A question that has likely crossed your mind this week is, whether you should move to Iran or not. Well, you're not alone. To help those wrestling with this decision we brought in Katya, the woman behind 'Stranger In Tehran'. For ten years or so, this Russian-born lady has been using her platform to collect her experiences of Iran and to help others learn more about the place. For this episode David, our host, and Katya join forces to answer the question, how do I move to Iran?

Top 10 things to know before visiting or moving to Iran

If for whatever reason you're thinking of moving to Iran, there are many things that you should consider. Firstly, consider checking through a great many other resources before you check our list below, such as this guide or the helpful website Living In Tehran. Aside from that, we've put a helpful list below, to help prepare you for a big move, or a short visit:

Iran is a predominantly Muslim nation and you must respect the related lawsYou will need to follow dress-codes — differs for men and womenEnglish is used in written form around Iran, such as signs and menusYou cannot use international credit cards in Iran, but can get a debit cardThe weather in Iran can vary wildly in different places, e.g. it snows in TehranDual nationality is not recognised for Iranians in IranSocial protocol ("taarof") is complex, get familiar with it to save faceIran's official currency is Rials, but Iranians say Tomans (1 Toman = 10 Rials)Iran observes its own calendar — the weeks start Saturday and end FridayAvoid physical interactions with the opposite gender

Where to find Katya?

https://www.instagram.com/stranger_in_tehran

https://strangerintehran.com

Music credit: “Mahvash, Parivash”, Jalal Hemmati

Picture credit: photography of Katya, by 'Stranger In Tehran'.

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As is said in Persian, "Iranians worship strangers", and therefore lavishing them with nuts and tea is a standard. To take it to the next stage however, Iranians need to bring out the compliments and the comedy. In this episode we explore that, and more, with an emerging young Iranian comedian, based in Toronto. Neema Naz joins us to chat about Iranian humour and the contemporary comedy scene, as well as his recent role in the hit TV series, The Boys. So, are Iranians funny?

Questions we get answers to during this episode

Who is Neema Naz the Iranian/Canadian comedian and actor?What type of comedy is funny for Iranians?Are Iranians funny?Who are the funniest Iranian comedians?Are there comedy shows in Iran?What has happened to comedy during Covid-19?How do I become a comedian?What types of social media are more effective for a comedian?Where do 'Ask An Iranian' record their podcast shows?What do Iranians mean when they say "putting watermelons under your arms"? [...they're overly complimenting you]

Music credit: "Mahvash, Parivash", Jalal Hemmati

Image credits: scene from The Boys ©Sony Pictures Television Inc. and Amazon Content Services LLC.

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You know how you sometimes look at a person and think, naked mole rat? Well, this episode is kinda mostly about those kinda moments. These moments seem to exist because we, as humans, can't help but attribute animal characteristics to things. This can be based on the way something acts, but seems to be more related to the way something looks. This is precisely the case for the American political parties, what with the Democrats using a donkey, and the Republicans using an elephant. We shamelessly wanted to use the international interested over the 2020 American elections and use the spectacle as moment for cultural exploration. So, what animal will lead the US? Read more on our website.

Questions we get answers to in this episode

What kinda animals are Trump and Biden?What does the Iranian Supreme Leader think about the US election outcome?Do Iranians support Trump? (answered in episode 05)Do Iranians have daddy issues? (answered in episode 09)Do Iranians like dogs or hate them?What do Iranians think of the English?

Music credit: "Mahvash, Parivash", Jalal Hemmati

Image credit: American political party animals in various icons - source icons by Georgiana Ionescu, edited by Ask An Iranian

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So, we recently learned that you can make a living, sitting on your behind and shooting at virtual characters... even in Iran. To help us get out heads around this, we chatted with 'Yeggiz', an Iranian gamer girl, who is doing just that. Unperturbed by the many issues faced by Iranian gamers, she's been gaming, streaming, and vlogging since the pandemic hit. We invited her on the show to not only help bring us up to date but to also help our audience understand the fun and the frustration of gaming in Iran. So are Iranian girls players? Read more here.

During this episode we also get answers to these questions

Is during a pandemic the best time for Iranians to get married?Are Iranian girls players?Is mobile-gaming considered gaming?What does FPS mean in gaming = "First Person Shooter"What e-sport games can I get contracts through?Do Iranians actually really shoot real living people, outside of games?How do I make money as a gamer in Iran?What technical issues do Iranians face when gaming in Iran?How have sanctions against Iran effected gamers in Iran?Who is Kevin? [unfortunately left unanswered]

Follow Yeggiz, an Iranian girl-gamer

If you're interested in learning more about our guest in this episode, you can follow Iranian gamer girl Yeggizz on Instagram and follow Yeggiz on Twitter. If you're more of a gamer, you might want to follow Yeggiz on Twitch, or follow Yeggiz on Discord. Alternatively, you can follow Yeggiz on YouTube.

Music credit: "Mahvash, Parivash", Jalal Hemmati | "Prince of Persia", from the video game Prince of Persia - 1989 Francis Mechner

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Those of you with Iranian friends might have had that moment. You know, the moment when your friend casually suggests that they'll sacrifice him or herself for you. It could have come in response to simply saying goodbye, or maybe after you offered to make them a cup of tea. Either way, this shocking declaration will have you concerned about your Iranian friend's mental wellbeing. No need to worry though, it's just that thing — you know, that thing Iranians do! Like that other thing, you know, how they'll try to show respect by saying that they're the tomato skin between your teeth. Yeah, that thing! Don't worry though, if you're thinking, "am I also expected to die for an Iranian?" — no, no, you aren't. So, in this episode we discuss those Iranian things, and more...

We also get answer to the following questions

Do Iranians really want to sacrifice themselves for others?Who is Hassan Sabbah and what's the historical story set in Alamut Castle?What do Iranians mean when they say "gorboonat"/"gorboonet"?Why do Iranians self-deprecate, when they talk with one another?Is there a Netflix Special about Assassins?

Music credit: "Mahvash, Parivash", Jalal Hemmati

Photo credit: via Wikipedia — engraving drawn by Pierre Méjanel and engraved by François Pannemaker - Léo Taxil, Les Mystères de la Franc-Maçonnerie, Paris, 1886. Edited by Ask An Iranian.

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Most of you love it, and a few of you absolutely hate it. We know this because you've begged us to change it. We're talking about the intro music to our show. To help settle this issue we once again invited Aryo, of The Devil Dog, to provide something new to possibly replace it. Up to now, we have been using Jalal Hemmati's song, "Mahvash Parivash", but all that could change. Listen to this show to hear "What the f_@k is with that music?", and to hear listener feedback on Aryo's alternative.

We also get answers to these questions

Who is Jalal Hemmati, the Iranian singer?Where did the Iranian style of music known as "Kooche Bazaari" come from?Was there ever cabaret music in Iran?What do non-Iranians think is being said in Iranian music?How does Jalal Hemmati sound when he's remixed?Which music genres are popular in Iran these days?What the f_@k is with that music?

Music credit: "Mahvash, Parivash", Jalal Hemmati | "Ask An Iranian Intro", The Devildog

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Nothing about how Iranians perceive time correlates with universally understood principles. Regardless of whether it's years, calendar events in the year, months, weeks, days, or even moments, Iranians will do time differently. So be warned, don't plan a meeting, don't arrange a surprise birthday party, and don't arrange a date with an Iranian until you've heard what we have to say on the matter. Listen in to learn more about why Iranians seem to live in another time.

Questions we get answers to during this episode

Who is Mosedegh and what did the naughty Brits and Americans do to him?Why are the days for the weekend different in Iran and what are they?How many days are there in the working week in Iran?What year is it in the Iranian calendar and why is it different?How many different calendars do Iranians observe?When is the Iranian New year, or Norouz?What is the Yalda celebration in Iran and when does it happen?When do Iranians prefer to celebrate their birthdays?Why are so many Iranians seemingly born in September?If I arrange a meeting with an Iranian, why should re-confirm it?

Music credit: “Mahvash, Parivash”, Jalal Hemmati

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You asked for it, we done did it. We joined forces with the Persian Girl Podcast to discuss the expectations and complications with dating Iranians — or should would we say Persians? Having the Persian Girl Podcast girls join us meant that we were able to present the domain of dating from both the view of men and women.

Among other topics, we discuss hidden aspects for Iranians when dating, such as the pressures placed on them by parents and the community. Being based in America, our guests were able to balance out the perspectives, giving us insight into how it is to date as an Iranian in America, while we provided perspective from Iran. So, listen in to learn what you should know about before dating a Persian girl.

We also get answers to these questions

Are Iranians Persians, or Persians Iranians?Who are the Persian Girl Podcast girls?What should you know about before going on a date with an Iranian?Who should get the bill when going on a date with an Iranian?How traditional should an Iranian girl seem on a date?Should you meet Iranian parents before getting married?How important is the subject of virginity for Iranians?Are Iranian parents ok with Iranian kids living with their boyfriends/girlfriends?How do I fake being a virgin?Should you introduce your boyfriend/girlfriend to your Iranian family?Is being Jewish-Iranian doubly complicated when dating?How long should you wait before proposing to an Iranian?How is the economic situation in Iran affected social gatherings?Lastly, which Middle-Eastern community has the most complicated dating rituals?

Follow the Persian Girl Podcast

Firstly, make sure to listen and subscribe to Persian Girl Podcast on Spotify. Secondly, the girls also regularly post entertaining content across various social media platforms — we highly recommend you follow Persian Girl Podcast on Instagram. Lastly, if you, like us, are a fan of their content, be sure to show your support, by going to their Patreon page.

Music credit: "Mahvash, Parivash", Jalal Hemmati

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What have we done?! That's a great question — you're a curious one, aren't you? Allow us to explain. So we did a prequel show — but didn't know that it would be a prequel while making it. We'd scheduled a recording with the American-based Persian Girl Podcast at 2am Iran-time, but they were a little delayed. The more industrious of the Ask An Iranian duo decided that the unknown amount of delay should use to create content. The other one of the Ask An Iranian duo—not fully realizing what he'd be signing up for—reflexively hit record. This show is the result — for the most part. Also, for the most part, we try and answer the question, "what does Tehran sound like at 2:22am?", but we deviate a lot. Don't say you weren't warned.

This show is unedited — kinda. We haven't cut the original recording, but we have redacted some parts, because... reasons. You might very well complain that we didn't redact enough, because... singing.

Picture credit: Majid Hujiloo. Music credit: Bensound - The Elevator Bossa Nova.

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In this episode, we were delighted to be joined by Mr Yoshioka, a Japanese expat currently living and working in Iran. Against his better judgement, we wanted to sit, eat Iranian-made sushi, and chat about his experience of living and working in Iran.

We also get answer to the following questions...

What do Japanese people think of Iran and Iranians?Are there Japanese restaurants in Iran?What types of sushi do Japanese people normally eat?What do the names for different types of sushi, such as 'maki', 'hoso', 'nigiri' and 'sashimi' translate as?Which restaurant makes the best sushi in Tehran, Iran?How should I hold chopsticks?How much soy sauce is too much soy sauce?Which type of doogh (Iranian yoghurt drink) is better, fizzy or still?What does Iranian mukbang (먹방) sound like?What do Japanese people think about Iranian-made sushi?

Music credits: “Mahvash, Parivash”, Jalal Hemmati | “Cherry Blossom”, Ancient traditional samurai koto music.

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