iran to Tehran to find better opportunities. Tehran is the sophisticated city in Iran and the class difference is clear and big. You see people driving Porsches that cost 3-4 times more than in the U.S and there are children on the streets begging for money.

One thing that is amazing in Iran is the tasteful fruits. All fruits have certain sweet taste unique to themselves. Now is the season for melons, grapes, cherries, pears peaches, nectarines, berries, apricots,  plums, prunes, apples and so forth. Furthermore, there are different kind of each fruit, like watermelons, honey melons, musk melons(Kharbozeh), cantaloupes and others. In addition, the Kharbozeh from Mashhad tastes different than the ones from Isfahan. We eat fruits like snacks in Iran. There is definitely something unique about the soil in this part of the planet.

Persian culture is ancient, it has been around for few thousands of years. It also has changed throughout history, there has been lots of influence from external forces that has been affecting and changing it. One thing that Persians are holding tight to is their poetry. We are very proud of our poetry and it is a corner stone of our culture. Poets like Hafez, Rumi, Omar Khayyam, Sadi, Ferdosi, and others have a significant meaning in Iran. You find Rumi's and Hafez's books in almost any Iranian household. Their poems are framed on walls and part of everyday expressions. We actually have a divan of Hafez on Earthling.
I just opened a random page in the Robaiyat of Khayyam and it says:

"With them the seed of wisdom did I sow,
and with my own hand labored it to grow,
and this was all the harvest that I reaped,
I came like water, and like wind I go"

Love from Tehran