Qom coming

The rains in Qom, are the single most spectacular thing ever. Everything is so much more beautiful, and green, and fresh. The cold misty weather, which clings to you, the colorful flower beds circling the hayaat, the chilly wind, unexpected but still exciting and the bright and colorful chatter of the girls filling up the hayaat, corridors and hallways of the university. It's the start of a new season (autumn), new weather and possibly new things and turns in life. I could argue that being here, in this spiritually and physically beautiful place, in the Holy city of Qom, Iran, is the best thing in life. But still, I am to discover more hidden loveliness and challenges.

As I reached my room at the khaawbgah (hostel, in farsi) my chador was soaked wet owing to the two whole rounds i'd taken in the pleasant rain around the sprawling university campus. It was a thursday, the day we have class one hour less. The aroma of goojeh kabob filled the air, our lunch that day. Arguably my favorite iranian dish. I took in the consequences of my little detour in the cold rain. My wet chador would take about 36 hours to dry in thie cold wet air, and my bones felt chilly. I was still unrepentant. Besides I had Alhamdulillah, surprisingly shown incredible immunity to falling ill here.

After taking a wash and realising that the favorite of my very few clothes for the cold weather were stacked in the laundry bin unwashed, I went to the massive dining room and got me some Goojeh kabob. The dining room is always full of loud playful chatter, the iranians outnumbering the foreign students, obviously. 




The university students are of two categories, the roozaneh and the khwaabgaahi (i.e- the ones who don't live on the campus and the ones who do, or more interestingly, the married and the unmarried) I, of course, belong to the second. 

The khwaabgahis, are then one of two categories, the Iranians and the foreigners. I again of course belong to the second.

The goojeh kabob was good.

As it is still cold and my eyes droopy as a result of rising and shining early cuz of class, i'm going to go catch a few winks under my warm and cozy blankie. 


Come back later to catch more of me, in the beautiful Iran. Till then, khoda negehdar! 
:-)