May 9, 2008 Journal Entry

Susan lands in Iran

Just arrived in Tehran after a day's trip from Esfahan, where the internet connection at the hotel was 'destroyed.' The trip was to take 6 hours and we were to be here about noon--it is after 6:15 now. We stopped in a mountainous village town--Zoroastrian, I think. PACKED. Today is the day off from work--Friday--and people picnic and rest wherever they can find room, including on the pavement and narrow strips of grass along the highway.

We stopped at a nice rest stop for a bit. While we tried to figure out the queuing system in the WC, a woman took me by the arm and said, "Come," and led me to a western toilet, a treat after a day on the road. We receive continual stares and kindness, amazement when people hear we are from the United States. Yesterday we bought pistachios from a store. The owner first gave us amazing cookies and wanted to take photos with us--then gave us his address so we could send the photos back to him. Since pistachios are grown here, they are in candy and ice cream, and are quite fresh and enjoyable.

Plans continually change, times are loose and often hours different than expected and we don't know why. Is this the way of life in Iran or deliberate delaying on the part of our government contact, since we hope to meet many people and perhaps even dissidents?