Adventures of Mr.Behi

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Reaching out to the People of Iran!

I heard this a while ago from a friend. He told me about an Iranian Ph.D student of science who is one the top five in his field in Iran. He travels to Europe as part of his colsulting job, has many collaborative research with foreign universities and is a typical hardworking, open-minded Iraninan who has seen a world and knows what is good for the country in his field.

Just while ago he sent a technical paper to a scientific society in the United States and they told him that they would publish his papers but due to recent regulations, they were not allowed to do that because he was sending it from Iran (or I am not sure maybe because he was afiliated with an Iranian organization!) This is very new because I had a paper in a similar journal in the states a few years back and that problem was not around! Is that the way US wants to reach out to the people of Iran? He is defenatly not a political person and is for sure counted as "people". Are they reaching out to us? I do not really feel like that. I hope their missile will not like to break the ice.

Marines, eastern food and nothing more

When I arrived in the Bangkok airport the first day, I saw a large group of US marines waiting for -most probably- their flight. They were doing different things, eating, listening to ipods, playing computer games, etc. I once imagined what they would do if I would say, Hi, I am an Iranian! ah, I wish I did, It could be really cool to see their reaction (or it also could break my neck :-).[update: some visitors felt offended reading this joke; That is a humor guys, that all that smily face is all about :-)]

I am at this meeting now that will be holding me up all day for some days. Hope I can finally get out and see more things. yesterday, I was walking in this shopping centre near my Hotel and although I do not want to insult any Asians but I should say that I find the smell of their food unbearable! I am amazed how human taste can adapt itself that people get attracted to and go and eat those things! I can not even get close although I hate eating the same things I always do and like to get local experience. But I just can not with such dishes!

First night in Bangkok

Not seen much from Bangkok yet as my Hotel is kind of located in the outskirt of the city. This is the first place that I feel Iranian currency is strong enough for spending (1 Bat is nearly 230 Iranian rials that is even used for phone booth in Tehran, 1USD=38.5 Thai Bhat). For now, I can say that this is a country of golden status and little people! I am now in a shopping centre where Internet access is provided in some kind of coo, machine that you insert coins like the slot machines and it gives you access. One minute left.. see you soon....

To Thailand

I am heading towards Thailand in a job assignment. Now blogging form an Internet booth in Dubai international airport. Will write soon about my destination and my adventures there if I get time. Oops, my flight is boarding now! Just remembered a friend who once told me that one of the things you have to do at least once in your life is to wait until they announce your name personally to board the plane. I am always too conservative to do this. More later...

StarBucks in Iran is The Box of Stars!

I enjoy the taste and atmosphere of The Starbucks Coffee whenever I travel outside of Iran. Being an American company, StarBucks cannot open any branch in Iran due to the current US embargo regulations (I am wondering because the Coca-Cola company has a factory under it’s license in Mashhad, East of Iran). Anyway, It was while ago when my wife discovered a fun news in one of the Persian blogs and that was nothing but the news of the opening of a new coffee shop called “Box of Stars” or StarBox!

Last week, Mrs.behi and me drove towards the place in Africa Boulevard, North of Tehran. The design of the logo was meant to refer to StarBucks but without completely immitating it. The name “Box of stars” in Persian together with the English Translation – Star Box!- (See The pictures) The shop was located in a quiet street in an even more quiet shopping complex. The owner of the shop was a senior gentleman with a very positive customer support attitude and the shop itself was a very relaxing spot probably because we were the only customers at that ime of the evening.

I could not hide my curiosity and asked about the reason for using the logo and name and why it was faken like that. His answers were interesting. It appeared that he was recently back from the United States where he used to manage three of the StarBucks stores in LA. He was proudly saying that the recipes were the same as StarBucks itself although I found it’s Vanilla latte a little bit extra flavored than the original ones. About the logo he added that he was afraid of the government officials not to blame him as he had heard that StarBucks is believed here as a Zionist company! (I never heard of it before and he would probably be safe anyway but he wanted not to give any chance to police to close down his shop).

If you are in Tehran, give it a try; It is located in Eastern Nahid St, Africa Boulevard. You will notice the logo.

Headlines

At home, we use a satellite receiver for our TV (although it is not allowed by law). Mrs.Behi and me spend a couple of hours each day watching different channels. I am a fan of news channels myself and you can see me always switching between BBC, CNN and Euronews, tracing what is going on.

A few days back however, Mrs. Behi pointed out a fact that I have never got attracted my attention to, and that was the fact that "Most of the news are bad news". This many people got killed there, accident here. Roof collapsed here, war over there... . Mrs. Behi always asks me to switch the channel as she believes such news are so irritating. She always asks, isn't there anything other than bad news that they can choose for headlines? and in fact, yeah! why it is like that?

Well, in fact last night we enjoyed the openings of the Olympic winter games in Torino and that was truly cheerful. You always have to watch it though satellite (Thanks fit Eurosport) if you want to see it fully, Iranian TV never shows such events completely. We enjoyed the joy of the players and different colours of the athletes clothing. One of the nice things about the opening of Olympics is that you hear the name of some countries that you have no idea where they are and you feel amazed of the great diversity in the world and ashamed of looking so much into just your own country!

The Danish pastry could taste better

So much about these Danish cartoons these days that finally got here in Iran. Members of the government oriented Malissia groups together with some hard-line clerics attacked the Danish embassy. Ahmadinejad ordered the ban of Danish goods although I have not seen a significant reaction from the body of people. The fact that Iran did all these after most of the other Muslim countries is kind of odd! Seems that Iran suddenly woke up and sensed a competition from others around the world and feared that Iran might have called not Muslim enough by others! But I am sure Danish pastry that is very popular in every and each pastry shop in Tehran, will be there although some stupids suggested it’s name to be changed!

It is sad to see that radical reactions to events are so popular in our world. Is it because shouting is easier than talking? Physically the former looks more energy demanding while psychologically, it appears that people love to show their feasts to each other rather than extending their hands for a shake.

A little pause for thinking could prevent the start or could cease the domino of valiance that the cartoons initiated everywhere. The Danish newspaper could pause a moment before publishing those by thinking from the other prospective. They should have known that the belief in Islam for many of the Muslims is mostly about believing in symbols of the faith rather than the faith itself.

Cartoons are to exaggerate the bad things around us to attract our attention to them for a solution, -I cannot imagine that the sole purpose of a good publisher could be anything other than that- But even if we suppose that the newspaper wanted to show the “ugly face of intolerant hard-line Muslims of our time” It was easier to symbolise them in better ways without mixing them with the roots of the religion and without offending the entire race of the believers. Be aware that the hard-line Muslim leaders around the world are doing their best to prove that “west is trying to destroy Islam” and that is the first line of the Terrorism 101 that young Muslims get brainwashed with. Thank you for printing the citation for them!

I was also thinking about the way Muslims are reacting. There is also a need for a pause before doing that. I was wondering why they are attacking the embassies? You too? I am not sure about the answer but in the non-democratic systems that are most of the Muslim countries, anything big happens, government has a role in it. So! Were those cartoons big enough? Yes! Then Danish government should be behind it! I am so sad to see that these Muslim have forgotten the lessons of their faith to respect other people and shamelessly burn the flags of countries just because some of the citizens of those countries did something wrong. I told you, shouting is easier than talking for many.

Prophet Mohammad has many followers, he shouldn't’t be offended but I do not think he needs any violent support. There is an old saying “If you want to destroy something, defend it in a wrong way”. If you are a Danish and you see your flag is burning, will you ever listen to anything Muslim? If you are a Muslim and you are so angry about those cartoons that you cannot even forgive the author even after his apology, make a cartoon of that cartoonist to cool down! Write about Mohammad in the same newspaper, and say whatever you believe he was, if your belief is not just about his name. I am not really a Muslim to defend the faith but supporting an idea will never work like that!

Iran in dead end

I do not like to write about this nuclear stuff that much because news and media are doing so a lot. It is very sad as an Iranian to see all those irrational stuff being said by everyone; Iranian government, Europe, US, Russia. The sad thing is that some people are out there threatening your country and your leaders are so ignorant about it so I do not know from which side I should complain. I had a comment here in this blog who was kind of inspired that US will attack Iran and will destroy all the infrastructure so that the country gets back to stone age! I am wondering as a human, how can a person become excited about making others to suffer for something that is not their fault!

Some people are saying that we are in a dead end and there is no escape. If it is cool for some people to watch bomb explosions in the streets of Tehran and if they love to see fighter jets taking off from USS whatever, it is not cool for me at all. I never loved war because I saw a missile exploded 500m from my apartment killing one of my best friends, I was 7. Try to feel standing in a long line to buy some milk for your little brother to feed. Stay out of your comfort and try to feel what sanctions mean.