Family

Another week passed under the bridge.

This weekend was strange, but a lot of fun all the same. I spent Thursday morning trying (unsuccessfully) to get myself organised with work and washing. In the end, I threw it in, jumped into a taxi and headed to Sepehrs.

We ended up going to Halle (Auntie) Zhila's place for a girls night. Sepehr came too, he seems to have a free pass to these sorts of things. So of course I was surrounded by women, doing what women all over the world do best - talk.

All night long, gab gab gab, it was a lot of fun. I met more Aunties, Beji was there, cousins - it was all happening! I can follow the conversation sometimes, but for the most part it turns into white noise, so I sit staring at the telly or mindlessly eating the fruit :P

The cousins took me under their wing eventually, and with Sepehr's help, we ended up having a good old chinwag. We stayed the night there.

Next day we headed to Beji's for breakfast. We had that glorious tribute to Iranian cooking, Kalle Pache (boiled sheeps head). After my attempt at eating that in Shiraz, I baulked at doing it again. I was begged to 'just try' the intestine, but I decided not to! I even got a 'but you're an AIESECer, you should be open to new things' guilttrip, but I stood firm. The smell was soooo bad! I stuck to a more traditional breakkie of bread eggs cheese etc.

Another day spent doing not much. We chilled out for a while, smoking shisha in the backyard. Finaly heading home, we did officially not much until I grabbed a taxi back to Tehran this morning.

Now I'm home, even though it's 1.30pm, because the Faculty internet is being disagreeable, and most of my work needs email today.

I'm missing home a lot lately. I keep closing my eyes and wishing as hard as I can that when I open them, I'll be sitting at Cibo Rundle St with a Grande skinny Latte and Lauryn.

My adventure to Karaj on Sunday was quite eventful, by the way. Once I made it to Engelab Sq, I jumped on the rapid transport bus, then promptly missed my stop. It's so strange lining up at the women's gate to catch the bus, but it's nice to be seperated, as will become evident shortly.

I got to the metro station, found out my card had run out of charge, had a helpful old man assist me to recharge it, had a helpful young man direct me to the right platform, then jumped in the (optional) women's carriage to Sadigieh station.

Once I was there, I had to change to another train, which was fine. I jumped through the nearest doors at sat down. The man opposite me kept looking, looking, looking at me. Finally, he worked up the courage to talk to me. In very stilted english, he kept asking about where I come from, (it's easier to say Sydney in these cases), why was I going to Karaj, what did I do, do we use bicyles in Australia, do I like soccer etc etc. I think any sentence that he knew, he just threw it out there.

I answered in short sentences, careful not to make too much eye contact (if you do, it means, yes, I want you, you big hunk). The other guys in the carriage were rolling their eyes and feeling a bit sorry for me I think.

Finally I arrived at the station, and my new friend followed me. i got on the escalator, only to find his arm around my waist! I took a step up, but he followed. Another step up, but the arm didn't move! Finally I got up to the top and did the bolt. He followed me out to the carpark, where thankfully Sepehr was waiting for me! As soon as the guy saw Sepehr, he did the bolt himself!

Lesson: ride in the women's carriage!!