Current Locae: Tehran, Iran

Whoever keeps Iran on the list of third-world nations is absolutely out of his mind.

Tehran is gorgeous - none of the associations I've been trained to make (ie: Iran is just a part of 'The Middle East'/'Axis of Evil'/one vast desert full of angry people with guns) hold any weight...not that they ever did, but to actually see it, the shadows of these socialized notions just wash away as we drive down pristine tree-lined streets on the way to what will be my home for the next few months.

We drive down expressways and through neighborhoods that remind me of Seattle: leafy green trees, clean white light, crisp, sunny air.

I cannot imagine what on earth it is anyone was so concerned about, being afraid of Iran. This place looks like home to me - but that's just me, untrained eye, you know....I guess if you knew what to look for then it might all be very menacing: the flowersellers in the road with bright red and yellow tulips, the cheeseburger and kebab joints with their neon lights and delicious smells, the coffee bars full of swank couples smoking cigarettes, the shoe stores designed to look like art galleries, the manicured and well-maintained parks.

I just don't see it - the image that's been painted for me lately. I'm here, looking into Iran from the middle and it looks pretty normal to me.
Sorry to burst your bubble there George....