Spending 4 years in Tehran taught me to love the contrast between these two worlds. I spent weekends hiking in Darband and Darakeh to escape the city's frantic pace, and evenings wandering the chaotic alleys of the Bazaar, engaging with merchants who have worked in the same stalls for generations. 3. The Art of "Taarof" and Social Interaction

Why four years? Because the first year is for wonder, the second for struggle, the third for understanding, and the fourth for belonging. The city of Tehran isn't beautiful in a classical sense—it lacks the symmetry of Paris or the patina of Rome.