July 7th

Today was Friday last day of the week in Iran. Most of the offices are off just on Friday. Here the week-end is just one day. Most of the store are closed which means much less traffic in the morning.

I spent the day at my aunt with my mom’s family. In Iran, when someone feels very comfortable at someone’s house, we said “ Are you at your aunt’s house!”, meaning the person is very at ease. The aunt, khaleh is referred to the sister of your mother who is usually closer that the sister of your dad, called ameh.

We had baghali polo, rice with dill, and lima bean, with chicken for lunch. For drink we usually have soda, water and doogh, a mixure of sparkling water and yogurt. Of course some tea and then it is the nap time. Since, it was my aunt’s house we will able to take a nap, if not it is not a custom to have lunch at someone’s house and take a nap!

While the older were sleeping we watch TV. Most of the house that I have been to have access to satellite dishes and have many channels in many languages. They are very up to date, with the news, music, and movies, vogue.
After the nap, comes the tea, sweet, and fruit. My aunts told us many different funny story and joke that cracked me up. Most of the joke are about either the Turk symbolizing people with not very intelligence, and the Rashti, a provence in north of Iran close to the Caspian sea, famous for being very tolerate about the infidelity of their wives.

We spend the evening; there also, it was nice to be my grandmother my aunts and the cousins. My aunt make a ghaliyoun, smoking pipe with water on the bottom and tobacco on the top.

It was interesting also because there were 4 generation here, my grandmother, my mother, my sister and my niece. I have very fortunate to able to be with all them and spent some time with them.