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The day Ziba and Sami move into their new house, Maryam leaves feeling “unsettled and dissatisfied” after she tries to figure out whether Ziba really wants her to stay for dinner.
I think this quote sums it up beautifully - “Sami lost his patience with these elaborate old-country courtesies that concealed everybody’s true feelings.”
Sami, Maryam and Ziba all are Iranian, but for each of them, what it means to be Iranian is very different. They each grew up in different times and different places. It seems that they are trying to hold onto customs that they don’t quite share in the same way.
How is it for you with friends from your country in the U.S.? Is it hard to know what traditions and behaviors to follow and what not to? How can you behave in a culturally appropriate way in a different context? For example, I'm never sure whether to speak English or Italian with my Irish friends when we are in Italy. Sometimes English feels right, sometimes Italian is better. Do we hug or do we kiss on both cheeks?
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Hi Jennifer, that's a very interesting question! It leads me to deep thoughts. In general, I understand our traditions well (thanks to my parents). Yet, I would not say I would follow completely. Sometimes I would feel the same as Sami does.
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing Claudia. It would be interesting to ask your parents how well they think you follow the traditions they tried to pass along to you. I'm also curious about which traditions you kept and which you decided not to follow.
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