Travel note in Persia 2 Salam!!

Travel note in Persia 2, Salam!!

It was the early morning of the local time to arrive at the Mehrabad airport of Tehran. Though it was summer, the air of the Iran where I stood up for the first time was a little chilly. The cold air touched my cheaks.

I could not see any foreigner at the airport. There were full of the Iranians with the big baggages.

The men with the plain dress seemed purchasing in a stock at Dubai. The family parties seemed to live in Europe or the USA and visit their relatives in Iran. Their neat dresses and starched cloths showed where they came from..

We passed the many counters of the stone which seemed quite cold.

Then a man called me "Hello." when we were taken the inspection of the foreign currency in the exchange office.

I turned around and found a man who I have seen somewhere is standing. It was the brother of my husband who I have seen by a photograph.

"Here is your brother!" I called my husband, he turned around with surprise.

When he noticed Brother,they stared at moment and put their hands on shoulders. Then they shook their hands and huged each other. Tears come down from their eyes.

No one can enter to the inside of the airport to greet us. But the brother came just on our arriving time to get the custom documents.

"All were waiting for you outside more than one hour." Brother said.

"I want to go out immediately, but the custom is too crowded. It takes a lot for the baggage inspection." my husband said.

"There are 20 or 30 people of six cars to welcome you." Brother said to me.

Six cars!!

Iranian family

My husband has parents, a sister and two brothers. One of the brothers live in the USA and visit Iran for some months. All of them and many more nephews, nieses, cousins, friends would gather in the airport.

It took more than one hour to open all the baggage in the custom. I didnot understand Farsi. I could not negotiate with the custom inspector. So I saw the surroundings and the exit.

There was a glazed wall in the exit and the outside was so crowded like a jam-packed train and it was a bizarre sight.

As for the other side of the wall of the certain glass of width 20 meters are so crowded of people. Everyone has seemed to come to welcome someone. All the people stared at this side.

Although I was a bit scared to look at them, I found the faces that I could recognize. They were a nephew and nieces. They swung their hands largely. So I did to them too.

Hearty welcome

We became angry that the custom inspection was too late though we did not show it to the inspectors. At last we got outside. The relatives of the outside were waiting for us in front of the exit.

I was so nervous. I stepped forward in one step.

As soon as I opened the gate, so many people were surrounded us. I could not know who is a relative, who is a stranger.

"Salam! (Hello)"

First I shook hands with the nephew who came near to me. Then some women huged me. Mother whom eyes were filled with tears also kissed me.

Men shook hands with me. Women kissed and huged me.

They gave me marguerite, gladiolus and many bouquets. I left them on the top of the baby car that my children were on.

Some of relatives lifted the children up. Everyone huged and kissed them.

"Salam! (Hello)"

"Khoshumadi! (Welcome)"

Although I understood only these two words at that time, I heard from everywhere. I recognized I was very welcomed by all of the relatives.