December 1st 2022: Yesterday, I joined the big protest of Iranian students from 150 foreign universities across the globe. The event at our university was organized by Mahsa, a thirty-year-old woman studying astrophysics. When I saw her message in the Iranian Brandenburg residents' group chat, I knew I had to be there to help. She … Continue reading Iranian Revolution Diary (part 2)
Iranian Revolution Diary (part 1)
November 20th 2022: Yousef participated in a big protest in Berlin. With his camera lens as his witness, he shared with me the videos he had taken. Through the snow, people shouted with a fierce passion. The cold didn't matter. Meanwhile, my sister sent me a song on Telegram. It was a cover of Shervin's … Continue reading Iranian Revolution Diary (part 1)
Stories of people (Mark)
They say FOMO is fear of missing out, being excluded from something others are experiencing, or not being somewhere you think you should be. FOMO unexpectedly surrounded me when all of my friends in Sweden had a reunion, and I was not there. Actually, I am not sure if it should be considered a fear. … Continue reading Stories of people (Mark)
Tehran, Gallo, where am I?
It's Monday. The old clock on the wall is dead but still making a noise. It stopped at 12:50. The fog outside has slightly touched the windows. I'm sitting on the couch and writing. There is some stuff on the couch; a few blankets, a local musical instrument that is very similar to an Iranian … Continue reading Tehran, Gallo, where am I?
Stories of people (Addi)
He looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes and said:" I wish to be surprised for my birthday. Nobody has ever done that. It was always me who made plans and invited people. When I was twenty, I got this idea in my head to be in different countries for my birthdays, which has … Continue reading Stories of people (Addi)
Stories of people (Valentin)
Maybe it was one Monday morning that his melancholic headache from the last night's drinking convinced him to quit his job. He used to wear his uniform and go to the bank every day. On the weekends, he went out with his friends and had fun. His salary was not bad; it could pay his … Continue reading Stories of people (Valentin)
Stories of people (Dani)
His hair was blue. His eyes didn’t look like people from the west. He always smiled in a particular way; he only moved the left side of his lips upwards. When I first met him, I couldn’t guess where he came from; I could only assume that he was from somewhere in the East. He … Continue reading Stories of people (Dani)
When astronomy seems close…
When I was fourteen, for the first time in my life, I asked myself about myself. ''What do I really want to become?'' I asked. One night when we were on a road trip in the desert with my family, I wanted to know if my dad had ever encountered the same question. He told … Continue reading When astronomy seems close…
When you go abroad
Starting living on my own was a huge step. I didn’t just leave my parents’ house and move to another place, not another city, but another continent. I made a big step out of my comfort zone while I had never traveled alone or lived somewhere on my own. When I said goodbye to my … Continue reading When you go abroad
When it’s too hard to get out of your bed
I moved to Sweden to do an Erasmus exchange program for one semester in January 2022. I’m kind of sure that the 2019 version of me who was trying to apply for universities abroad never imagined that in less than two years, she had already studied in two different countries. Let alone one of which … Continue reading When it’s too hard to get out of your bed
A slice of me 