***
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other”
doesn’t make any sense.
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.
Rumi
In my travel notes “Fork&Spoon” I share my experiences of life in Iran. If this country brings to your mind only contradictions and fears, with a gloomy visualization of a black chador, I invite you to embark on an intriguing journey with me. Iran is very different from the way it is portrayed in the news headlines. I spent a long time living in Tehran, where I met many friends, and I traveled extensively, immersing myself in the Persian language, traditions, and customs. Living at the foot of the Elborz mountain range challenged stereotypes, helped me discover myself, and sparked my creativity. I invite you to explore, through the lens of my research, the rich history, diverse cultures, and timeless worlds that the ancient East offers. Iranians, in many ways, are much closer to Ukrainians than one might think at first glance.
Prologue
My life changed dramatically at the age of twenty-seven when I met him — an Iranian. Where he was from or what culture he belonged to didn’t matter at all. What mattered was the storm that suddenly occurred inside me, the whirlwind of emotions that came out of nowhere.
I remember meeting a girl from a Krishna temple near Kyiv during my student years. I had visited the temple with a friend who was passionate about exploring new cultures. The nun there has glanced at the lines of my fate on the hand and predicted a man I couldn't even to imagine. For a long time, her prophecy seemed incomprehensible, even false.
Then, when my gay friend suggested a fictitious marriage to improve our chances of migrating to Canada, for a brief moment, I recalled the words of the girl from the temple. And now, here I am. I never dreamed of Iran, yet the East became my stern teacher and the one who gave me my true love.
Through the experiences and lessons of this world — one that fate swept me into — I discovered a new side of myself. I shattered old stereotypes and immersed myself in the philosophical depth of Persia.
