E11 - Milad and Asal: Cultural Insights, Iran's Hidden Treasures and Couchsurfing Stories

What if your journey could change not only your experiences but also your worldview? Join us as we welcome Milad and Asal, a vibrant couple from Iran now living in Germany, who share their remarkable stories of travel, hospitality, and cultural exchange. Milad recounts his thrilling days as a backpacker and hitchhiker across Iran, while Asal opens up about her life in Tabas and Tehran. Hear how their encounter with the Couchsurfing community reshaped their lives—Milad’s first guest from Belgium igniting his passion for hitchhiking and Asal’s overcoming cultural hesitations with inspiration from a Taiwanese guest.

Listen to Milad and Asal as they explore the cultural implications of Couchsurfing in the Middle East. Discover how this unique form of travel has challenged traditional norms and led to meaningful, cross-cultural connections. The episode delves into their personal experiences in Iran, such as meeting each other in Yazd and attending a diverse wedding in southern Iran. We also discuss the gender dynamics within the Couchsurfing community, offering insights into how these experiences have broadened their horizons and deepened their understanding of global hospitality.

Embark on a journey through the rich cultural diversity of Iran with Milad and Asal as your guides. They paint a vivid picture of the country's lesser-known treasures, from the southern region of Balochistan to the Kurdish and Lur areas. Experience the awe of witnessing the migration of Iran’s nomadic people and the thrilling adventure of trekking through the diverse climates of Iran, using traditional local gear. This episode is a heartfelt tribute to Iran’s beauty and complexity, offering listeners an authentic glimpse into the country’s vibrant cultural landscape.

Connect with Milad and Asal:

• Couchsurfing: https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/milad-ijad
• Asal's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asal_kavusi
• Asal's YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@asalkavusi

Connect with me:

• Igar Garai Instagram: https://instagram.com/igargarai
• or be my CS guest: https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/igar-garai

Transcript

Igar: 0:00

Hello, dear travelers from around the globe, hope all you have an amazing trips while listening this podcast. And now we're back with episode 11. And today I'm excited to introduce you my guests Milad and Asal from Iran, who recently immigrated to Germany. Salaam, guys, and please feel free to introduce yourself and tell your background, maybe.

Milad: 0:23

Salaam everyone. This is Milad, and alongside my beautiful wife Asal and tell your background, maybe Salaam everyone. This is Milad, and alongside my beautiful wife Essel. We've been living here in Berlin since February 2024. Talking a bit about myself, I'm an avid backpacker and hitchhiker. I've done a lot in Iran. I come from a city southwest of Iran, by the Iraqi border, where the temperature is usually 55 degrees or 60 degrees, so you might consider me to be a very hot person. And now, with that, I would hand over the mic to my wife.

Asal: 1:01

Hi, hi everyone. My name is Asal. I come from Iran. Like Milad, I've been living in Tabas and Tehran for like around 28 years of my life, mostly around Iran about 10 years ago. So I've visited a lot of cities, villages, very far away towns and I'm excited to share some of the stories with you.

Igar: 1:37

Sweet, sweet, sweet Guys, I would like to start with the way how we met and like this application, Couchsurfing. I know that you have over 100 reviews and like. It's clearly that you have a lot of meaningful connection and interesting stories and I would like to ask you you know, in general, how your Couchsurfing story began and what motivated you to dive into this community?

Milad: 2:07

All right, all right. Story began and what motivated you to dive into this community? All right, all right. So, uh, as you know, we have two different, two separate stories here. My story started when I was 18 in my hometown. I was looking for cool applications, what's happening around the world like what's what.

Milad: 2:20

Back then, facebook was still a thing in in Iran. So I got some links, I started studying and reading through and one of the applications that was introduced to me that seemed really cool, had a really good function. And again, I'm telling you, it was back then where there was a new application coming out every day and people were actively looking for new applications. Couchsurfing came to my radar. I downloaded it, I finished my profile, put some interesting pictures and within the first two weeks, I had a guest from, if I'm not mistaking, belgium or Netherlands. Yeah, so it was my first experience. I told my father I was living back then with my father hey, father, there's this person coming from Belgium to live with us. And you know, in Iran we are very hospitable people, so it's very usual, very normal for us for our friends or relatives, co-workers, to come and stay at our home overnight. So I told my father yeah, this is a person. I know him somehow because I had read his profile and he's coming, and my father was cool, so he came and stayed with us for, I guess, two nights and I really enjoyed the experience.

Milad: 3:37

It started from there and, after a couple of guests, when I saw people hitchhiking all the way from Europe to Iran and from Iran to India, I got motivated to try it by myself. So one day during the heat of the summer, I borrowed a backpack from a friend of mine who had one and I went to the last bus stop of the city, got out of the bus and started pointing my finger towards the road that I wanted to go, and I can remember it. The weather was so hot that I could not use my phone because, like, all of my body was so sweaty. It's like I could not even use my fingers to unlock my phone. But it was there where my first truck driver picked me up and, yeah, my story started there and it has been going on. How about you?

Asal: 4:39

I don't remember exactly how I get to know couch surfing, but it was a challenge for me to start using it because, like in Iran, you cannot host people easily, especially if you're a girl. You're not supposed to host a boy or host a stranger at your house, so it's so something very strange, something very rare to do, and I was curious about getting to know other people. And when I get to know this application, I was like maybe I can hang out or meet some people. So I started using it and when I understood the logic of it was like it's trustworthy, I can read the references, I can like make friends. And I remember that my first um guest was from Taiwan, a guy from Taiwan, and I didn't tell like I I was living alone because I've I moved from my hometown to Tehran, the capital of Iran, so I could like host and but I didn't. The capital of Iran, so I could like host, but I didn't tell any member of my family. So I hope that they do not listen to this episode because up to now they don't have a clue of what I have done for like five years in Tehran and I'm not planning to tell them any time. And I'm not planning to tell them anytime.

Asal: 6:08

So I had my first guest. He was from Taiwan, like really an adventurous person, and I could learn a lot from him. He was talking about his like backpacking experiences, how he traveled all around the world, and it was like really inspiring for me to also start traveling, to also like push my boundaries, not not to be um maybe shy or afraid of um doing something that I have never done. Um, so I think couchsurfing really helped me in that way, um to start traveling and meeting new people and like doing something just spontaneous. I would say, um yeah it, it's how it started interesting and like like two completely different stories.

Igar: 7:03

Yeah, you guys were right and like very interesting and like I think Iran is usually lot and like.

Igar: 7:12

Did you experience any misconception about the country through couchsurfing? I mean can be good or bad, for example. You know, like many people don't know much, especially, uh, I don't know how it was before iran, but nowadays you know reputation of this news and you know, like a lot of fear, a lot of misconception, like how it can be and uh, and I believe again, as you also already touched, that as a girl, you really you cannot host, I mean, you cannot invite random men into your house, not even like iranian, if, if I'm not mistaken, right, just like, if it's not relative, right. So, uh, yeah, yeah, have you like, did you see? Like, or maybe, again, as a host, you had kind of privilege to show the people hey guys, look, this is our country, like this, not like what you might heard, even though I assume that in couchsurfing is more open-minded people and they still understand that country is not in use, country is like something different. That's why they was coming and experiencing it, right, um, so, yeah, what can you say?

Milad: 8:35

so, uh, you know there's a cultural aspect to it. In iran, culturally, it used to not be accepted to invite especially stranger men into your house, like throughout the whole Middle East. It's like that You're not supposed to a single woman. If a single woman is living by herself, she's not supposed to invite a stranger man to her house, or vice versa, a single man is not supposed to invite stranger women to her house oh, all right, it's another way as well, okay it's a cultural.

Milad: 9:08

You know it's a cultural thing, uh. But uh, cab surfing was here to, you know, break lots of cultural norms. You know, even backpacking, even hitchhiking, they're all against the cultural norms in the world, right? So one of the privileges that we had was to get to know camp surfing to to ask the question why is the culture like that? Maybe in the past this was beneficial, but right now it is not. So we started to go beyond the red lines of the culture of the society and we are really happy that we did that, because, uh, we're not right now. We are sitting here because of couchsurfing. We got to know you because of couchsurfing and Asal and I got to meet each other because of couchsurfing. So that's a very funny story when I was backpacking and I had a host in Yazd, in center of Iran, asal had the same host at the same time, so we got to meet each other there.

Igar: 10:09

Both of you was guests, yeah.

Milad: 10:12

Both of us were guests there.

Asal: 10:14

It was like a movie, an Indian movie.

Milad: 10:16

Yeah, over there we got talking and we got to know each other, exchanged phone numbers and after like a month or so we got back in touch and everything started from there. So we're really thankful for Couchsurfing and being able to try it. Still, iran is a really good country to do Couchsurfing because it's very receptive toward guests to do couchsurfing, because it's very receptive toward guests. Hospitality is a very value like has a high value in the society. So if you are hospitable towards other people, you are considered to be a good person. You're considered to be a positive person in the society.

Milad: 11:04

So the acceptance, the acceptance rates uh in from hosts on couch surfing in Iran is much higher than, um, I would say, in Europe. Since, uh, since that I I've only had experience here since the last seven months. But uh, one thing that is for sure is couch surfing in general, uh, especially in the hosting community, is a very male oriented application and it doesn't have, it doesn't know any borders. It's the same here in Europe and it was the same in Iran. So throughout the experiences that we've had, maybe we've hosted two, three or four women and been hosted with only one woman so far In Germany or in. It was in Turkey, in Turkey. It was in Turkey. It was a lovely, very lovely person, but for the rest of the times, usually the the hosts have been men. All right, it's a very male or or oriented application yeah, I cannot agree more interesting.

Igar: 12:13

Yeah, well, like you know, um, again, like I say, experienced host, uh, maybe you have some like or unexpected moments you had with guests. Also, you know we can also put it in the way like vice versa that you, as a host, like, how have these interactions with guests enrich your understanding of people from different cultures? You know not only a guest understanding your culture, but guests you understand in the other people, different cultures. You know not only a guest understanding your culture, but, guess, you understand in the other people, country. You know, like people from, as you mentioned, taiwan, belgium is like completely different parts of the world. You know, and, yeah, how was that for you and how you enriched with this?

Milad: 13:01

that's a very good question. One thing that I can say is I'm a very sociable person, so using Couchsurfing has allowed me to, you know, go into the lives, into the fabric of the lives of the local people, wherever I travel. So I'm sure my travel experience would have been way different if I didn't stay with you in Bracelau. It would be, it would have been like a show. You know, you just go to the city, stay at a hotel, you see people from behind the window, or you go to sites to visit the sites or to touristic destinations, and again you're seeing a show of how culture is from there. But in order to get to feel the culture you need to stay with the people.

Milad: 13:58

So, especially one of the funny experiences we had, again back in Iran, it was in south of Iran and you know, know, iran is a very diverse country, so you could live in it and after 60 years still see something that is very new cultural voice to you that you have never experienced or heard of. So we managed to participate in a wedding, actually when we were in the south of Iran, and this wedding was so odd and so new to us that we could not understand any part of it so and like it was in Iran. But the wedding was held for three nights. One night was the Indian theme, the second night was African theme and the third night was Arabic theme. So nothing actually Persian was in it and everything was new to us and we would have ever thought that such routines, such practices exist in Iran. And if we didn't use Couchsurfing over there, we wouldn't have been able to see something like that. We would just pass through that town.

Asal: 15:10

Nice. I'm going to also jump in and add some, maybe, memories from my couch surfing experiences. So I've hosted, like mostly I've hosted um, girls, I would say, or families, but also some men, if it happens to like if, if they sent me a request and they were like trustworthy for me, why not? I would host them so, um. So I remember one time I hosted someone from europe I'm not gonna say the name of the country because I'm going to talk behind their back, but I hosted someone from Europe and I had this idea of European people are so open-minded, they are so like trustworthy and everything. So nothing's going to. Like he had actually a few, like maybe 10 or 15 references, good references. So I was like it's okay, and I had my friends with me, I had a roommate back then, and so it was okay for me to host this person.

Asal: 16:17

And when this person came to my house, I saw that he's like different from what I always imagined about European societies. So I thought he would be so I don't know safe I don't know what would be a good word here but maybe safe, very open to discussions, very open to discussions, very know what is couchsurfing about, and he wouldn't expect different things, like I don't know, to prepare food, to prepare everything for the guests, because in couchsurfing you do not need to do those things, you just want to meet people, you just want to get to know people. You don't have any expectation from people, but he want to meet people. You just want to get to know people, you don't have any expectation from people. But he wasn't like that. He was like from the first moment he was like I need vitamin, could you please give me fruits? And I was like, okay, actually, iranian people, because we are very hospitable and we like cooking, we like gathering together, eating, and we like cooking, we like gathering together, eating, drinking. I had prepared some food, some fruits and everything. But it was so shocking for me that he has such a I don't know, such an attitude. And then I'm going to add also this funny part he went to the, he went to take a shower and then he came out naked like to go to his room, like not to come to like to the whole building, but just to like go to his room.

Asal: 17:54

But it was again strange for me. I was like what the fuck man? Have some I don't know respect and it was really a negative thing for me to experience, and it was really a negative thing for me to experience, and I was also, at the same time, I didn't want to tell him that I don't want you to stay in this house, because I was like I don't want to be like disrespectful or something like that. So I asked one of my friends and we went out together together with this guest and we explained to him that something came up and we cannot like stay with him anymore because I started to be like a bit suspicious about him.

Asal: 18:36

So it was something like when you take something so, granted, you think, okay, it's the European society, it's like the European guy, it's not like that and vice versa. I mean, it was then that I started to question a lot of like, a lot of concept perceptions that I've developed about various societies, various cultures. So I think it was also a really cultures. So I think it was also a really insightful experience for me to like do not judge people based on, like, what I've heard on the media or, uh, what I've heard from, like I don't know, third uh parties, I would say, um, so yeah, that's it do you have?

Igar: 19:26

I think I think you know like this is very like important also to say, yeah, nowadays like we can laugh, yeah, like what the fuck man like went out like naked, like haha. But you know, when you're on this like situation, it's not like that funny, and I think it's really important that you open up and like say it because, yeah, we can be a little bit delusional and happy about travel, speaking here like, oh, here is good, this is our great experience. But also, no, I think, experiences such like like this little bit dodgy or a little bit unpleasant, and I think it's also, yeah, I had some kind of random experiences and it's also learned me to put my boundaries and I think again, it for you is also for a woman, it's even maybe harder and more important and maybe you face it. Unfortunately, you know, kind of, as, as Milad said before, like, uh, you know like this society, this kind of community, is more male, uh, males, yeah, so, like, uh, and uh, yeah, uh, even toys still listen and again, like listen to don't judge people like from where they are, like they can be from like so random country can be absolutely amazing people or can be from this country when you're listening this media and, but this person is not a country like, and if a person is fucked up, it's fucked up, doesn't matter where it was born. And uh, and I think it's also important thing, even though it's not easy thing, and I think we I discussed with one of my guests to put the true reference on couch surfing, even though it might be difficult and we can.

Igar: 21:04

I don't wanna make person upset or something, but I think it's really important to say hey, like, no, like this person, like this, like that. I'm not really happy about it, you know, and so others will be helpful. So, for example, in my case, I I put like something like to my uh, to my host, like, uh, what put? I said something yeah, read carefully his profile. I didn't put like that man is shit or something. I put that, yeah, like everything was nice, but read carefully his profile and something, something. I phrase it like this and then somebody pinged me, you know, like, after some time, like randomly pinged me hey, man, like I'm going to the city. I saw you put reference, what did you mean there?

Igar: 21:54

And I say, yeah, like, be ready that this man will offer you like a feet massage and being naked and everything like this yeah, yeah, yeah, it was my, it was my experience and I and I was like, and the man was like oh really, you know, thank you, man, to share with it.

Igar: 22:09

You know, I was like, so I kind of was helpful to somebody so randomly, but somehow it was helpful and it was not bad if you say to this man again like no, like I don't want, like thanks, man, I'm not into this. He will not do like come on. Like he will not, he doesn't want to be punched right in girl ways. A little bit again. Different situation, however. Punch is still punch, but again like yeah, let's don't go to this topic, but yeah, so like if you say no, he would understand, he's normal. But you know, like still like he was, like you know, here they're like trying to approach yeah so and you know, in on couch surfing.

Asal: 22:46

It is very important to like um, also listen to your gut feeling, because it's like it's not only about their references. I I mean that that person had some references, some good references, but still when I saw that he is not respectful and I was like embarrassed or suspicious, I was like it's not okay. So I need to like tell him. I need to do something for myself and where I come from in Iran, you girls are like always need to be well behaved, need to like hold their tongues, need to be shy, need to I don't know respect everyone, like put everyone else before themselves. So it was very difficult attitude for me towards the guest to like tell him that it's not respectful, it's not okay for me and I cannot like host you. So I think it's also very important that when we see such red flags, such type of behaviors, we we be, we, we we have our courage to like speak up and to tell that it's not okay for us, just totally okay, totally yeah well, yeah, but this is important, I agree.

Igar: 24:05

Well, I want to jump into something else, deep into Iran, let's say.

Igar: 24:13

I know that both of you and you already mentioned that you traveled a lot around Iran and, yeah, I would like to ask you, in general, how would you describe this experience of exploring Iran? In general, how would you describe this experience of exploring iran because, again, the country is super diverse and culturally, and the landscapes differently north, south, food, wise. You know, like if you can share some hidden gems, like that travelers could use, or like you know something not just so typical, you know, feel free to so for the hidden gems, they need to contact us good, good good right so please do so I, I will, I will share your links, you know no, I'm just joking, but, um, I can start and milad, maybe you can, can join me.

Asal: 25:07

So I like Iran very much. It's like I haven't been in so many countries but from what I've heard from my crowd surfing guests and from what I also experienced firsthand, the people are amazing and the culture is so diverse that you cannot bore when you are there. So, for me, the cultural aspects and the chance to meet so many different ethnicities living together, celebrating their traditions I don't know, even the ones that we would think that what a bizarre way or what a strange tradition I think everything, I love everything about those tiny cultural aspects. So for me, the most important, the most interesting part of Iran is South, because it's a blend of like good, amazing nature, amazing people, amazing food and amazing traditions. And I myself have some origins from south of Iran, balochistan, the border to Pakistan. So I like that area a lot.

Asal: 26:34

That area like hasn't been recognized by the media, by people a lot. So like when you talk about south, most most of people know Bushehr or Hormuz or Bandar Abbas, but like few travelers go to Balochistan. So I would definitely recommend people to go there and like have some food, have some drinks, like chai, shir chai. Actually the name of it is sh like chai uh, sheer chai. Actually the name of it is sheer chai um. So it's a great land to visit. I also like um to recommend visiting kurdish area and lower area, lord Okay, because those areas are very rich in terms of waterfalls, greenlands, mountains. Also, you can find amazing people who are away from social media, from like I don't know anything, I would say technology related, so you can go to these pure villages, spend some time there, camp wherever you want and have like a great chill time. So these are the highlights of Iran for me.

Igar: 28:03

Beautiful, beautiful.

Milad: 28:04

One thing I would add is an experience that I've seen in Iran, but I have not seen in many other countries.

Milad: 28:12

I would not say it's unique, it doesn't exist, but I would say it's really hard to come by which is the migration of nomadic people living in Iran, genuine nomadic people who have cattle, who have herds of sheep and goats and move, based on the seasons, from one region of the country to the other region, and usually the movement that they do is through mountain regions, not with the roads or trucks or trains, not with the roads or trucks or trains. They actually manage their herd through mountains, through passes, through valleys and, like cowboys, need to be careful about where the ships are going, and pass rivers and I don't know, canyons and stuff. There's the possibility of booking tours to accompany these people. So it would be like a, a natural track that you would take here, a backpacking track, a trekking trail that you would take here that goes through a couple of villages and through a couple of uh I don't know lakes and rivers and mountain ranges. But the difference is that this one is not for show, because you know training is something for show. You do it for fun, you know it's an activity, it's a sport, but over there it's actually a way of life.

Milad: 29:40

So lots of traditions, lots of practices are also included. So, uh, if the, if you're going to go across the water, uh and uh, the head of the group says the, the, the white goat, has to go first. And there's a reason behind it. There's a story, there's a mythology behind it that, uh, he's going to explain to you and you're going to get entertained throughout the whole day thinking about that mythology. Or if they say, on Tuesday we would not move, we would stay here and we would pay respects, there's also a mythology behind it.

Milad: 30:16

So there's lots of culture hidden behind this, and you could see people who have done it their whole life. So their body is attuned to it, their way of life is attuned to it, and usually they're not using high-end gear. They're using handmade, old gear, you know, transferred to them from their forefathers, that actually work really good but is not necessarily the cutting edge of the technology. So this is an experience that I think anybody going to Iran and anybody who likes trekking should try in Iran, definitely, and the diverse natural climate of Iran allows you to experience so many different climates at the same time, which is not necessarily possible elsewhere, so you could experience sand dunes and ski resorts within the same day. I wouldn't say it's unique, but I would say it's really hard to come by.

Igar: 31:24

So that's something that is highly recommended from my side wow, man, it's like I have goosebumps, you know when, just thinking about it. What? What part of iran is it?

Milad: 31:36

or you can find it everywhere uh, it's mostly in west and southwest where the nomadic tribes live. So Iran is actually surrounded by two mountain ranges. One of them goes from southwest to northwest, the other one goes from northwest to southeast. So it's somehow surrounded by these mountain ranges and it's usually there where the climate is more agreeable towards farming and towards cattle herding. Whereas in the lower parts the climate is usually hot and dry, in the mountain ranges it's mostly cool and humid, so you're able to farm uh form and you're able to follow the rain, the rainy seasons. So when the summer comes, you move to the lower, lower areas where there is vegetation, where there is rain and it's not too cold, and when summer comes, you move to the higher elevations where this in during the summer, is still raining, raining, rains are happening and there are still fresh herbs and grass for your cattle to feed.

Igar: 32:52

That's the reason why they move year on, a yearly basis nice, nice, wow, wow, cool, cool, cool, cool and uh, like, what can you say in general, like for people who unfamiliar with iran, like about the safety, like like, or like I don't know, maybe some advice about cultural sensitivity while traveling there, or, like I don't know, like some like specific, like local practices, like that travel should be aware of, you know?

Milad: 33:23

I'm going to skip through what people can find with a simple Google search, right, yeah, I'm going to skip through what people can find with a simple Google search, all right, yeah, I would go to things that are not usually mentioned or are hard to come by. One thing that I would say is try not to stand out a lot, because if you stand out a lot, usually it's a place where not many tourists go at any given time. So if you try not to stand out a lot, you have a better trip, because less people are going to approach you, less people are going to ask you for your Instagram account, less people are going to invite you to their homes and that's actually something that really happens a lot. You're going to get invited to homes I did even as an Iranian and you're less noticeable by the police. So it's actually illegal to host foreigners through counterfeiting in Iran, and that's actually the law. People are only allowed to stay at hotels, iranian or non-Iranians. You're only allowed to stay at hotels where they have like these, like you're registered with the government. So if you plan to use Couchsurfing, do not mention it at the border when you're getting your passport checked, and even if ever you're stopped by the police and they want to check your passport, don't mention that you're staying with a host. Just have the name of a of a hotel in mind. Usually, azadi is a very common hotel name in iran. Just tell them that you're staying at azadi hotel and you will be okay. Yeah, almost every city has an azadi hotel. Okay, and then you would be good.

Milad: 35:06

Um, security, I would say it's not more secure, it's not less secure than any normal European country. I would say theft happens, hits and runs happen. Is it hit and run when they steal your phone and then run away, or is it with a car? Hit and run? I don't know. Like, burglaries happened, things, usual, things happen, but they also happen. Here in berlin they have. I'm sure they happen also in brisloe, but not very common. So as long as you take normal precautions, as every traveler should do wherever they are traveling, you would be okay. And uh, yeah, I would say that's it.

Igar: 35:50

What did you? Sorry, sorry, uh. What did you mean with stand, how you say it? Stand uh away, stand out, how you say it.

Milad: 35:58

Oh, standing out, I mean like, uh, one thing that is common in ir Iran is for people to approach you, ask you if, especially if you're wearing a large backpack people would approach you. So in the Middle East, the culture is very different from Europe. In Europe, people are usually minding their own business, and in the Middle East, people are usually looking for interesting things to pay attention to. So that was actually a cultural shock that we experienced here. So, like in Iran, it's very common to talk with people that you're sitting with in the bus, you're sitting with them in the car or you're sitting with them in the subway. It's very common to start the conversation with them and enjoy their company until you are at your destination. This is very usual for us, but I'm sure this is not very usual for European people, and it can become tedious if you have to do it every hour of every day. I see.

Milad: 36:58

So if you're wearing a large backpack, if you're standing out a lot, that people are able to recognize you as an interesting person, they might approach you, start a conversation with you, offer you tea, offer you water, ask to exchange contact information, especially Instagram accounts. If you're up for it, then go ahead. You're going to have so much fun and you're going to have an amazing day. You, you wouldn't notice when night turns to day and when day turns to night. But if you want to mind your own business, try not to stand out a lot. Or if you do, whenever people approach you just say no, sorry, I don't have time to to do a conversation with you yeah, do you have anything else to add?

Igar: 37:49

yeah, do you want to add something?

Asal: 37:52

maybe if you're, if you're visiting Tehran, be cautious, or I don't know big cities like Tehran and Mashhad be cautious about cars crossing the street. It's like a different experience. So no one follows the law, and so it could be a bit dangerous, I would say. But other than that, I think everything is fine. I have traveled a lot. I've even traveled alone, hitchhiked alone, so nothing bad happened. The difficulty, maybe, would be that people would ask questions why you are doing it, why so? People are curious about this type of traveling and especially if you're a girl, they would be more curious. So you need to prepare yourself to answer those questions.

Igar: 38:50

Um yep I see, I see interesting and actually you also touched the like hitchhiking and I would like to open it more. I think both of you, yeah, experienced a lot of hitchhiking around the iran and maybe in general I don't know if somewhere else you did it but, yeah, do you have any like interesting stories or some highlights about that way of traveling and explore, the exploration of the countries?

Milad: 39:24

uh, yeah, sure, uh. Just one thing to add again. I'm sure people can find this with a simple google search about iran, but in iran almost every car is a possible taxi driver. So when you're hitchhiking, make sure before getting in the car that you're clarifying this with the driver that you're not going to pay. Almost every driver is a taxi driver.

Milad: 39:46

It's their second job it's allowed for you to pick up people from alongside the road and take them somewhere close to your destination and receive some money so you would be able to cover gas prices. Think about it as somehow a knockoff copy of Blah Blah Car, blah Blah Car, but without, without application. So make sure that you clarify with the driver beforehand that you're not going to pay, or or by default, they think they're just uh, getting a passenger in their car and they're gonna charge money for it.

Asal: 40:23

Uh so yeah, do you have any?

Milad: 40:24

stories yeah I have a lot of stories about truck drivers approaching me.

Asal: 40:31

I was hoping he's going to open up.

Milad: 40:35

I'm pretty open about it.

Asal: 40:39

That was your massage story.

Milad: 40:40

yeah, I know there's a certain percentage of people that how would I put it respectfully that are also along. Truck drivers are a certain percentage of people who are homosexuals and it is, since homosexuality is not very open in Iran and it is really frowned upon. It's actually illegal in Iran, so they're not very open in Iran and it is really frowned upon. It's actually illegal in Iran, so they're not very open about it. So sometimes when I have hitchhiked, I have been picked up by homosexual truck drivers and I think it is a very common practice for them that they pick up other homosexuals along the road and they're going to have a let me tell it the way borat says sexy time with each other.

Milad: 41:34

Right, we put it, yeah, uh, so I, I have been picked up by those people and, like we've, we've driven for a certain amount of time, talk to each other, stopped, stopped for food, and then I have been approached that would you like to have a sexy time? And I would have told them I have told them respectfully no, if this is a deal breaker for you, I can get off your truck, and they would usually say, no, no, that's okay, let's just continue going on. That has happened twice or three times for me, but aside from that, the rest of the truck drivers were very respectful people, very interesting people and something that is really common in Iran. I don't know whether it is still common within the young generation, but within the older truck drivers it's very common to smoke. And what how do you call it?

Igar: 42:29

Opium, yeah, yeah, the milk it's really common to smoke.

Milad: 42:31

And what, how do you put it? Opium, yeah, yeah, the milk, it's really common to smoke opium Like during writing.

Igar: 42:35

Yeah, it's their type of, it's their type of weed, you know it was consumed when weed was not very prevalent in Iran.

Milad: 42:43

Yeah, so smoking opium is really common between truck drivers. Uh and uh. I have been asked many times because I'm usually in the passenger side seats. They would usually ask me give me some money, please go to that shop and tell them to give you black candy, and I would get them, bring it back for you, for them and once for them. And the way that they smoke it in Iran is that they usually have a travel gas, a travel stove that they would light up, even in the car. They would put a metallic rod on it until it heats up. Then they would hold the black candy with a tongue, with a pair of tongs, put the hot, glowing metal rod on it and inhale the smoke that comes out of it.

Milad: 43:37

And all of this happens while they're driving. What the fuck? Holding the gas, holding the metal rod, holding that pair of tongs, holding the steering wheel. And some of the trucks have two sets of how do you call it? Two sets of gear shifters, not only one. Not that they are not automatic, not that they have one gear shifters, they have two gear shifters. So imagine juggling all of that while you want to and having sexy time with the girls and also thinking about having sexy time and also, you know, going through mountain ranges, which usually those are very mountainous in Iran.

Igar: 44:23

Can you see, this is a skill.

Milad: 44:26

Yeah, very highly skilled. Oh my God, wow, can you see this is a skill.

Igar: 44:28

Yeah, very highly skilled. Yeah, they are very highly skilled Possibly, oh my God Wow.

Milad: 44:32

I was scared of all of this. It was really interesting for me. Each time I would ride with a truck driver, either the stories that they had or either things that would happen along the road were really interesting. But I would say most of the cars that picked me up while hitchhiking iran were normal cars, like like sedans or like I don't know peyotas or things like that. Toyotas mostly 80 percent of the time, is those cars, and people are very uh.

Milad: 45:05

It's really easy to hitchhike in iran like 10 times easier than in europe yeah, I can imagine, as long as you can explain it to people and they accept to it, it's really easy for people. People even go out of their way to like deliver you to the location that you want to right and for you, asal.

Igar: 45:22

How was like also this safe part of hitchhiking in Iran as a girl and I don't know, did you hitchhike alone or like with friends, or both of you guys together? How, how it was this part?

Asal: 45:37

I think for like longer trips I've I had usually like hitchhiked with another friend, like I remember, um, I had a travel mate and we, we just traveled a lot together, um, but sometimes, yes, for maybe short, um short routes, I, I, I was uh traveling alone, hitchhiking alone, so there was no problem for me, um, I I just tried to like again go back to my gut feeling. I think this is the way you can like uh, no, um, uh for sure that if, if it's, if it's going to be a good experience for you or not. So I didn't, I don't remember any bad experience. Actually, most of the time, because I also, most of the time, travel to like um center or south of Iran, those people are the most hospitable people and they are, they have this culture of respecting women a lot also. So when they see you, they want to like help you, you they want to, they go out of their way to help you. So I don't remember anything negative. I would say maybe something about opium.

Asal: 46:59

I also remember because, like I was camping in south of Iran, in Balochistan that I told you about, so in this city called Chabahar, with two other friends and we had another friend coming to join us for that night to camp together. And that person has hitchhiked from a city, like for four hours, to where we were camping. And that person hitchhiked with a truck driver who was using Opium. So he was like, when he arrived, he told us that he was like using it, talking the whole time and everything. So we were joking about it and we like we camped and we have had our dinner and everything, and then, like it was around 12 at night, the rain started and it was a heavy rain. When there's a rain in like south of iran, it can be like a flood, yeah. So, for example, our tents were completely wet and we didn't know anyone in the town but that truck driver. So we were like, okay, what, what should we do? We don't have any choice. We were completely wet and the rain was like terrible. So he decided to call that person because he insisted to my friend that if you had any problem, if you wanted any help, just call me. So he had called him and he came and picked us up.

Asal: 48:48

So, like we were four, we went to his house and he started to use opium again and he was like starting to ask us to do the homework Please wash my dishes. Actually it was so funny, so we had to like wash a pile of dirty dishes for him. We couldn't sleep the whole night. We weren't so sure about him being okay, but it was just like because we were together, like we were safe and everything. Because we were together, we were safe and everything.

Asal: 49:35

So usually when you hitchhike you get to know a lot of details about people's lives and most of them invite you to their house. I remember being invited to a family again in the south of Iran and I stayed with them for two more nights like they. I went with them to the sea, we went together to like, where they are traditional dresses, so they had like eight girls. So we started to like chat, talk and everything and I think I'm still in contact with them because they are so like warm hearted, so like hospitable. So I think hitchhiking is also a good option to do in Iran.

Igar: 50:15

And I know that in Iran it's kind of against the law that men can touch a woman, like in general sexually, not sexually right, and like so, like. Does it like, in your opinion, make the hitchhiking and in general travel around Iran, like for women, safe? Like does the majority man follows it, like in general, respecting it? Because you mentioned something about respect as well, how do you feel about it? What is your opinion?

Asal: 50:49

so usually because, like a lot of people in, I would say, in majority of iran, are like religious people and they follow the laws. They don't like they don't want to disrespect like woman or they don't like, they don't do, they don't act in such a way. So I would say I didn't have any bad experience or anything that like any. I don't remember anything that like a man would want to I don't know, touch or approach me or any of my friends like sometimes they might like not, um, I'm not talking about like hitchhiking, my hitchhiking experience, only the whole, like the whole traveling. So sometimes you might encounter people who are disrespectful or who wants to, like they want your number, they want to talk to you, they want to, I don't know, joke around and everything that these people exist to you, they want to, I don't know, joke around and everything that these people exist, and they are also like on our ways.

Asal: 52:07

If we travel everywhere, um, but um, I, I won't, I won't, I wouldn't say that, like in Iran, there are a lot of people like that. So I I think, um, most of people, because family is a very important thing in iran and like a lot of people are like we need to. How do you say namus? I want to talk about namus. I don't know what.

Asal: 52:30

I don't think the concept exists in english so there's this concept of, uh, treating woman as your sister no not something like sister, something holy okay, it's the same concept as honor, right?

Milad: 52:50

yes, somehow yeah, but the honor that refers only so for example female to the female population of the country. So if you are an honorable person, you would think as other people's sisters and mothers, as your own. If you are an honorable person, yeah.

Igar: 53:09

Holy moly, this sounds beautiful, man. Yes, they have this attitude.

Asal: 53:13

We have this in our culture, so like, for example, if they see a woman, they are like we need to help her, we need to protect her because this person is our honor, this person is our like, something holy, something like that. So I think, for this reason also, men are not very like what do you want?

Milad: 53:39

to say Intruding, like int intruding Like intrusive.

Asal: 53:43

Am I using the right verb?

Igar: 53:46

I don't know, okay, I don't know, it's definitely something that Western men should learn. You know it's a take from the culture. I believe you know.

Asal: 53:58

Also, you have traveled to uh iran. Uh, how do you feel uh about this, this uh topic? I mean, how did you see iran in terms of like safety, or like treating men treating women?

Igar: 54:15

well, yeah, personally me, like I like, for me, totally, totally fine. I'm telling to everybody who is asking me about safety, about things, that even me, being honest, look, my partner is from Iran and I have concern because we cannot legally show our love, right.

Asal: 54:33

Yes.

Igar: 54:34

But, even though I was surprised, we could still hold hands. She was saying to me just be sure, don't be hesitating. You know like, so everybody will think that we are wife and husband. And uh and I was like okay, so it kind of helped. And uh, and I was expecting a little bit worse.

Igar: 54:54

I was expecting maybe, like yeah, this police is like hijab, these things here there, it's all exist, but, um, I didn't feel you know bad from them or looking, even though, like I was like trying to observe how they behave here there, you know like, but again, like it's different, I don't leave, I was just traveling as a traveler.

Igar: 55:15

Uh, I think I totally agree with your words and I I totally, you know, had the same experience that I felt safe in situations I didn't feel that anybody wanted to scam me. For example, comparison to Jordan, when I've been, just like you know, to compare doesn't not really saying bad about Jordan, not really saying bad about jordan, but in jordan it's really touristic oriented and everybody want like putting the price 10 times more than it. It is because they see that you are like foreigner. And even, uh, when my uh jordanian friend, because it was toxic, like this, they go negotiate, then I come to choose. And when they did like this and I come to choose, seller was really unhappy, like really mad. You know, like man, like like you bring a tourist, like this price should be different, but I had the local price, you know.

Igar: 56:09

So in Iran I didn't experience such a thing, you know that's good and also about, like you know, as a golden boy who is like have you know all money of the world and paying for everything?

Asal: 56:22

yeah, and safety wise, the same, yeah very good, very good and also about like the being, like traveling as a couple. So, um, I think I don't know, but but I think culture-wise Iranian people are open to seeing couples holding hands, being together and everything, especially in big cities. It's so much common. For example, I've traveled to Iraq and in Iraq you do not see many women outside, like in Iraq. You do not see many women outside or, for example, in cafes, in restaurants, in public places, like those type of areas. You cannot see a lot of young couples like people dating. You cannot see people dating, but in Tehran, everywhere you are seeing some people, I don't know even kissing on the streets. So I think culture-wise Iran has been, iran is changing and Iran is, I would say, not that much conservative that the government tries to like portray it.

Igar: 57:34

Totally People-wise, totally not yeah exactly.

Igar: 57:38

But people-wise, I totally agree, and especially young people, even like middle-aged people, I would say exactly. But people wise, I totally agree, and especially young people, even like middle aged people, I would say. And all people, they're already chill, they're already not into this, they're already like I felt this way. They kind of follow in this, they kind of believe and they like this, but they kind of much of it they don't have, you know, know they don't mind much, you know. So, yeah, interesting and I know like, and also in the beginning I mentioned you had another journey and I would like to touch it here, and the journey is your immigration from iran to germany, because it's like it's really huge journey, significant not not only physically but emotionally and culturally, you know. And yeah, if you can share some I don't know steps of your journey to Germany and what challenges or surprises you had like on your way, yeah, I know that it's not easy for Iranians, but yeah, if you can, I know that it's not easy for Iranians, but if you can, yeah sure.

Milad: 58:42

So I guess nowadays everybody is looking for better life opportunities. I mean, like yourself, you moved to Poland, and the same for us. We were looking for better opportunities and with the political climate that already exists in Iran, that already exists in Iran, there's not much room to grow, or growing takes much more energy than it does, for example, in a stable country as Germany. So the type of people that we are, we are always looking for new challenges. So my wife decided to continue her studies in the field that she was working, and this field doesn't exist in Iran yet, because it's a really new field digital marketing. So we decided to look for study opportunities elsewhere. Get our minds off work and off the current problems that exist.

Milad: 59:40

As you can read in the news regarding Iran, we compared a couple of countries. We compared Canada, france, italy, at some point Netherlands, but we decided on Germany for some reasons. Of course, the economy is better here, the job opportunities are way better here, there's a large Iranian community already living here, and it was, I guess, a six-month process for us from applying and getting the acceptance from the university to getting the appointments and translating our documents and saying goodbye to the family and everything. Yeah, maybe more than six months, like eight months or so. Yeah, so far we are happy to be here.

Milad: 1:00:36

We have a lot more travel opportunities here, since with the Iranian passport it's really hard to get into other countries, except for a handful of countries. But while we are staying here, we have more opportunities. Actually, next week no, not next week this weekend we are starting our first round Germany trip for two weeks, so shout out to anybody from the Cansurfing community that wants to host us. This weekend we are starting our first round Germany trip for two weeks, so shout out to anybody from CanSurfing community that wants to host us?

Igar: 1:01:08

Yeah, send us a message and invite us to your city.

Milad: 1:01:09

You might come and stop by. Yeah and yeah, so we are hoping we have a very good year full of travel ahead. We are not sure yet how the winters are here. Winters are not really a big of a deal in Iran.

Igar: 1:01:35

But from what I understand, it's like the main deal in Europe is the winter. Yeah well, yeah, somehow Not about even cold, let me say it like like this, but more about the lack of sun. You know, cold is whatever. Like if you have sun, you go out, you cold, not cold, you good, you have, you can put clothes. But like if there is no sun, there is no mood, there is no, there is depression season.

Igar: 1:01:59

Anyway, you will see, know, uh, I guess why people don't want to start conversations in the boston yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, and then when you're warm, then yeah, but also, you know, uh, like if, like practically speaking, uh, maybe, like it's maybe information more for iranians, like what you can advise or like how, or maybe even from other people, from like difficult like exit countries, how to put it. Yeah, like kind of what, maybe steps or kind of some how they can simplify their process. I know that it's a long way, like you research several countries and so on. I know that it's a long way, like you research several countries and so on. So maybe some highlights you already have and you would like to like other people would be good if they would know it before.

Milad: 1:02:50

Yeah, I would say choose Germany if you want a really good and robust social security, and people in Iran are usually living in a very how would I put it in a turmoil. You're not really sure about what's going to happen tomorrow, so having a good social security system allows you to chill and not to worry all the time. So if you want a really robust social security, definitely choose Germany, and it's really close to Iran. It's a four-hour, five-hour flight to Iran and it's really cheap If you book it ahead of time. Each way could cost you as low as 100 euros or 150 euros. So it's really good to stay in touch with the family and nowadays, with the new laws that they have enacted, if you find a good job that qualifies you for a blue card, you're able to bring your whole family here really easily. They can live here alongside you, so you would have the benefit of living with your family at the same time.

Milad: 1:04:07

The downsides would be, I would say, the weather, the tax cuts and generally the common. Oh yeah, definitely the language. Yeah, but still doesn't matter. Wherever you want to live, you have to learn the language. I mean, just because you've learned English in your childhood doesn't doesn't mean that, like living in England or Canada, is easier.

Igar: 1:04:41

Yeah, yeah, yeah, indeed indeed, and in general, or maybe Asal, you want to add something.

Asal: 1:04:51

Maybe I can talk a bit about the process, because you also asked, also asked um. So I think, um. So, for for me, the difficult part of immigrating to germany was to decide to leave my country. So I wasn't sure about it, because I was already immigrated from my hometown to the capital of iran to live and work, everything. So I've built a life over there. I was working as a marketing specialist for more than seven years, so it was pretty difficult for me to like leave the country and I have a big family, very nice family, over there. So, uh, emotionally speaking, it was a such a huge decision for me, uh, to leave Iran.

Asal: 1:05:47

But, as Milad said, we had like enough motivations as well to like uh change our lives, to improve our lives, I would say. And now that we are here, I think from the first weeks that we have arrived in Germany, I could feel really a good state of mind because you're not worrying all the time about tiniest things. You want to I don't know book something, you want to buy something, you wanna have a trip. Anything is like a bit difficult in iran, but here you can plan over beforehand, you can you have hope. I think when you come out of iran. You, you start to have hope. So, and regarding the process, I think it really depends on the speed of the person. So if you like, you're most certain that you want to leave your country, you just need to start that.

Asal: 1:06:53

Because we got the student visa, we started with the university.

Asal: 1:06:58

We wanted to do a master degree because I wanted I didn't want to like go for for further studies, so it's, it's very easy. There are a lot of like university portals, um, that someone can find using the internet, using chat, gpt and everything, uh, and then you just need to like prepare the documents that are usually like your university and high school degrees, your transcripts, your like cv, motivation letter, things like that, and and after you apply actually for Germany. It's a bit difficult in Iran because you need to have appointment through the embassy and it's a bit difficult to get appointments. You need to be patient, but one way or another it happens. And then, when you have your appointments, the interviews and everything is so smooth and you just need to be patient and just go do everything step by step, and then you can like have your visa and enter the country, and so I think it's not like a difficult task to do. Maybe the most difficult part would be like the decision itself thank you, thank you cool.

Igar: 1:08:32

Nice, nice, nice, yeah, and uh, how like this? You know cultural shift from iran to to Germany affected you both Like and in general. How do you like? What are some of your biggest difference? You already noticed in terms of like, social energy, community interactions and daily life in general.

Asal: 1:08:56

I think in Iran we had more parties.

Igar: 1:09:01

Really.

Asal: 1:09:03

Yeah, exactly Because we didn't have any other option. You need to party.

Igar: 1:09:12

All right.

Asal: 1:09:13

You know, but I mean, like when you immigrate, you need to take the handle of a lot of things. You need to go to a lot of offices like register yourself with official I don't know authorities, and everything. So you have a lot of things to do. After you, you enter a new country and, like, you start to worry about, like language, I don't know where to buy this thing and where, I don't know how to save and everything. So there are a lot of information out there and you're bombarded with a lot of information as well. So it's you. You will start to um, pay attention to those things, to those tasks that you have.

Asal: 1:10:02

So I think, because we are newcomers, we have a lot to do, so we don't have enough time to party. So maybe that's, and also we actually lost our friends. We had a lot of friends in Iran and now we are newcomers, we started to make friends, but still it's a short time for us. So I think that the only thing that I missed is my friends, is partying over weekends with my friends and my family. Other than that, I think we really enjoy the culture and the lifestyle we can have here, because we are both vegetarians and in Iran you don't have a lot of options if you're vegetarian. But here, especially in Berlin, it's amazing. You can find a lot of options. You can test out a lot of new foods, new cuisines. So I like it very much and I like that people go to parks chill. Now we are trying to make some time to chill, to relax, not think about, not worry about the future and everything. So for me it's it's been a huge difference.

Milad: 1:11:35

Okay.

Asal: 1:11:36

How about you, milad?

Milad: 1:11:39

How about?

Asal: 1:11:39

me.

Milad: 1:11:40

I would say we have substituted our friends with the bottle, so the bottle is not our new friend. I don't miss not having to make my own beer and my own wine, because it's a really time consuming and tedious thing. Not having to siphon every week or so, yeah, but and the one thing about having these parties here is because in Iran usually the parties start from 7 or 8 and they're finished before 1 or 2. Here the parties start after.

Milad: 1:12:18

Thursday and finish on Monday in Berlin berlin and they start at 11 and finish the day after. Yeah, yeah, you still have some time to get used to that yeah, so your party animals, huh.

Igar: 1:12:34

So I think berlin is good. You just need a little bit time to get your routine done and you, you will find out. Just be careful, this city is dangerous. You know, nice, nice, nice and uh like, yeah, I know, like it's still a short time, uh, but you, you haven't visited iran since you, you came to germany, right um, you wanted to go, like this, to the two weeks that we had off.

Milad: 1:13:02

We wanted to go, but the tickets were so fucking expensive. Seems like everybody starts traveling in August.

Igar: 1:13:08

August is August, you know.

Milad: 1:13:10

Yeah, it was a really bad decision from our side to get time off on August.

Igar: 1:13:15

Next time you will change it. But you know what I want to ask Is you know, after relocating in general, like maybe conception of home, like did it change? Or like you know, do you feel in yourself that you kind of uh, like the place you belong to is also kind of changing, like you know?

Milad: 1:13:38

you know what I'm trying to ask that's a very existential question, man, that's so deep I think the concept of home for me has started to fade away.

Asal: 1:13:52

Like 10 years ago, when I decided to move out my hometown and live by myself, I mean it wasn't something usual to do and, like I had my fights, my struggles with my family, so and and I started to like actually question why do I need to belong somewhere? Why do I need to belong to I don't know something certain? Why do I need to belong to I don't know something certain? And I would always love to be free of this concept. I mean, I don't like how this concept makes people separate from each other. Like I mean, it's a good way to identify people, it's a good way to understand each other's point of view different like lifestyles, perspectives and everything but it's not a good point of view for you to stick to it, to just like, stay where you are because you feel belong to that area, to that certain type of thinking and everything. So for me, I think this concept has started to fade away for some years and now that we've moved to Berlin, I don't feel like that I missed home or something like that. I feel like I can build home whenever I go. So but I'm curious to know Milad's answer.

Milad: 1:15:37

I don't know, man, what is home? Home is where you're with your family. I'm with my family right now and I'm having plans for the future. So I guess as long as you're busy, you're happy and you're with your friends, you can call wherever home. Still, you would have nostalgic feelings about the past and you would have that about anything in the past, like you could have the worst ever experience somewhere and you would feel nostalgic about it. But as long as I think you try to look at the positive sides of each experience while staying realistic, so you don't glorify your past and you don't condemn your present, that everything's happening right now is bad and everything that was from back home was great. You wouldn't have a bad time anywhere.

Milad: 1:16:46

You could call everywhere home, and I'm really against the feeling that you need to belong somewhere and start glorifying that location. It prevents you from moving ahead. It prevents you from experiencing new things. So that's a that's an attitude that I learned from many of the travelers that they have hosted, especially young people, and that they tend to live in different cities or different countries for a couple of years if they have the opportunity. That's something that I really believe in, that you need to allow yourself to experience everything.

Milad: 1:17:27

Try new things and change your life. Don't keep your life the same. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing bad about staying at one location and living there and being in the same place for 50 years. But I would say, if it prevents you from doing the other thing, which is moving around every couple of years like you want to do that, but this way of life prevents you from that, this is the bad thing. But either type of way of living I wouldn't say is bad and I wouldn't say that right now we are home. I wouldn't say we are not home, like Berlin could be our home for a couple of years. Maybe after that, after once my wife has finished her studies, maybe we move out to another city, maybe we don't. I don't know, but I think we are open towards it.

Igar: 1:18:25

Oh guys, cool, Really enjoying conversation and like, really, really, thank you for joining us today. Just would like you know to ask, like in general, what message or piece of advice would you like maybe to share with the listeners, especially, you know, those who consider a major life-changing or adventure?

Milad: 1:18:48

that's a good question. Um, as a person, I the best memories I have is the memories of my travels. The first things that have happened to me were during my travels, and there's a gut feeling inside of me, like my primitive sense, that wants to tell me to travel less, stay home, rest chill. But I keep telling to myself don't listen to that feeling. Travel, maybe it's hard, maybe. Don't listen to that feeling. Travel, maybe it's hard, maybe it's going to cost you, maybe you have to stay up longer, maybe you have to endure some cold weather, hot weather, hardship, at any time or from any format, but it's definitely worth it. So push yourself to do more travels. I'm sure you're not going to regret it and it's going to be the best things that you're going to remember. When you're 60 or 70, the best things that you're going to remember are the memories of your travel.

Igar: 1:19:54

Beautiful.

Asal: 1:19:58

You said something nice. I cannot say something better, so how can I?

Milad: 1:20:03

say something worse.

Asal: 1:20:04

So I can. I think I would also have the same advice or not advice, but message. Not advice but message because for me also, like traveling has helped me a lot to push my boundaries, to be bold and do what I think I want to do. So I think, I think I would tell I always tell my nephews and my nieces to travel to, not to be afraid, and everything, because I think it gives you so much power, I mean inside you, and especially I would say I'm going to talk about talk for my gender, especially if you're a girl in Iran, you have so much pressure on you and um, so you always think that you cannot do many things, you are not allowed, you do not deserve I don't know many a lot of experiences, but it's not true. It's just something preventing us and we need to just say no to those thoughts and go out and see the world.

Igar: 1:21:33

Thank you. Thank you for sharing Nice words, beautiful.

Asal: 1:21:40

Thank you for inviting us yeah, really interesting, I wasn't supposed to talk so much? Yeah I was like grabbing the microphone yeah, make me think.

Igar: 1:21:50

Uh, you know well, guys, I wish you, you know, amazing upcoming trip around germany and uh, yeah, and also I would like to ask how people can connect with you or follow your travel adventures to Germany or to any other destination where you will go.

Asal: 1:22:13

I have a YouTube channel and Instagram, but it's in Persian language, so I think the YouTube channel won't work for people who do not, who does not, speak Persian. But my Instagram since it's like videos and photos that it might be like, maybe interesting, but maybe also couch surfing would be a good option cool.

Igar: 1:22:46

Yeah, I will definitely add it in description and the description to the podcast and yeah, many thanks, uh, and high five to you. Many hugs, you know, and uh thanks all for listening and uh see you next episodes maybe the next time we see each other is in the sky right, oh man, you know, you know what you're talking about. Good, good, good, all right. Yeah, I paused. Uh, I don't know how it will go, but I think when we finish this go like