Iran

Being half Persian, I'd always felt a pull toward Iran, a place that shaped so much of my family's history, so finally having the opportunity to visit felt incredibly meaningful. I wanted to get the most out of the experience, and since I don't speak Persian, I hired a local guide named Hamed to help me see as much of the country as possible.

We began in Shiraz, a city often called the City of Poets for its long literary history and its connection to legends like Hafez and Saadi. Walking through its lively streets, I was struck by how different everyday life felt from the image of Iran so often portrayed in Western media. I also had the best koobideh kebab of my life there, a dish I'd eaten countless times at Persian restaurants back in the U.S. But the real highlight was the Pink Mosque. Early each morning, sunlight pours through its stained-glass windows, turning the entire room into a shifting mosaic of color with every step you take.

Just outside the city, we visited Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the ancient Achaemenid Empire. Standing among massive stone columns and intricate carvings that have survived over 2,500 years, I found myself picturing what this place must have looked like in its prime, one of history's greatest civilizations, alive and in motion.

From there, we made our way to Isfahan, my favorite city in Iran, and one of my favorites in the entire world. Persians have a saying, "Isfahan nesf-e jahan," meaning "Isfahan is half the world," a nod to the city's extraordinary beauty and historical weight. Standing in Naqsh-e Jahan Square, one of the largest public squares on earth, surrounded by mosques, palaces, and bazaars all still in full use, the saying made a lot more sense. Wandering the Grand Bazaar, filled with Persian carpets, spices, handicrafts, and glittering jewelry, felt like stepping back in time. Another standout moment was visiting Sheikh Mofid St and Mofid Primary School, both tied to my extended family. Seeing my own name on street signs thousands of miles from home was surreal, and it made me feel even more connected to the country.

Our final stop was Yazd, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the historic center of Zoroastrianism, one of humanity's oldest monotheistic religions. We visited the Tower of Silence, where for centuries Zoroastrians practiced sky burials, leaving their dead atop stone towers for vultures to consume. We also visited the Zoroastrian Fire Temple, home to a sacred flame that has burned continuously for centuries. Learning about a religion that predates both Christianity and Islam was another reminder of just how deep Iran's history runs.

Visiting Iran was far more than another country on my journey. It was a chance to better understand a part of myself that had always felt slightly out of reach. Long after I left, what stayed with me wasn’t just the history, the architecture, and the food. It was the feeling of finally walking through a place that, in many ways, felt like home.