The taxi poll
I've been in a lot of shared taxis lately: that means 5 passengers plus the drivers. Our conversations have been mostly mundane or non-existent. If you have a gregarious driver or gregarious passengers, shared taxis can be fun. If not, you have a quiet trip: you just sweat and, unless you are short and skinny, sit uncomfortably.
When K is with me, he always asks if anyone is voting. So far, only one person has said yes. One guy said, "Why should I vote? We already have a president. What difference would voting for a president make? It's just a title."
Last night, K and I were out waiting for a taxi to drive by to take us home. There were some young men working on their car: music blasting. A car pulled up. "Rafsanjani voters," K said pointing to the guys working on their car.
The driver who was young himself said, "Just wait. Three days after the election, they'll start cracking down and arresting people again."
2 comments:
TE, you've been in Iran for two years now. When you first went there, both you and K wrote like you couldn't wait to leave. Have you adjusted? Is Iran home to you now? Is your Persian fluent or comfortable? Do you and/or K still think/talk about leaving? Also, on a separate topic, have you met any Iranian Jews or heard anything about the Iranian Jewish community? Is it an issue to be Jewish there?
Wow, lots of questions...
1. Have I adjusted?
a: I am more adjusted than K. It is impossible to explain why I sometimes love it here, but I do. Perhaps my love is connected to the fact that sometimes I hate it here.
2. Is it home?
a: no. I am more American now than I have ever been. I have become the kind of American that my immigrant relatives were.
3. My Persian is comfortable. I can now overhear conversations without trying too hard.
4. Yes. We talk about leaving regularly.
5. Yes.
6. Yes. Where is it not an issue?
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