Im glad you're getting your daily dosage of Persian culture, but I'll say, I don't necessarily agree with you about your comparison between access to other cultures in Pittsburgh and someone born in Iran. I think you have to take into account: wealth, good education, and access to information and travel. If that's the same in both countries, then it becomes the venue of the individual whether they are interested or not in other cultures enough to access it or not. If it's not, that makes an impact. Also, Pittsburgh is not perhaps the most cosmopolitan choice anyway.
I also hope you can expand your comments because you write about Persian culture and then say in the next sentence that someone could access other cultures. You are, however, talking about Persian culture and not demonstrating how Iranians can access other cultures or experience them. Could you give some examples? Perhaps you mean there are a wider variety of movies?
What do you mean by access? What I mean is actually the opportunity to live in a different culture for a while, rather than hear about it from limited perspectives. And of course, I understand it's a matter of personal interest, based on whatever we hear about the other cultures. That's exactly why I am glad I'm raised in Iran. :)
Also, coming back to what I mean by access as a chance of living, Iranians (many of my friends, as explicit examples) can study, work, etc. in many countries for a while but I don't hear many people knowing Iran enough to actually go there and live there.
I have now watched 8 parts of Children of Heaven, and, yes, it is heartbreaking. yes, I did buy the national geographic magazine. I am looking at Iran also from a historical perspective, with King Cyrus, the Biblical Queen Esther, and King Darius. i have read that there is actually a gravesite in Iran for Esther and her Uncle Mordechai, and there is still a large jewish population stemming from that time. Do you know anything about this? Have you read 'Persian Mirrors' by Elaine Sciolino? She is a journalist who covered the Islamic Revolution and afterwards. What are some good Persian recipes? I have tried mirza ghesemi and Persian rice cookies. i think i will buy pomegranate molasses and try some recipes with it. Have you read 'Prisoner of Tehran' by Maria Nemat? It is an incredible book. You can check her out if you google her there's a video on youtube.
Yes Cyrus and Darius are popular kings in Iran. Many people name their kids after them. I know that there's' an indirect mention of Cyrus in Koran as well. I don't know about Queen Esther. I bet we pronounce the name slightly differently and that prevents me from remembering it. And yes we do have a huge Jewish population. I had two Jewish classmates too, and when we study Islam in middle school, they studied Judaism. And many Israelites and Jewish Americans are actually Iranians too (who can speak Farsi), and have migrated to Israel and the US after Islamic revolution. Though, still many Jews have stayed in their country and we even have Jew neighborhoods in some cities. I have not read 'Persian Mirrors' or 'Prisoner of Tehran'. I might add them to my reading list. And for Persian recipes, you will love the dishes made with chicken and also eggplant. We usually use saffron and rosewater as spices. If you like I can post an entry and teach you one or two of our secret family recipes. I'm sure everyone will love it.
persian recipestrudy123August 12 2008, 02:47:04 UTC
Today I went to this wonderful market that has beautiful, cheap produce and many international foods. So I bought the pomegranate molasses and found a recipe that uses it along with chicken and walnuts. I would very much appreciate your pointing me to special recipes. When I google Persian recipes there are so many, it's mind boggling, so it would help to get any advice. I just have to force myself to stay away from the sweets! Last Friday I went downtown with my daughter to a neighborhood called Little Arabia' in Chicago. (I know Iranians are not Arab. But some of the desserts are similar.) Since I'm trying to lose 10 lbs, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Bt the food was so wonderful! My friend just finished 'Prisoner of Tehran' while she was on vacation, and she cried. That is really saying something, since she never cries. I am just dying to discuss it with someone from Iran. The meanings that I am taking from this book are so deep and beautiful.
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I also hope you can expand your comments because you write about Persian culture and then say in the next sentence that someone could access other cultures. You are, however, talking about Persian culture and not demonstrating how Iranians can access other cultures or experience them. Could you give some examples? Perhaps you mean there are a wider variety of movies?
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Also, coming back to what I mean by access as a chance of living, Iranians (many of my friends, as explicit examples) can study, work, etc. in many countries for a while but I don't hear many people knowing Iran enough to actually go there and live there.
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