Stepping Out

Into Forbidden Territory

I have to admit, the thought of traveling to Iran made me a little nervous. After all, Iran is the enemy, right? In preparation for all this, there may even have been a conversation about what to do if the Iranian authorities arrested me! (In hindsight, I was being over the top)

It turns out, I found more passion and kindness in the average Iranian than I’ve experienced in the average American. Unfortunately, everyone does not have the ability to experience the warmth and richness of Iran, so I would like to share my experiences with you. I hope we all have the opportunity to travel to Iran in the future.

Touch Down

We landed in Tehran, Iran, around 10 pm local time, and the sky looked empty and black. We gathered our things, and Bahar checked her scarf before stepping out. As soon as we stepped onto the jetway, there was a group of men holding a sign whose only English words read “Joseph Carroll.” My heart sunk. But then I suddenly remembered we purchased CIP (commercially important person) for our arrival.

The CIP program allows you to skip the hassle of collecting and clearing your luggage through customs. The airport staff will manage all of that for you while you wait in a private lounge with food and drink. So my heart lightened, and I smiled; I waved at the men, and they ushered me forward.

We walked down a set of stairs onto the tarmac and hopped into a bus bound for the CIP lounge. We had made it, and I started to feel more relaxed.

I would soon learn that pictures of the Supreme Leader (Ali Khamenei) and the leader of the revolution (Ruhollah Khomeini) would be on every street corner and park. However, I did not know this as we walked into CIP, and I thought they were there to welcome me.

Family

Bahar and I had been together for around 3.5 years, and as this was my first trip to Iran, I had never met any of her immediate family. A few months earlier, I met Bahar’s wonderful niece, but that was only because she had moved to Canada to study at the University of Ottawa.

My heart was filled with excitement (and a little nerves) to finally meet her family and spend the next two weeks with them. I handed my passport to the customs agent, and, with little excitement, he said “go” and motioned me forward into the lounge.

Bahar and I rounded the corner, and there they were, mom, dad, Arezou (oldest sister), and Morteza (Arezou’s husband). Once through the last metal detector, I got a big long hug from Bahar’s mom, and I was able to say hello to Bahar’s dad.

Note: The bouquet I am holding is the most elaborate ‘store-bought’ bouquet I have ever seen. Certainly wedding bouquets, but this was purchased off the shelf and was not a custom order. It serves as one of many examples of how Iranians inject beauty into everything they do.

As we waited for our bags and passports to be returned, we sat around a small table with tea, fruits, and some small sweets. This was the first in what seemed like an endless stream of fruit trays offered during my time in Iran. (Something I wish was more common in the US)

After about 20 minutes of waiting, I was cleared for entry!

We stepped out of the lounge and back into the night sky, where the cars and our bags waited. I was officially in Iran.

In the Flesh

It took around 45 minutes to reach home from the airport. And before we could even get settled, there was an offering of more food and tea because, of course we were famished from our 45-minute journey. (Although, I do enjoy noon paneer sabzi and often make it back in the US as it is light and nourishing)

After some light food and getting our bags situated, I began to take in my surroundings and noticed something familiar. Like me, Bahar’s parents had never met me before, so they only knew of me through WhatsApp calls and the few pictures Bahar would share. In the corner, I saw our most recent Christmas photo, and I could feel the excitement Bahar’s parents had to finally meet me.