فارسی Farsi |
About a year or so into our relationship, Mohammad left for 4 weeks for the first of many trips he'd be taking back to Iran. He was able to spend up to 3 months at a time once per calendar year in his native country.
About a year or so into our relationship, Mohammad left for 4 weeks for the first of many trips he'd be taking back to Iran. He was able to spend up to 3 months at a time once per calendar year in his native country.
Those trips were brutal. 12 hour time difference, calling card screw-ups (no Facetime existed yet), bad (or none at all!) Skype connections all proved to be difficult in trying to communicate long distance and just hear a familiar voice.
As hard as those times apart were for the two of us, Mo wasn't leaving me to go sip a pina colada on the beach somewhere.
He was going back to maintain the great relationship he had with his loving grandparents and take care of them + spend time with them.
It was during those times his grandparents learned about me, was able to talk to me, see pictures and just connect. It was those trips that helped establish the connection I have with his grandparents.
And, it was during those times they'd say "Bia Isfahan!" (come to Isfahan). My response was always "En Shallah" (God Willing or hopefully). Because of those trips I started to call his grandparents on my own just to say the 1-2 minutes worth of Farsi I knew. If you would've heard our convos you would've thought we would've physically met.
En Shallah.
I knew I'd get there one day, I just didn't know when. En Shallah.
Unlike many people, it was never that I was afraid or nervous to travel to Iran. I knew through education, reading, research and through Mo's first hand experience + knowledge that I would be in good hands (will definitely write something later about how I felt like I had to justify the trip to some).
It was always just the timing and logistics that would get in the way.
For starters, it's not exactly easy to just take a 1 week trip across the world, you need at least two. Next, in order for me to be able to travel to Iran, I either needed to be married to Mohammad OR I would have to go through a tour company. While we we engaged by the time my interest in visiting peaked, we weren't legally married.
With a tour company, even though Mohammad's whole family lived in Isfahan, I would need to be accompanied by someone at all times from that tour company and be required to stay in a hotel.
I think this is a great idea for the majority of people if they are just going to see the country and don't have any ties there. But if you have family members, it wouldn't have been the best option for me.
So, the latter just wasn't an option. How could I go to my significant other's country while on a tour and not even get to interact and live daily life with his family?
So, we waited...
In February 2014, Mohammad returned from his probably 5th or 6th trip back to Iran. His grandfather, or aghajoon, wasn't doing the greatest. Mohammad spent 6 weeks caring for his aghajoon 24/7. I will always admire him for this. The next month, we were devastated when aghajoon passed away at 90 years young.
Our wedding was one month after his passing. After we became legally wed, I forced Mohammad to get all the paperwork done in order for me to be able to go to Iran. With this paperwork, I would receive not only an Iranian passport but also an Iranian birth certificate.
We had no set date in mind as to when we'd go but I wanted to have all the paperwork ready.
After some laziness, forgetfulness and just plain old life getting in the way, my Fedex envelope was ready to be shipped priority mail with tracking + extra insurance to Washington D.C.
About 6 weeks later I received my passport + birth certificate. I cried with joy. I felt so proud and honored.
Those trips were brutal. 12 hour time difference, calling card screw-ups (no Facetime existed yet), bad (or none at all!) Skype connections all proved to be difficult in trying to communicate long distance and just hear a familiar voice.
As hard as those times apart were for the two of us, Mo wasn't leaving me to go sip a pina colada on the beach somewhere.
He was going back to maintain the great relationship he had with his loving grandparents and take care of them + spend time with them.
It was during those times his grandparents learned about me, was able to talk to me, see pictures and just connect. It was those trips that helped establish the connection I have with his grandparents.
And, it was during those times they'd say "Bia Isfahan!" (come to Isfahan). My response was always "En Shallah" (God Willing or hopefully). Because of those trips I started to call his grandparents on my own just to say the 1-2 minutes worth of Farsi I knew. If you would've heard our convos you would've thought we would've physically met.
En Shallah.
I knew I'd get there one day, I just didn't know when. En Shallah.
Unlike many people, it was never that I was afraid or nervous to travel to Iran. I knew through education, reading, research and through Mo's first hand experience + knowledge that I would be in good hands (will definitely write something later about how I felt like I had to justify the trip to some).
It was always just the timing and logistics that would get in the way.
For starters, it's not exactly easy to just take a 1 week trip across the world, you need at least two. Next, in order for me to be able to travel to Iran, I either needed to be married to Mohammad OR I would have to go through a tour company. While we we engaged by the time my interest in visiting peaked, we weren't legally married.
With a tour company, even though Mohammad's whole family lived in Isfahan, I would need to be accompanied by someone at all times from that tour company and be required to stay in a hotel.
I think this is a great idea for the majority of people if they are just going to see the country and don't have any ties there. But if you have family members, it wouldn't have been the best option for me.
So, the latter just wasn't an option. How could I go to my significant other's country while on a tour and not even get to interact and live daily life with his family?
So, we waited...
In February 2014, Mohammad returned from his probably 5th or 6th trip back to Iran. His grandfather, or aghajoon, wasn't doing the greatest. Mohammad spent 6 weeks caring for his aghajoon 24/7. I will always admire him for this. The next month, we were devastated when aghajoon passed away at 90 years young.
Our wedding was one month after his passing. After we became legally wed, I forced Mohammad to get all the paperwork done in order for me to be able to go to Iran. With this paperwork, I would receive not only an Iranian passport but also an Iranian birth certificate.
We had no set date in mind as to when we'd go but I wanted to have all the paperwork ready.
After some laziness, forgetfulness and just plain old life getting in the way, my Fedex envelope was ready to be shipped priority mail with tracking + extra insurance to Washington D.C.
About 6 weeks later I received my passport + birth certificate. I cried with joy. I felt so proud and honored.