Friday, September 16, 2005

New year

Last night one of my french friends who is doing his PhD brought some beer and we sat and talked about many different things. I can't say I've been very successful with making new friends among the French particularly because of my lack in language but this year tends to have begun quite well in this subject.
Although what I want to discuss here is a vague thing that occured to me while speaking to my friend and after that reading what Salam Pax had to say in his weblog "One day, like in
Afghanistan, those journalists will get bored and go write about Syria or Iran; Iraq will be off your media radar. Out of sight, out of mind. Lucky you, you have that option. I have to live it."

Yeah! Lucky you! I don't want to complain about my nationality but it is a fact that I had nothing to do with choosing it and although I have to live with it, it is also for the same reason that the nationality of a person is neither a subject of pride nor shame. It might take forever for the people to realize this simple thing but at the first sight it seems so unfair. In my case I try to see the bright side. At least I can see it as an opportunity to feel what many others have felt through history dealing this phenomenon and some are still facing this problem regarding the race, the religion, beliefs, birth places and so on.

Anyway, during our conversation when we were telling each other about the trips we have made and he was talking about his trip to New York while visiting US, I realized that it was so unfair and unbelievable that I have to be a person from one of the countries of "Axis of Evil". It is just like a scar which I have to carry around. And it is just because some country's president has decided to defend his country's interests by giving another one bad names!

Ignoring all the above facts I have eventually decided to try applying to a few universities in US and maybe Canada. So if anyone has a suggestion please let me know.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Which program do you wanna study? I know many Canadian universities cos I've spent at least two years on them ;)

Anonymous said...

Which president are talking about ? If Iran has a bad name is because of the IRI and no one else.

What do you expect from a country which embassy and diplomats has been held hostage for 444 days, whose marines has been blown up in Beyrouth, Khobar ?

I am sorry for you if it is hard to get a visa for the US (as it is for me to be held for special registration when I go there) but the one to be blamed for that is IRI not Bush or any other president.

Anonymous said...

ali is particularly right. The IRI is making mistakes, but what right does the US have to demonize an entire people for the actions of a few. Its the same treatment Muslims altogether get for what a small contigent does. Thats the failure of this administration. The Bush policy is not one of empowering the Iranian PEOPLE, but for alienating them by treating them with the same respect it does their unrepresenative government.

KL said...

Which program you want to study? I would suggest come for PHD. You will get full scholarship in almost each and every university in the USA. Don't come for Masters as it is hard to get scholarship. However, I would also suggest that you apply for Canada. Because, if you come to the USA, you can't go to visit Iran or attend any conference that would take place outside the USA because of the visa problem that you Iranians have with the USA.

Anonymous said...

Nema,

Profiling is the only option the US have regardless of which administration is in charge. Their policy is based on their experience. For instance, I have a EU passport and I had no trouble getting in until one of the 9/11 terrorists (Moussaoui) happens to be a French citizen. From that moment they had to change their policy.

You see we, Iranians, have this very bad habit to blame everyone and never take responsability.