Ampliare

Neither far, nor close; truly in the middle. Iran is a safe, warm and friendly country and that is the first impression one gets when arriving at the place. A place that is surrounded by the stigma and visions the West shows us. A place to meet ancient culture, customs, traditions and its people; people with dreams, aspirations and dissatisfactions, like any mortal in this world. Iran impresses, it just takes to look at its capital City from the sky.
Tehran is a megacity, populous as the most active of any continent. Persian hospitality is so similar to the Cuban that you never feel alone even though you do not understand anything of the language. However, people contrive to let you know that you are welcome. Hugs and some drivel, as we say in Cuba, among men are natural; never a kiss, either for men or for women and that is the first blow to your Latin American and Caribbean instincts. In the distance the women stand, which does not mean that you stop contemplating their beautiful eyes and their smooth, timid or naive face. The sober colors of their clothes are transgressed by the younger with sports clothes underneath, vivid and more fashionable costumes, from Iran, but fashionable. The newest always attracts attention, they are covered by tradition and respect, for their religion or their laws, but I am convinced that they cannot hide certain feminine instincts in their gaze, aren’t we flesh and blood?…
On a recent morning, I was preparing to take over my post from my colleague, a Colombian woman that is married to a local and has spent some years here. After the usual "Good morning” when I approached her, I leaned to kiss her cheek, and a chorus of observers, as if prepared for the occasion, shouted "Nooo!". That was my very first hot flash and shameful moment.  Who can do something against that? Luckily there was no kiss and she is not a religious or Iranian-blooded woman. Instantly, they were laughter and comments as it is in our offices or in the most familiar of the meetings with friends and colleagues. It seems simple, but still one cannot calculate the consequences. If you're in the Middle East, it is better not to see yourself in that conflict. Only here they know how to solve it: "The Iranian woman is the symbol of chastity and innocence."