June 29, 2010

Hey everyone. Today is June 29, 2010 at around noon. Our time difference, if you are in the West-coast, is 11.5 hours. Sorry I have not made an entry sooner but as I had suspected there are two HUGE logistical issues with making blog entries (and uploading photos) here in Iran.
ONE, access to the internet is horrendous at best. It is both pretty slow AND cuts in and out more than you could EVER imagine. Nothing is ever done with one click. I use the refresh button more times in an hour here than I do in probably a year in the U.S and I see every error message imaginable on a session basis. This makes checking e-mail, uploading pictures, sending g-voice text-messages (my number is 858-754-9349 if you care to message me), checking facebook, and really all the things you do in about 15 minutes at home turn into a complete adventure that takes couple of hours and gives me an ulcer. And even if the internet works, you never know when the electricity will cut out. I had a page and a half written when the electricity power cut out for about 10 seconds and I lost this entry. The lights stay on but the power of the current I guess goes below some threshold and the computer shuts off. Either way I am now writing on Word, with auto-save on at 1minute intervals and Ctrl+S following every period. Lesson learned.
TWO, I have close to ZERO control over my own schedule. My days and hours are planned to the minute by minute basis by my aunt and mom and although part of that is fun, as I get see many people and do many things without having to worry about planning any of it, it leaves me very little time to do what I want, when I want. Life lesson number one from this trip, being part of a extensive tour group over a number of days is NOT RECOMMENDED. You have fun but you have no freedom. Iran is a theocracy, its individual family units seem to be a reflection. I “saved” this morning for myself about 4 days ago and have had to fight and argue over two plans made that included me throughout this day. I hate having to be curt but I can only take so much ordering around.
With all that, I have actually been good with keeping up with my own journal. I make sure to do it as everyone is going to asleep or a few minutes at a time when others are busy. Free-time to myself has been scarce at best. Furthermore, I cannot upload the entries I make at night because the computer is in the living room and my aunt and uncle sleep here, as they have turned the two bedrooms into mini-hostels for us. Since I have a lot of time today, until 5p.m, I am going to make a number of entries today but will schedule blogspot to roll them out one at a time over the next few days.
I will title the entries based on the day they are coming from. I apologize if my entries are not as organized as they can be, I do not have THAT much time to proof-read and make sure my entries have a great flow and I think I rather get more entries out there (both for myself and those who are following) than to get one or two entries out there worrying about it being perfect. I also apologize if they go off on rants and tangents. As you will see life here is pretty stressful and I may inadvertently use this place to vent, I can see it coming. Read it, skip it, do as you wish. As I’ve told my sister and mom, I am so glad I will have the six weeks of Europe to actually relax afterwards and be with myself.
-NZ