25 Things about Qum

In the spirit of the “25 things that you never knew about me” Facebook lists that are going around, I thought I’d write 25 things about Qum! BTW, if you’re my FB friend, don’t even dare tagging me in one of those lists! If you want to know about me, just read my blog.

So here it is... 25 things you (hopefully) never knew about Qum:

1. A car flashing headlights at you while you’re in Qum means “Don’t even think about crossing the road”

2. I have yet to find a pavement/sidewalk that I can actually walk on without tripping over steps, holes or garbage!

3. Iranian women somehow manage to juggle school bags, handbags and young kids and STILL manage to keep their chadors on their heads. I fail to handle my school bag and chador.

4. Iranian restaurant chefs are lazy. They can cook chelo kebab and maybe juje kebab if you’re lucky. That’s it.

5. Qum water is salty. Dishes have water marks on them, no matter how many times you wash them.

6. We only get 1-day weekends here – Fridays. One of the toughest things that I’ve come across here!

7. On that note, there is no water on Fridays – it’s the day that EVERYONE has a shower, does their laundry and cleans their house.

8. Further more, EVERYTHING in the city is closed on Fridays from late morning to evening. It’s how I imagine Sundays should be back in the West – a day to spend with the family.

9. Making tea is an art here. If your host offers you tea, it can take them upto an hour to actually serve it to you.

10. You can buy most medicines over the counter here (anti-biotics, Prozac...)

11. There’s a mosque on every street corner.

12. There’s a beauty salon on every street corner (are these 2 related?). Women’s beauty salons have a yellow curtain on the door saying “men not allowed in” or something to that effect.

13. Qum people are very nosy. Random people on the street will make it their business to know your business and comment on it. In such circumstances, I pretend to not know Farsi.

14. Kellog’s Cornflakes are $7 a box. (if you’re planning a trip out here, I like All Bran and Rice Krispies!)

15. Same with imported Cadbury’s (Dairy Milk and Whole Nut – hint, hint!!)

16. Fruits and vegetables are seasonal and don’t keep for very long.

17. Iranian dates are the best in the world – just watch out for the occasional bug!

18. Garbage collections happen every night – you just leave your garbage outside and its gone in the morning!

19. People (and cats) go through your garbage. Its not uncommon to come out of your house and find your garbage all over the street. I think they look for things they can sell or recycle, so I put out bottles in separate bags.

20. Even old bread is bought and re-used as cattle feed. (The man walks in the alleyways shouting “noone khushk” meaning dry bread)

21. People from all over the world come to Qum to study. It’s like the United Nations, with people from Azerbaijan, Myanmar and African countries I never knew existed.

22. Most people’s geography here sucks. They have no idea where most countries are on a world map. They can barely point out their own country

23. EVERYONE (and their goldfish) in this city wants to learn English.

24. Most young women here are very slim, but after 40, this suddenly changes and they all put on weight... must be all the rice they eat!

25. Despite all this, it’s still home! (well, home for now!) and I’m starting to like it here (sort of!)