Iran and I

My name is Sophia Saleh, and I am an Iranian American who has never been to Iran, due to the current regime. I grew up learning Farsi and practicing Persian culture, and as I have grown in understanding of the importance of preserving culture, felt praricularly drawn towards my heritage. I wanted to showcase what an important impact Persian literature has had on society today, and began the Persian Connection, a non-profit organization that focuses on analyzing modern-day Iran through the lense of Persian literature. This is the Persian Connection Blog, a platform with resources for Persian language learning, renowned literature analysis, cultural education and information, and personal updates following my journey on this project.

Me jumping over fire for Charshanbe Suri

I am honored to report an internship with the Golestan School this past July! Golestan School is a non-profit international preschool and elementary school based in El Cerrito, California. This school is home to a rich language-focused program, offering world-famous Persian immersive education. At Golestan, diverse backgrounds are celebrated and brought to life through interactions with other multi-cultural students and staff. I attended Golestan School for a summer program in 2018, and experienced an immersive summer, where I was surrounded by Iranians seeking to keep the Persian culture alive in the diaspora community. Before beginning Persian lessons when I was four, I had referred to the Persian language as my own “secret language”, spoken only by myself, my sister, my father, and his parents. Where I live, Bainbridge Island, an island off the coast of Seattle with only 20,000 people, my family are virtually the only Persians we know of. By the time I was seven, I had met Jayron Joon, my Persian teacher in Bellevue, and studied under her Persian Preschool program for years. It was then that I realized that the Persian language is not untouched by the rest of the world, but is a throviing culture, hosting 130 million speakers today, and about 98 million Iranians globally.

At Golestan, I was welcomed by a vibrant community of scholars, counselors, and classmates who showed me that the Persian language is not only a transit for communication, but a radiant culture that is spread all over the world. As a counselor, I worked with other employees to create a culturally-rich and engaging summer experience for campers. In this sheltered environment in El Cerrito, California, Iranian children run hand-in hand with diverse campers of different backgrounds. From cooking Persian meals, playing Iranian yard games (Estop o Hava and Vasatee), listening to Iranian songs, playing Persian charades, and exploring the famous Persian library with young campers, Golestan school has created something truly special - a cultural hub of a Persian community outside of Iran.