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  • Learn Persian Online
    Learn Persian Online
  • Top Iranian Movies: The Salesman Film Review
    Top Iranian Movies: The Salesman Film Review
Iran Travel Guide

Travel Guide to Qazvin: City of Ornaments

Qazvin is a city of ornaments and gorgeous tiles, “a city in the middle of a garden” (that`s how Nasseredin Shah depicted it to his European counterparts). Finally, Qazvin is the gate…

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November 27, 2016
Explore Tehran, Iran Travel Guide

One Day Trip From Tehran: Vardij & Varish Villages

Seeing spring coming, it`s almost impossible to stay home. That`s why at the end of March, on the first day off, my husband and I picked up a backpack, hopped…

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March 28, 2016
Iran Travel Guide, Like a Local

10 Instagram Accounts to Follow Before Travelling to Iran in 2020

Nowadays the Internet is overloaded with information about different countries and travelling tips, and social networks are making planning a trip even easier. Many Iranian Instagram accounts I follow give…

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March 6, 2018
  • How I Learned Persian
    Learn Persian

    How I Learned Persian

    October 12, 2020 /

    Learning Persian by yourself has certain difficulties. First of all, there are not many textbooks that would teach you enough vocabulary. Most English textbooks cover all Grammar and Vocabulary in just one book which is a huge volume of information that may be hard to comprehend. And most Iranian textbooks (which cover various skills and are designed for different levels) are available only in Iran. Secondly, even if you decide to take group courses, it`s pretty hard to find one in your town. So the most efficient way to learn the Persian language is to work with a tutor. Just in case you are looking for one, I`d be happy…

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    Katya 1 Comment
  • Worst Books and Movies about Iran
    Books and Movies about Iran

    Worst Books and Movies About Iran

    May 4, 2020 /

    Iranians constantly blame Western media that they are showing only the negative side of Iran creating a very dark perception of Iran in the world. However, I believe that the worst damage to the image of Iran is done by Iranians themselves. Many books and movies about Iran created in the West, are created by Iranians who fled the country due to political reasons or limitations or whatsoever. And what do they talk about? Of course, the hard times they had in Iran. I realize that these things must be said as well. But it hurts me when these films and books make a way greater impression on the audience…

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    Katya 0 Comments
  • Redfis
    About Iran,  Culture

    Nowruz: Persian New Year Traditions

    March 17, 2020 /

    Nowruz is the biggest and oldest holiday celebrated in Iran. It takes a month of preparations and two (!) weeks of celebrations. So it might be a good idea to celebrate with Iranians.  In this post, you will find out what Nowruz is and get familiar with Persian New Year traditions. Nowruz (Norooz) is as old as Iran itself. Somehow it is a symbol of Persian culture. The tradition of celebrating Nowruz unites Iranians from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf. Nowruz means a new day. This is the day when a new year starts in Iran and corresponds with spring equinox which marks the start of spring.

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    Katya 0 Comments

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    The Most Scenic Train Ride in Iran

    January 15, 2020 /

    Train has been undeservingly avoided by many tourists travelling to Iran. Most of them prefer to travel by bus which is faster and available any time of the day and sometimes even at night. But personally, I love travelling by train in Iran. And believe me, I know what I`m talking about! My husband and I traveled Iran by train a lot – from Mashhad in the east of Iran to the small city of Shoosh in the west, Sari in the north and Bandar-Abbas in the south. What I love about train trips in Iran is the comfort they offer, an opportunity to mingle with locals and finally, just…

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    Travelling Iran: What to See in Yazd

    August 7, 2018 /

    Yazd had been my favorite destination in Iran (until I discovered Qeshm island), and I always recommend it to everyone who travels to Iran. Located on the edge of a desert, it impresses travelers with its unique mud-brick architecture, very different from Isfahan, Shiraz or Tehran. I have been to Yazd two times and would love to visit it again because every time I discover more and more (and of course, I don`t mind adding a couple of bowls or other Yazd ceramics to my collection). However, traveling to the city of wind-catchers is not only about visiting Yazd itself – there are plenty of religious, historical and natural sights scattered all…

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    Iran Travel Guide,  Like a Local

    10 Instagram Accounts to Follow Before Travelling to Iran in 2020

    March 6, 2018 /

    Nowadays the Internet is overloaded with information about different countries and travelling tips, and social networks are making planning a trip even easier. Many Iranian Instagram accounts I follow give me inspiration to continue exploring Iran, its deserts, villages and islands, as well as rediscover major cities on the tourist trail. If you are planning to visit Iran, these Instagram accounts will be a great help to you to plan your route, whether you prefer a safe plan or are looking for an adventure. And if you are just curious about Iran, they will definitely inspire you on packing your bag and travelling to Iran as soon as possible because…

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    About Iran,  Culture,  Iranian Cinema

    Iranian Cinema: An Overview of Fajr Film Festival

    January 29, 2018 /

    Fajr Film Festival may not be a well-known film festival in the world, but it is definitely a significant event inside Iran. Interestingly, not only people from cinema industry, but ordinary people as well (mostly younger generation) try to attend as many film screenings as possible. Read up to the end to find out why. As in Iranian cinemas you can see only Iranian movies (well, with rare exception), and even Iranian TV channels show a very small percent of foreign movies, Iranian cinema industry has to fulfill these needs and produce a huge number of films, animated films and documentaries. I`ve come up with interesting statistics that will help you imagine the scale of…

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    Guide to Tehran Palaces: Niavaran Palace

    November 25, 2017 /

    You can`t imagine visiting Tehran without seeing one of Tehran palaces. Tehran has been the capital of Iran for around 200 years and has seen many shahs, each of whom wanted to build a palace more beautiful than previous shahs. Golestan, Sadabad and Niavaran palaces remain the most popular and significant tourist attractions in Tehran. Each of them can offer its visitors several palaces from different historical periods as well as a range of museums. So I`ve decided to write a complete guide for each palace complex to help you decide which palaces and museums to visit. In this article I`ll tell you about Niavaran palace and its museums. Sahebgheraniyeh…

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    Ashura in Iran: What to Do on Ashura in Tehran

    September 29, 2017 /

    Moharram is a month during which Iranians and other Shia Muslims commemorate the death of Imam Hossein. The mourning reaches its culmination at Ashura, the tenth day of Moharram. I have already written about Ashura in Iran and mourning ceremonies organized on this occasion here and here. During several years I`ve been living in Iran, I have attended quite a number of ceremonies in different parts of Tehran (there are still areas uncovered though). Some attract hundreds of people, while others are attended only by locals. However, many foreigners hesitate to go out on the day of Ashura which is the culmination of Moharram mourning ceremonies. Maybe, they are afraid of Iranians…

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    July 22, 2017 /

    Although Iran seems to be cut off from the outside world by the sanctions and political situation, it remains a dynamically developing country. A huge part of Iranian population is formed by young people who use smartphones on everyday basis. However, due to filtering restrictions and lack of English knowledge, most Iranians just can`t use some popular smartphone apps. That`s why the demand in quality, authentic apps that would satisfy Iranians` needs is rapidly rising. In this article I`m going to introduce best Android apps made in Iran and designed by Iranian developers which I believe, will help you understand Iranian culture and Iranians much better. So, let`s take a…

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 Older Posts

About Me

I`m Katya, and I am here to share my insights on life in Iran as well as tips and tricks for travelling Iran!

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The language is definitely something that brings I The language is definitely something that brings Iran and Turkey close to each other. 

Although these languages have a different origin, they've had such a strong effect on it other that you can't be very sure whether some of the words originate from which language.

What's more, both languages experienced influence of other countries, so both of them have a huge number of common Arabic words and a few French words.

On the trip to Turkey, I made a long list of similar words and here are just some of them.

Emlak املاک
Vitrin ویترین
Tepe تپه
Kale قلعه
Belediyesi بلدیه
Sehir شهر
Sulh صلح
Taze تازه
Adet عدد
Kasap قصاب
Balkon بالاکن
Bahce باغچه
Vatan وطن
Devlet دولت
Tane دانه
Dünya دنیا
Mirasi میراث
Merkezi مرکز
Gümrük گمرک
Tesekkür تشکر
Sikayet شکایت
Siparis سفارش

#languagenerd
Many people think that Iran is a very religious co Many people think that Iran is a very religious country, it`s an Islamic republic after all. But in Turkey I realized that Iranians are mostly far from religious. Here are a few examples that made me think so.

The first thing you notice is a very loud azan that is performed live at mosques 5 times a day. (Outside city center a recorded azan is played, but still 5 times a day.) For comparison, in Iranian cities azan is never performed live, and it is played only 2 times a day (will never wake you up early in the morning). Also, you really need to have a mosque down your street to hear it (which is quite rare in residential areas).

Another thing is hijab. Let`s start with the perception of hijab in Iran and Turkey. Turkish women may wear short blouses, dresses or long skirts, but they will make sure their hair is hidden under the scarf. In Iran, though, having a little bit of hair out of the scarf is acceptable which is, I think, how Iranian women used to wear scarf traditionally.

Also, I was very surprised by the number of women (especially young ones) wearing hijab, even in its cosmopolitan capital. It`s hard to predict how many women would wear a scarf in Iran if it wasn`t compulsory, but something tells me that it would be less.

 #realiran
Modern Art in Tehran Art has long ago gone outsid Modern Art in Tehran

Art has long ago gone outside museums and galleries, public spaces, streets has created even more opportunities for artists.

In Iran, however, the relationship with modern art is not that simple. That is why this story seems like a miracle to me! An abandoned factory was removed from the list of cultural heritage to be demolished to free space for more residential buildings. But somehow it was turned into an art space.

This exhibition was up for a while now, so don't miss the chance to visit it before it's too late! Go to @kahrizak.sugar.factory for visiting hours and address.

#iranianart 

Music: Sunrise
Musician: Ilya Marfin
5 FACTS ABOUT TEHRAN METRO Tehran metro has 7 lin 5 FACTS ABOUT TEHRAN METRO

Tehran metro has 7 lines.

One-way ticket (inside the city) costs 10 cents.

Metro connects the city to Imam Khomeini International Airport.

The construction of Tehran metro started in 1978, but it started operating only in 1999.

The first and the last carriages are only for women, while the rest of the carriages are mixed.

#tehranmetro #iran #nextstopiran #seeyouiniran #iran_tourism #metro #subwaystation #metrostation #irancumentary #tehrandailylife #everydaytehran #lifeiniran
I constantly receive questions what to read or wat I constantly receive questions what to read or watch in Persian, so I thought I'd share with you what I read, watch and listen to.

I'll appreciate it if you let me know if this kind of stuff is useful for you!

#iraniancinema #streetsoftehran #tehrandailylife #everydaytehran #lifeiniran #iranianliterature #iranianpodcasts #podcastsinpersian #persianlanguage #irecommend
In today's vlog, I'm taking you to the movies! The In today's vlog, I'm taking you to the movies! The latest film of Mehrjui, rise in price of cinema tickets and some footage from 1970s - all in less than 3 minutes!)

#iraniancinema #streetsoftehran #tehrandailylife #everydaytehran #lifeiniran #vlog #iranvlog #tehranvlog
We hardly know our own religion, not to mention ot We hardly know our own religion, not to mention other people's religion.

Not many know what Chistianity actually is in Iran. And very few know that just like Islam, Christianity has a few branches, that not every Christian celebrates Chrsitmas the way it's shown in American movies.

And of course, hardly anyone knows that not all Armenians belong to Armenian church (photo 2) and not all Catholics in Iran are Europeans.

I have seen many Armenian churches all over Iran, but that was a true revelation to me that Armenians have also a Catholic (photo 3) and Evangelical churches (photo 5) in Tehran.

And again, not only Armenians are Catholics here. There is an Italian and Assyrian Catholic churches as well. Besides, there are Greek (photo 7) and Russian (photo 8) Orthodox churches. 

What also struck me is that most of them were built in 50s or 60s. I'm really curious to see what it was like to live in such a diverse society!

On the first photo, you can see the Assyrian Catholic church. Look how different it is from any other Catholic church. You know why?

Assyrians claim descent from Assyria, one of the oldest civilizations in the world, dating back to 2500 BC in ancient Mesopotamia. And in this church they have shown their historical background - it resembles the Ishtar Gate of Babylon.

#iranianchristians
Happy to bring my very first vlog to you! Looking Happy to bring my very first vlog to you! Looking forward to your comments - do not hesitate to tell me what you think about it! 

#streetsoftehran #seeyouiniran #traveltoiran #discoveriran #housesoftehran #everydayiran #everydaytehran #tehrandailylife #exploretehran #middleeast #iran #traveltoiran #tehranphoto #tehran_iran #lifeiniran #cityexplore  #welivetoexplore #neverstopexploring #ramadan #ramadanvibes #vlog #iranvlog #vlogginglife #lalezar #cinemamuseum
Sardasht, a city in West Iran with a 10,000 popula Sardasht, a city in West Iran with a 10,000 population. Year 1987. An ordinary day in June. Iran has been at war for 7 years already, so people got used to the sight of warplanes. Seeing the bombs not exploding is a relief to the people. However, straight away they start coughing and feeling pain in the eyes.

In 1987, during Iran-Iraq war, the city of Sardasht was bombed with chemicals that killed 110 civilians and left 8,000 more suffered serious complications for all their lives.

This chemical bombing doesn`t appear a lot on the media outside Iran. Probably the only case was the hearings at the Hague court against a Dutch trader who had sold chemicals to Iraq at the time.

Only recently, a feature film was shot in Iran dedicated to this tragedy. The Walnut Tree tells the story of Ghader Mollanpoor who lost his family in this bombing, a story that shouldn`t be forgotten.

#peace #iranianhistory #iraniraqwar
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