Merry X-mas & Happy New Year

Visiting a senior consultant in Oxford/london

Sniffing your enemy is always good. So this past weekend, I was in UK visiting one of the senior consultants to the Islamic Republic of Iran's foreign ministry on Iraqi, Jordanian and Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood affairs. He introduced me to some other people who apparently have nothing to do with the regime but do believe in it!
Meeting people who still truly believe in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s regime, made me feel obnoxious, but mostly confused. I had never seen pro- regimes live in the western world, do whatever we secular and liberals do here, but still get comfortable defending that inhumane, contradicting, and chaotic regime, and its insane ideologies.
I had seen many of them who work for the government defending and lobbying, but never debated with an “ordinary” Iranian in exile, who claims to love Iran, still reason and debate that well in favor of that system. I was stunned.
Also, I was amazed of the way these consultants take us (the anti-regime expats) not serious at all. According to the consultant when still after 30 years, there is not a single good-organized, active and powerful organization in the opposition, we (=the expats) are then all nothing but a funny joke. “It would be very risky for a tiny white rabbit to think, she is a big black bear”, I was told.
Anyway, I am back in Holland now. It felt so safe when I was getting off board, and it felt even safer when I felt that peaceful breeze on my face, here in The Hague.
I’m home, and more determined than ever…

P.S. I was just thinking of all these people I have associated with until now, and was wondering how fun and interesting to read my memoires shall be by the time I’m 40!!
P.P.S. The white rabbit is not crazy to think that she is a bear, let alone a big black one, but there is a legend about little rabbits, you know ;)
P.P.P.S. Blackmail is a crime in democratic countries!! I would be glad to sue people who commit it...

Interviews

Here is my interview in Univers which was published on Nov 27th.

It is in Dutch, and unfortunately I have no time translating it. But the Dutch readers of this blog can enjoy. (CLICK HERE FOR THE ENLARGED VERSION)

Tilburg magazine Interview

I still have not found time to translate the interviews, but for the Dutch audience, here comes the interview in Dutch. I will translate it as soon as I get the chance.

(CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE)

the rabbit joke

I never remember a single joke, even though I hear many. But this one is an exception.

There was a spy-contest between Iran, Israel and United States. The
contesters were suppose to find the white rabbit which was sent into the jungle by the organizers of the contest.
The US’ spies went in first and after two hours came back with the rabbit.
The Israelis went in the jungle and found the white rabbit a half an hour later.
The Iranian spies went in the jungle and came back two minutes later with a black bear. The jury members looked surprised and asked what the hell they meant by bringing in a bear. The bear started to speak and said: “I confess that I am a white rabbit.”

P.S. if you have a bad memory from a place, the best way to get over the bad memory is to go back to that place, and make better memories.
P.P.S. I am going to taste what the difference between BMI and British Airways is. (metaphor)

PUBLISHED IN UNIVERS

Dear Mathematics I,

I am so grateful to you. It's not only that I learn through your characteristics and content, but also through the environment you create; an environment which no other course can ever create for us, the students of the Faculty of Economics & Business.

A while ago, we had this year's first midterm. It was my second time taking it, though I'm not the only one. As I entered the room where your midterm was suppose to meet us all, I recognized many familiar faces. I saw some of last year's classmates, my current classmates, third-year friends who happen to fail you time after time, and of course some new freshmen/women.

No matter in which year we study, we all have a united idea about you; you are a complex type. You can also unite us, regardless of the ethnic and political problems of our fatherlands.

As I was sitting there on chair no. 82 of room Wz101, I became aware of an Israeli acquaintance who was sitting in the same row. We nodded as a way of greeting and wished each other luck (something we all depended on). Some minutes later, I noticed one of my Palestinian classmates entering, wandering around the room. He walked past all the available seats searching and looking, over and over again for his "own" place. It might have taken him at least eight minutes to find the right seat, and while he was taking his place, he still did not seem very secure. I remember seeing him going back and taking another look at the list of seats and coming back to check, double check, even triple check the number of his seat, before he finally settled two rows in front of me.

While all this was happening, I, as the omniscient observer, was analyzing every muscle moved by my Israeli friend. I started to panic. Having these two nationalities in the same place has not proven to be harmless, as history tells us. But my Israeli friend was sitting in his seat, comfortably, preparing himself for the exam, and from time to time giving me some friendly glances. I guess he didn't even see the Palestinian guy.

Otherwise, your exam, Dear Mathematics, went on undisturbed. So we were all sitting there, peacefully, next to each other, with the same goal; to pass you. And no, there were no bombs or tanks or invasions of each other's seats, or taking over of each other's exam papers (Taking one exam was more than enough)!

Even though I truly admire all your efforts to bring peace and unity to the world, I hope this is the last semester I will have to witness your hard work.

Sincerely,
Fari Naz

One by One

piece by piece - Katie Melua

Mysterious people...

P.S. (out of the context) Do something...