Where are you from?

Location: Las Vegas, in the elevator in front of the MGM
Time: 12:35 PM


An American guy came inside the elevator, joined my Mom and I. He listened to our conversation for 10 second and asked politely: May I ask where are you from?

Me: Iran

He: Where???

Me: IIIIran!!

He: Ahh, Iran.

Me: Yep.

He: Nice. Is it your first trip to the US?

Me: Oh no. I actually live in California. But you asked where am I coming from, this is why I said Iran.

He: you know, I have a friend who works cross the street (He points a place with his hand). He says he is Persian.

We are now out of the elevator

Me: Well, that is another version. I know there are people from Iran calling them Persian. The fact is that now on the map the name of my country is Iran, and I come from there. And I proudly say I am Iranian.

He (With a big smile on hie face): Here you go :-). That is the way it should be.

Me: Bye.

He: Enjoy your trip.

Me: Thanks.


Later when I was translating the conversation for my Mom, I mentioned that I have so many friends who have had hard time in Iran, and here they have been mistreated just because of where they are from. I understand why they would rather go with “Persian”, to more relate themselves with older Golden time of Iran, but I have been schooled in Iran. I have learned to love in Iran, the country gave me so much more than what I gave her. I do like to speak English and French, and tell people I have learned them back at home. I love it the way it is, I call it Iran, and I wish one day I don’t see anybody being ashamed of calling him/herself Iranian.