KhabarNameh ‫ﺧﺒﺮﻧﺎﻣﮫ‬

Newsletter of the Peace Corps Iran Association Volume 1 - Number 1 - September 2012

Birth of the Peace Corps Iran Association

PCIA Launches KhabarNameh By Mary Marks

By Jackie Spurlock The energy at last summer’s Iran Peace Corps reunion in Portland was palpable! We’re sure you felt it too. Several of us knew we could take that energy to the next level, and we’ve been working ever since to bring the Peace Corps Iran Association into existence. First we identified two general purposes: 1) Use the goals and ideals of the Peace Corps to build a climate of mutual respect, interaction, and peace between Americans and Iranians, and provide a forum for Americans to gain a better understanding of Iran; and 2) Gather, preserve, and communicate the legacy of Peace Corps Iran. We came up with the group’s name last winter, based on input from you, the members. One by one, five more Iran RPCV’s stepped up to join the board of the fledgling organization, for a total of seven. You see our names in the page 5 sidebox. We incorporated in Oregon (Continued on page 2)

Welcome to KhabarNameh: the Peace Corps Iran Association Newsletter. With this first issue PCIA initiates its efforts to sustain and share the legacy of the Peace Corps in Iran. If you were a volunteer, trainer, language instructor, staff member or are in any way interested in Iran, the Peace Corps Iran Association (PCIA) is here to serve you. KhabarNameh, “newsletter”in Farsi, will update you on PCIA’s activities. In this issue, we discuss our upcoming reunion, to be held jointly with the National Peace Corps Association, in Boston next June. We also feature the formation of our organization, the results of PCIA’s recent survey, the priorities for the association, and PCIA’s progress towards achieving federal recognition as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Connecting with other Peace Corps volunteers and staff who served in Iran was a high priority for many who responded to the recent PCIA survey. With your help, KhabarNameh will be a link to those you knew in Iran. “Member News,”“Volunteers Write Their Stories,”and “In Passing”will be regular columns in this newsletter IF you, the reader, contribute. We are relying on you to keep KhabarNameh current. Iran today is a compelling interest of many former volunteers. “Cultural Mirrors”and “Books, Books, Books,”are forums for Iran in the arts, both past and present. “Staying Updated on Iran,”a speIf you were a volunteer, trainer, cial feature for this issue, outlines language instructor, staff member pathways for keeping current via or are in any way interested in Iran, the Web, and “Iran on the Web” the Peace Corps Iran Association links to Web sites of interest. (PCIA) is here to serve you. Here, too, we need your ideas, your contributions. Are there books you would like to review, Iranian artists you want to discuss, Web sites you feel are important? Tell us. KhabarNameh is your newsletter. Please send your ideas for making it the best it can be to [email protected] .

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Member Survey Helps Set Goals for PCIA

(Continued from page 1)

in March 2012 and held our first official board meeting on May 21. Because the board members live all over the country, we use Skype, and through this modern miracle, we can actually see each other as we meet. By June, officers were elected and the bylaws were approved. The board conducted a survey to learn what you see as priorities for the organization. With this newsletter we reach another milestone, thanks to Mary Marks and Doug Schermer. PCIA’s board members

By Douglas Schermer

During June 2012, Peace Corps Iran Association members were asked to complete an online survey to help establish priorities for the association. A total of 92 people responded to the survey. A copy of the survey results were sent by email to all members in July. PCIA focuses on two broad goals: to “gather, preserve, and communicate the legacy of the Peace Corps in Iran”and to build a “climate of respect and peace between Americans and Iranians.” Here are some of the survey highlights: “Sharing written memories of your Peace Corps experience in Iran” had the highest rating of any activity on the survey. A statistical tie was “creating a contact list of participants in your training group”. Highly rated items under “information you would like to receive”inWe incorporated in Oregon cluded “directory information about PCIA members,”“PCIA in March and held our first news and activities,”“news about PCIA members,”and “articles official board meeting on written by PCIA members.” May 21. In the area of promoting peace and respect between Americans and Iranispan the range of Peace Corps’ ans, the two items that stood out were “writing short articles about years in Iran. Our hope is that you Iran for publication in newspapers and other print media”and know at least one of us, because we “facilitating group tours to Iran.” want to hear your concerns and in- In fact, almost all of the possible activities for PCIA showed strong supterests for the group. As we get the port. In addition, there were many who volunteered to help make structure in place, we will turn these things happen! more to activities geared to meet Respondents indicated a strong preference to receive information by the organization’s goals. Speak to email. This newsletter is the first attempt at this. us! Sincere thanks to those who completed the survey.

Establishing Goals for the Peace Corps Iran Association The PCIA board surveyed Iran RPCVs and former staff on our email list in June to help establish ahort and long-term goals. Survey respondents indicated that facilitating communication within the group was a top priority. To this end, PCIA is:  establishing KhabarNameh: the Peace Corps Iran Association Newsletter  planning a reunion, in collaboration with the National Peace Corps Association  locating Iran RPCVs to add to its Sharing List Sharing written memories of their Peace Corps experiences was another goal of those who responded to the survey. KhabarNameh now directs readers to online and published accounts by Iran volunteers. We hope this newsletter will be a conduit for information about Iran and its Peace Corps history. When the association develops its own Web site, volunteers will be able to post their stories directly on the site. This will also contribute to developing an informal history of the Peace Corps in Iran, another area of high interest. Applying for tax-exempt status as a 501 (c) 3 organization is another priority for the organization. A complex process, a successful application will allow us to manage our finances and governance in ways that benefit the organization. PCIA also seeks to build a climate of respect and peace between Americans and Iranians. Discussions on how to realize this vital, but complex long-term goal are ongoing.

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From the President By Jackie Spurlock When Mike and I left Iran in March 1978, with our infant son, born in Isfahan, in tow, we could never have imagined the changes that were in store for the country we cared so deeply about. Almost from the moment we got home, we realized that even after four years in Iran, we had not been aware that the country was being shaken to its very roots. Within ten months of our departure, the Shah himself was gone, something that was unthinkable when we began our Peace Corps journey in 1974. We found it painful and confusing to process what was going on there. Nothing in the news seemed to reflect our experiences. Who was reporting on the kindness of the peoI believe that those of us who ple, the sense of hope in the rapidly lived in Iran, who worked side by modernizing country? Where had side with Iranians, who speak this fury come from? What had we (spoke?) their language, and PCVs been doing there? None of it know their culture and history, made sense, and over the years, the have a responsibility to help puzzle pieces settled themselves into Americans see the human side of a new pattern in our narrative. The Iran. Iran we had loved was gone. We raised our children, including the boy born in Isfahan, to speak a few words of Farsi. They played on Persian rugs and they love baghali pollo. But we did not relate to the Iran we saw in the news. Finally, with the childrearing years behind us and the drumbeats of war as a backdrop, we thought if we don’t go now, we may never be able to. So in summer 2006, we joined a Global Exchange tour that would change our lives. For two weeks we traveled throughout Iran, even managing to stop in Abadeh, our first PC site, and find old friends. Our joy and relief at finding such a welcoming, normal-feeling country was overwhelming. After that trip we began presenting slideshows around our region, bringing the message to Americans that so many Iranians had communicated to us: “We are sorry about the problems between our two governments. But it is just a governmental concern, it is not between the peoples. We love the American people.”The first time somebody said this to me, I was moved to tears. But we continued to hear it frequently on that trip and on our next one in November, 2008. I believe that those of us who lived in Iran, who worked side by side with Iranians, who speak (spoke?) their language, and know their culture and history, have a responsibility to help Americans see the human side of Iran. This was my purpose in organizing the reunion last summer, and as we initiate Peace Corps Iran Association, I envision an organization that supports and encourages its members to reach out to Americans to help increase their understanding of the issues, history, commonalities, and yes, challenges of the relationship between our peoples. I look forward to hearing your vision and ideas for PCIA.

IRAN REUNION IN BOSTON AT NPCA GATHERING JUNE 28-29 Mark Your Calendars!

Boston Reunion for Iran Volunteers, June 28, 2013 PCIA will join the National Peace Corps Association at its 2013 “Gathering”in Boston, June 28-29. NPCA is reserving Friday, June 28 for meetings of volunteers from individual countries. So Peace Corps Iran will be having its second reunion that day! Our recent survey demonstrated getting together with former colleagues and group members is a high priority for many of you. We are delighted to follow our wonderful 2011 Portland reunion with this full-day get-together in Boston. KhabarNameh will keep you informed as details about the June reunion solidify. But we need help in planning. Please volunteer by contacting either Doug Schermer at [email protected], or Jackie Spurlock at [email protected].

Michael Hillmann (Mashhad, 196567) was a presenter at the Portland reunion, 2011.

KhabarNameh - The Peace Corps Iran Association Newsletter - Page 4 Join Us in Finding Former Volunteers By John Salamack PCIA is seeking people to help locate returned volunteers, staff, language instructors, and others we knew in connection with the Peace Corps whether from our training groups or during service incountry. Last year's Portland reunion was a major step forward in compiling a comprehensive list, but we still have a long way to go. I head a new committee, Finding Friends, that will coordinate the search for volunteers and others whose names have not yet surfaced. This committee needs members. Please note that the committee will respect everyone's wishes and privacy. Those who choose not to be "found" will remain "unfound." Inclusion is voluntary. If you would like to join the “Finding Friends”committee, please contact me at [email protected].

Volunteer… Again! PCIA Needs Your Help Peace Corps Iran Association is a new organization. To put its goals into action, it needs your help. You volunteered to serve in Iran, so volunteer again! Here are some of the areas where your valuable input will make a difference. Communication KhabarNameh seeks volunteers as:  writers  editors  reviewers for books, art, music, and films  designers, publishers: help with layout and publishing with appropriate software Contact Mary Marks at [email protected] Website: Desperately seeking a Website designer. Experience with WordPress highly desirable. Contact Jackie Spurlock at [email protected] Email manager, especially someone who knows or can learn how to use Mailchimp (www.mailchimp.com). Contact Doug Schermer at [email protected] Travel to Iran: Have you been back to Iran? Tell us about it. Contact Mary Marks at [email protected] Legacy: Reunion: Help plan PCIA sessions and activities for June 28 at NPCA’s 2013 “Gathering”in Boston. Contact Jackie Spurlock at [email protected] or Doug Schermer at [email protected] . Locating volunteers who served in Iran. If you would like to help locate individuals who are not on PCIA’s “Sharing List,”or have specific information contact John Salamack at [email protected]. Oral and video histories:  Gather oral histories  Write and submit your memoirs of Iran  Make video clips of interviews  Help archive written, oral, and video histories Contact Doug Schermer at [email protected] In Passing: Help gather and share information on those who have passed on. Contact Genna Wangsness at [email protected]. Join Us on Facebook

Did you know we have a lively group discussing Iran and Peace Corps topics on Facebook? Because it’s a closed group, you have to ask to join, but we want you to! Visit www.facebook.com. You must have a Facebook account to do this, so create one first if you need to. Then type Peace Corps Iran Association in the search box at the top. On the group’s page, click Ask to Join Group. We will confirm your request within a day or two, and you’ll be in! Recent discussion topics have included earthquake relief in Iran, the Olympics, and memories of Peace Corps days. See you on Facebook!

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Cultural Mirrors: The Arts By Carolyn Yale Anyone familiar with Iran no doubt appreciates the esteem given to the arts. Persian poetry, music, plastic arts such as architecture –all are traditions that feed into today’s thriving cultural scene, both within Iran and among Iranians living and working in other countries. The quality and richness of expression by contemporary Iranian artists is capturing attention worldwide. We hope to use this column to highlight contemporary art events that you’ll find entertaining, educational, and possibly thought-provoking. In this newsletter we’re starting off with the acclaimed film, A Separation. Written and directed by Ashgar Farhadi, A Separation is familiar to Americans for receiving the 2011 Oscar award as “Best Foreign Film.” Before its discovery by Americans it had garnered audiences and awards within Iran and Europe. Its success reflects, of course, overall caliber of script, acting, drama— but also the fact that it succeeds in being both uniquely Iranian, and approachable for Westerners. The situation it explores is that of a couple in the throes of breaking up, coping with a parent with Alzheimer’s, concerned with child and home care, and many other all-too-familiar challenges of domestic life. Farhadi brings out the best in his cast, eliciting PCIA BOARD OF performances that are uniformly compelling. The chemistry between husDIRECTORS band Nader (Peyman Moadi) and his frustrated wife Simin (Leila Hatami) is riveting; equally effective are Sareh Bayat as the hired woman Razieh, and Jackie Spurlock - President her hot-headed husband Hodjat, played by Sahab Hosseini. Sarina Farhadi (Abadeh, 1974-76) does a wonderful job in a pivotal role as Termeh, Nader and Simin’s daughPortland, OR ter. [email protected] While Westerners will recognize these characters and their problems, Ken Opin - Vice-President what’ s unfamiliar is how these issues play out in Iran, with its distinctive so(Semnan, 1964-66) cial classes, beliefs regarding men’s and women’s roles, the court system’s Madison, WI approach to divorce, etc. The action is fast, often tense; solutions spark for a [email protected] moment, only to be thwarted. There’s no ‘ending’to give away, really: The Carolyn Yale - Secretary film doesn’t conclude so much as ask questions and leave the viewers to pon(Shiraz, 1974-75) der. My first reaction to A Separation was, how Persian: other cultures, perOakland, CA haps, would be quick to impose a resolution on what may be (who [email protected] knows?)— an intractable situation. Douglas Schermer In an interview last year [UK, The Guardian, 15 July 2011] Farhadi Treasurer confirmed that by posing questions, he (Semnan, 1966-67) hopes “[the] film will continue inside the We hope to use this column to Wayland, IA viewer.” As we ponder the interperhighlight contemporary art [email protected] sonal, religious, and social complications events that you’ll find entertainMary (Beckett) Marks in this drama, and see little settled, are we ing, educational, and possibly Newsletter Editor left without hope? Several thematic thought-provoking. (Kerman, 1964-66) strands may be the life rope. One is an New York, NY [email protected] underlying civility and decency among people of very different backgrounds and conditions: chai may not resolve everything, but it beats violence. AnJohn Krauskopf other is a concern for children - the next generation - and respect for their (Ahwaz, 1965-67, 1969) well-being and feelings. Children, I observe, often have important dramatic San Francisco, CA roles in Iranian films, and A Separation is no exception. Perhaps we can [email protected] look to the daughter, Termeh (played by the director’s daughter) to redefine John Salamack and resolve what adults have sundered. (Bojnoord, 1965-67) A Separation is available online and as a DVD. Please send comAlbuquerque, NM ments and suggestions for future columns to me at [email protected]. [email protected]

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Writing Our Stories Many who responded to our survey were interested in writing and reading Peace Corps accounts of Iran. For our 2012 reunion in Portland, John Krauskopf (Ahwaz, 1965-67, 1969) prepared a list of RPCV authors and their work. Many of us read during two Friday sessions. As this column will feature Peace Corps Iran writers whose stories are accessible, either online or in published works, we will draw on this list and other resources for authors to feature. When PCIA establishes a Web site, Iran writers will be able to post their stories there. This issue of KhabarNameh directs you to the work of Paul Pitzer (Ahar, 1966-68) and John Krauskopf, who both read stories at the reunion. Paul’s full length memoir, Hello Mister: A memory of my two years with the Peace Corps in Iran, appears on his Web site http://home.comcast.net/~mrpitzer/Mister/. Check it out for amusing, sensitive tales of his life in a small Azerbaijan town . John Krauskopf has published stories in collections that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. The Peace Corps at 50, a four-volume anthology of writing by volunteers, was part of its anniversary celebration. His story, “Bakhshesh and the Western Psyche," appears in the volume A Small Key Opens Big Doors. Another story by John, “A Miracle in the Desert,”appeared in Americans Do Their Business Abroad: The Peace Corps Latrine Reader. Both of these anthologies are available from Amazon.com. If your stories appear in print or online, or you are aware of pubJohn Krauskopf leads a session lished work by other Iran volunteers, do not keep it to yourself! Contact at the Portland reunion in 2011 Mary Marks at [email protected]. featuring author readings.

From the World Wide Web By Douglas Schermer In this issue of KhabarNameh, we’ve located videos and programs featuring volunteers from Iran. Steve Horowitz (Maragheh, 1968-71) hosts “Your World,”a TV program from the Office of International Studies and Programs at Central Washington University. Two of the programs now on the Web are of special interest. In “Iran”Steve interviews a CWU faculty member from Iran while in “Peace Corps”he and two other returned Peace Corps volunteers (Barbados and South Korea) talk about their Peace Corps experience. http://www.cwu.edu/international-programs/your-world-videos. Iran Returned Peace Corps Volunteers on YouTube Ernie Zaremba (Tanzania, 1964-66) is touring the country collecting short video clips in which volunteers tell stories of their service. He posts them on YouTube under the heading of Peace Corps Family Album. He was busy at the NPCA Gathering in Minneapolis conducting more interviews. Iran volunteers are featured at this Web site. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYOZ9vC4H8c. Jeanette Gottlieb (Hamadan, 1965-67) appears at this Web site as part of a Peace Corps at 50 celebration in northeast New York. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5AcAiOCs18&feature=related. Group One Reunion Video from their recent reunion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh18nr4iMpM&feature=related. And here is the link to the first of a series of interview clips with Jeff Curtis (Qeshm, 1967-70). Once you begin, you can easily locate the other clips. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szWc08ccRPE&feature=relmfu.

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In Passing Judith Ann Marie Brooks, born on July 14, 1940 in Portland, Oregon, died in Tucson, Arizona on April 23, 2012. Judi served in Peace Corps Iran teaching English at a college in Molasani from 1964-1966. For a fuller obituary copy the URL below if it does not open automatically. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tucson/obituary.aspx?n=judith-ann-marie-brooks&pid=157274866#fbLoggedOut

If you are aware of other members of the Peace Corps Iran family who have passed away, please contact Genna Wangsness at [email protected]. Left: Gretchen Kafoury (Zanjan, 1964-66) and Judi Brooks at the 2011 reunion in Portland, Oregon.

Staying Updated on Iran PCIA Seeks 501( c)(3) By Douglas Schermer One of the outcomes of the 2011 reunion in Portland was a clear need to seek legal status as a nonprofit organization. The main benefit is that all donations will be tax deductible. Progress has been made but much more is yet to be done. March 19, 2012 marks the birthday of the Peace Corps Iran Association, the day we were officially incorporated as a nonprofit in the state of Oregon. We have the birth certificate to prove it. The next step is qualifying as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit for tax purposes. We have obtained an employee identification number and are working with a consultant in Oregon to guide us as we prepare the necessary forms. As a corporation, we share an address and space under Jackie and Mike Spurlock’s roof and sleep in one of her file drawers. While we do not eat any of their food, we take a lot of their time. The data from the member survey have helped the board set goals for the association. These goals play a vital role in the 501(c)(3) application process because we must describe who we are and what we plan to do. Carolyn Yale and I are currently working on the application and hope to have it ready for submission sometime this fall.

By Jackie Spurlock Here are some free services you can use to receive regular news updates on Iran: Yahoo Alerts. Go to www.yahoo.com and log in (create an account if you don’t have one). On the left-hand side under “Yahoo! Sites”, click on “More Y! Sites”at the bottom of the list. Click on Alerts. On the “Create an Alert”tab, click on “Keyword News”. In the “Include”box, type Iran. Choose how often you want alerts and where you want them delivered. I have an email sent to me once a day that has links to about 10 articles or so that appeared on the Internet that day. New York Times Alerts. Go to www.nytimes.com and log in (create an account if you don’t have one). Under NEWS ALERTS, click on “Create News Alert”. Click on “Topic Alert”. Under Step 1: Choose Topic, type in Iran. Click Create beside the topics that match your interests. “Iran”is currently number 13 on the list. I receive an email several times a week with a New York Times article about Iran, for free! Trap!t. “Sit back, relax and let the Web come to you www.trapit.com scours the Web for you 24/7 to discover up-to-the minute, personalized content on your favorite topics and interests.”I really like this service and have traps on several topics set up, including one on Iran. Just google Trap-It, because they have a really weird URL. Create an account. Type Iran in the Discover box. When they come up with a bunch of articles, click on Trap it! This sets up a “trap”for you, and every day you will receive an email with a lot of articles on your chosen topic that have been “trapped”for you. There are lots of other services you can use to stay current. Which ones do you like? Tell us.

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Are You a Member of PCIA? You are a member if you have provided us your contact information. In its bylaws, PCIA defines as “members”those who have given us this information. At present about 180 people have done so. You are one of them if you have received a copy of the “sharing list”which is an “opt-in”directory we share only with others on the list. But there are an additional 125 or so for whom we only have an email address. Send your contact information (name, address, phone number, email address, years and location of service) to Doug Schermer at [email protected] and you will be added to the membership list. There are no membership dues at present. Our modest costs are supported by unspent funds from last year’s reunion in Portland. As PCIA’s activities increase, its board may revisit this issue.

Member News This is an empty column in this first issue of KhabarNameh, but you, PCIA’s members, can fill the next issue with news about what you’re doing. Going on a trip to Iran or somewhere else exciting? In touch with Iran RPCVs? We want to know. How about your work? A promotion? Publish an article or book? Share the good news. Tell PCIA. We’ll brag about it here, along with other activities we haven’t even guessed at. Contact Mary Marks at [email protected] with updates to your life.

Genna Wangsness (Shiraz, 1965-71) reunites with Shahla Dorry Kamali at the reunion.

National Peace Corps Association PCIA is affiliated with the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA), which serves the interests of all returned Peace Corps Volunteers. We have received help from NPCA as we seek to become taxexempt and become an effective organization. When you join NPCA, you will be given the opportunity to join both a geographic organization such as Iowa and a country of service organization. If you select Peace Corps Iran Association, NPCA will automatically transfer $15 to PCIA. NPCA will be especially helpful as we plan for the reunion in Boston, June 2013. They will take care of all the details during the Gathering while we will organize several reunion and information sessions on Friday, June 28th. Goudarz Eghtedari, President of The NPCA website opens the door to a world of information and the American Iranian Friendship resources for returned volunteers: www.peacecorpsconnect.org/ Council (AIFC), welcomed reunion If this URL to Jackie Spurlock’s reunion report does not open, copy attendees to Portland. AIFC was and it in your browser to read it. http:// the fiscal sponsor of the reunion. www.peacecorpsconnect.org/2011/08/a-historic-gathering-of-former-iranHe spoke warmly of the impact of peace-corps-volunteers/ Peace Corps volunteers on his life.

IRAN REUNION - JUNE 28, 2013 - AT NPCA GATHERING - BOSTON

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Books, Books, Books By Mary Marks Reading is my favorite way to learn more - about most anything, but in this case, about Iran. In this inaugural issue of KhabarNameh, I chose two authors, John Limbert (Sanandaj, 1964-66), and Azadeh Moaveni. In Negotiating with Iran, Limbert, one of Peace Corps’own, demonstrates how insightful interpretation of our countries’shared history can inform current diplomacy. In Lipstick Jihad, Iranian-American Moaveni leads us through the quandaries she faced as a journalist in post-revolutionary Tehran, a city enshrined in her parents’fond memories of the 1970s, but bearing little resemblance to their accounts. Negotiating with Iran: Wrestling the Ghosts of History, by John W. Limbert. Institute of Peace Press, 2009. 200p. Limbert, a 33-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service, reaches out to an American audience, demonstrating his broad understanding of Iran’s past and present, and the pitfalls of American-Iranian diplomacy. This increasingly negative interaction has hardened Iranian and American perceptions of each other, contributing greatly to the difficulties faced by individuals, like former Iran volunteers, who advocate broadening the understanding about Iran here in the United States. In four post-World War II case studies, Limbert illustrates Iran’s negotiating behavior: the Azerbaijan crisis of 1945-47, where Iran protected that wealthy province from the Soviets; the events of 1951-53, leading to Iran’s nationalization of its oil industry, and the subsequent CIA activities overthrowing Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and reinstating the shah; the 1979 seizure of the American embassy by Iranian students; and the arms-for-Lebanese hostage dealings during the 1980s Reagan administration. Generalizing from these case studies, Limbert persuasively identifies fourteen measures that would benefit negotiations between the countries, emphasizing Ambassador John and Parvaneh Limbert. Limbert was keynote that neither country will act against its own interests. Unfortunately, speaker at the Portland reunion. neither Iran nor the United States has proved willing to follow his advice. Lipstick Jihad: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America and American in Iran, by Azadeh Moaveni. Public Affairs, 2005. 260p. Moaveni, a journalist for Time magazine, was born to displaced Iranian parents in California three years before the 1979 revolution. Transmitted memories of fragrant rose gardens, distant purple mountains, and cozy meals of rice and lamb flavored her dreams about distant Iran. When, in 2000, Time offered her the opportunity to report from Tehran, she jumped at it. The post-revolutionary Iran she found differed wildly from her parents’nostalgic accounts. This Please, please write about your own fa- book is especially evocative when describing day-to-day life in vorite Iranian books for this newsletter. contemporary Tehran, where the author struggles with required clothing for women, and the necessity of learning to be a conservaContact me at tive on the outside and a modern woman otherwise. Coping with [email protected] . the bureaucrats of the new regime, this cosmopolitan expatriate attempts to make sense of a new reality. A sequel to this memoir, Honeymoon in Tehran, was published in 2009. Moaveni is also the coauthor of 2003 Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi’s book, Iran Awakening (2006). She blogs at her Web site at http://www.azadeh.info/

Forward KhabarNameh to Your Friends There are about 1500 Iran volunteers, staff members, and trainers for whom we have no contact information. Please forward this newsletter to those you know from your Peace Corps days. Ask them to contact Doug Schermer at [email protected] so they can receive future issues and email updates.