Snowy Weather

On Friday, I called a friend:
"What's up I said" (probably in some kind of sombre voice)
"Ohhh" he said "It's Home Alone 2: Lost in Tehran!"

"Yes" I admitted, laughing the cracks out of my throat, "it's been a bit lonely since Slobs left. And with this weather. It's very pretty, all snowy and white. But it's also just giving me an excuse to hibernate..."

I read in the Economist recently that French farmers used to practically hibernate in the winters. It proved in their advantage economically, as they burned less energy and thus consumed less. Yes, makes sense.

Okay, so I ventured out! It was snowing again, but this time those beady little cruel flakes, more like pellets. They kept getting stuck on my hejab, so I could see the little runaways from the corner of my eye. The wind drew swirly designs with the snow pellets on the gray sky canvas.

We went to an exhibit about the Hejab, more specifically the "Kashf-e Hejab" (this is when the Shah forced women to unveil on January 7 1936), along with the history of hejab-wearing around the world...The exhibit was massive, though a bit shabby.

In one corner, a series of cartoons illustrated the logical development of a young girl on the wrong path: It starts out with the shrinking of the hejab and wearing of heavy make-up and tighter clothes. Then she watches foreign films which display decadence and immoral behavior. Eventually she starts hanging around those "bad-boys" with spiky hair. She is introduced to marijuana and in the next drawing her eyes are heavy and strung out. She goes to parties, takes ex and dances with strange boys. She pierces her lip and wears tight clothes with holes in them. Starts shooting heroin.....In the last slide, the girl is getting into a stranger's car, to sell her body it appears, when she sees the man to whom she had refused marriage earlier in the story. He is overjoyed, driving by with his fresh new bride.

So the moral of the story? 'Bad hejab' is a gateway drug. Just say no! It sounds a bit like my parents reasoning when I was a teenager (they will probably kill me for this!) I do admit it came in handy with all the snow. The exhibit took place accordingly in "Hejab Street." Recently, they also had a fashion show, which you can read about here.

It's still snowing. People make fires along the sidewalks in front of shops, and shovel snow off the tops of roofs without looking to see if someone is passing down below. I've seen teenagers dressed up all fancy, girls with full make up and high-heeled boots, having massive snow fights. Some people, especially taxi drivers, go around in slippers. My friend's landlady came to collect her rent wearing pajamas beneath her coat.

Most of the school's and public offices closed for a week, and the airport was a complete disaster. One German football team was stuck in Tehran for 3 days, several of my friends made 3 trips to the airport before finally departing. I kept my man for 1 extra day, though it was 1 chaotic day. Yesterday was Slobs' birthday, we haven't spent it together in years. Have we ever?? Hopefully it's the last one we spend apart.

I've heard several things over the past week:

1. Everything closed for so long not only because of local conditions but also, in solidarity with small towns who were experiencing gas and electricity shortages, for overall conservation. (In a country with one of the highest reserve of gas and oil)

2. The reason many flights were not (and maybe still are not) taking off from the airport is because of a shortage in wing dryers (wings must be dry before take-off or else they freeze) due to sanctions on various plane parts--including wing dryers.

3. The new excuse when something wasn't available: "Mamlekat ta'teel ast" ("the state's on holiday") wee heeee

4. Intro of one radio show: Woman: "Sard-e!" (It's cold!)
Man: "Pas goosh kon ke garm beshi" (So listen, and you'll get warm ;)

5. It hasn't been this cold, or snowed this much, in anyone's memory.

Today I go back to school...and my other life starts once again...


Here is an overview with some photos of the past snowy weeks....click on image below--->

snow in tehran