Landed

We've been in Iran for 5 days now. We finally got the internet hooked up yesterday (an ordeal in itself), which has helped the kids and I feel a lot more in control of our environment by being able to connect with others and with the part of the English speaking we've lived with our entire lives.

It has been a surreal culture shock. I had a panic attack the first night. Everyday since I've had that "I want to go back" feeling. Sometimes it feels like I'm stranded on an unknown island with no way off. Still, I have positive moments too. I'm glad we're finally here, that nervousness I had back in America about "moving to Iran" soon has obviously disappeared and there's a sense of relief in knowing we've arrived, we've landed.

The flight from DFW to DUBAI had many, many, many people on it, especially Indian people. I've never seen so many lovely Indian grandmothers in saris waiting to board while sitting in wheelchairs. The 15 hour flight on EMIRATES was enjoyable with plenty of on-screen entertainment and decent enough food and service.

The Dubai airport was quiet and fancy, with shiny GUCCI, CHANEL, and HERMES retail stores. The food there was halal. The McDONALD'S there gave out packaged bananas with every combo meal. We lounged at the airport for 6 hours.

The kids had not slept at all up until then.

Walking with all of our carry ons and backpacks was difficult, as was getting on the plane with all that baggage. We boarded the plane to Tehran. The kids finally got knocked out into a deep sleep then but we had to wake them up when we landed.

At this point we were exhausted and I was suddenly shocked and afraid at the reality that we were now "home" in a land in which I could not understand or speak the language. There was a huge crowd of people waiting to get through the Visa sections. No one cared two flying figs that we were weighed down by all of our luggage and had 3 children, two of which were loudly melting down. We were shuffled from this line to the next back and forth until we were the last group to get through the line.

Then my husband had to find and load all of the 5 suitcases and 5 boxes that arrived in the baggage claim on his own (his friend couldn't make it to help). We got outside to wait for the truck that would load our luggage and drive it an hour towards our apartment in Pardisan. We waited an hour for that truck to arrive. Then we had to wait for the "taxi" that would take us there. The drivers of the truck and the "taxi" were friends of a friend (like that scene from Spongebob, "I knew this guy") so it was difficult to know when they would arrive since they were not professionals.

It was very difficult to stand there waiting so long while my son sobbed from exhaustion all while there were professional taxi drivers asking if we needed a ride. But we were trying to save on cab-fare and already committed to having the help of these friends of friends so we waited. Finally me and my kids got in the "taxi" of the guy (it was just his own car). My husband did not get in immediately and I was terrified that this guy would just take off without my husband. These guys only speak Farsi of course.

Then the hour long drive there was harrowing. No seat belts in the car. The guy driving so fast. The dark of night. The guy speaking Farsi loudly on his phone. The guy pulling over on the side of the road a few times because his friend the truck driver was behind or ahead or lost. The drive seeming to last forever.

The guy gave us some fruit. I took it as if it might be the only thing we would eat in who knows when. We arrived at our complex, still shellshocked. It was nice to be indoors in our own place. Then the next phase of adjustment had to begin.

I had taken photographs and video of every leg of the journey. Unfortunately, most of my footage was deleted when trying to adjust my iPhone here (something about a new SIM card, unlocking my phone, and a hot spot). I definitely love technology but have no idea how it all works.

I was able to make this short and silly video of the first part of our flight.

Stay tuned for more details about our journey...

No Visa, No Problem.

Actually, it's a big problem.

Our Iranian visas had not arrived and we were set to leave in 2 days. Once we heard that they were confirmed in Iran, we still had to get the confirmation codes sent to the Iranian Embassy in Washington, D.C. to get the final clearance. We had to consider if we wanted to risk waiting for them on the day of our flight, biting our nails with stress, or go ahead and reschedule our flights for a later day, paying a hefty fee to do so.

Then my husband came up with another idea. He bought a ticket to Washington, D.C. for the day before our flight. He went directly to the Iranian visa office there (he had called ahead to tell them he would be there) and got the relevant info and clearance. While he was there he discovered that his own Iranian Visa, which he thought had previously been completely cleared, had not been, so it was a very good thing that he'd gone ahead and flown out there directly! He arrived back in Texas the night before our flight.

Stress.

We had packed 5 large suitcases, 5 carry ons, 5 backpacks, and 5 large boxes. Believe it or not, we still had many belongings that we had to leave behind. I really wanted the kids to be able to take whatever special items such as their toys and books which they liked. These children have had to move a lot and give up a lot of stability, so I wanted them to have personal items that give them comfort.

I mentally prepared for the long flights ahead. Of course my main worry was that the kids would be bored and get restless during the 15+ hours of the first part. Also worrying was their potential exhaustion in the next 10 hours until we arrived in Pardisan. And then of course, I was nervous about the shock of being in a new place and country, establishing a new routine.

To be continued...

InshaaAllah
Alhamdulillah

Where in the World?

I enjoy knowing my place in the world. It's fascinating to think about where I will be situated in the world when I settle in Iran. I'll be "near" the Caspian Sea. Near the holy city of Qom. Near Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan! It's a far cry from where I've lived most of my life in Texas, Florida & California. And though the trip there will be long and challenging, I find it exciting that I'll be over 30,000 ft in the air, flying over the Atlantic Ocean, Greenland, passing Iceland and parts of Europe into the Middle East.

Our intended flight path. First from Dallas to Dubai.

Then from Dubai to Tehran, Iran

Dallas to Tehran, across the world!

All the places I've lived...

Oh, the places, I'll go. Wish you could join me.

Life Begins at 40

InshaaAllah (God-willing), in 40 days from now I'll turn 40 years old. They say life begins at 40, so that means I will begin my life at the same time that I begin my life in Iran. Get it?  Yeah, that's deep, yo. What a place to start living!

Of course I am excited, but mostly very nervous. Those feelings do not really matter right now because I need to pack and travel first!

Once we arrive, I'll have to set up house (again!). After we feel "settled," I'm not sure how my children and I will pass our time. We will home-school them but hope to find other structured activities. Other than that, I'll just have to wait and see. I'd love to write a novel or something similarly concrete, but I don't know how practical that will be. Most likely, I'll try to maintain this blog with my experiences there. I'd like to do a post every day as sort of a 365 Challenge. I look forward to cooking so I'll probably post photographs of the salads I make, haha! I'd like to learn a few traditional Iranian recipes.

Back to packing and the long flight (we will be travelling 24 hours straight), I am stressed about what to put in those suitcases and what to take on the long flights.

My kids are thankfully mostly independent, so I don't need to pack stickers or crayons anymore.

But what about for their comfort?
Should I bring Melatonin to help them sleep?
Water and snacks?
I even started wondering if I should take a fold-able foot stool or two for my kids so they can put their feet up sometimes--is that crazy or what?
Any tips or suggestions? Let me know. 

We don't understand life any better at forty than at twenty, but we know it and admit it. - Jules Renard