"Here we do not believe it if it is on the news where in America you do."

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Five Americans Arrive in Iran
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-07-23 10:09. Iran
People's Peace Delegation to Iran Reports

REPORT 072107 by Geoff Millard: In a country that is two-thirds desert a garden is considered paradise and as the delegation walks through the gates of one such paradise, in the southern city of Shiraz, the children on a school trip engulf us attempting the handful of English words they know.

"Hello" they yell with a child's innocence.
"Hello" we all would say back.
Quickly they respond with a "where are you from?
"America" we say with a smile.
"Oh, oh I love Amreekyee!"

This conversation will continue with each of the several children getting to practice their English while we get to attempt a political discussion that is normally met with confused looks of a person lacking the English or a response of "I do not think much about politics." Phil jokes that this could be the national greeting. Expressing the affection that is given to us here may be impossible to explain in a text or even by the spoken word without one seeing it for themselves.

This interaction is a reprieve for the members of the delegation who spent morning walking through the ruins of Persoplis hearing twenty-five hundred years of history while the sun bakes us in 110-degree weather. Our day was full and after a few days of travel that, took us from Washington to London and finally landing in Tehran we were lagging but enthusiastic. The enthusiasm was carried from the Friday prayers at Tehran University strait through our late night flight and arrival in Shiraz where our day of listening to history would begin.

- snip -

Many in the delegation are surprised to hear how little the Iranians even consider war between our two countries and this is confirmed with our dinner conversation. One of the young women, Marziyee says, "they don't even think of it at all" when talking about her classmates at Shiraz University. She goes on to say that the difference between Iran and the United States is that "here we do not believe it if it is on the news where in America you do."

Our trip will continue for many more days but if the reception is this warm then the heat of the days may be its only rival. We will hit the road today heading north back toward Tehran.

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