Tales of an expat couple in Iran

Can you briefly introduce yourself and tell us about your background?

We are originally from Reunion Island, and we both went to Paris for higher studies. Sarah used to work in the tourism industry, both in travel agencies and tour operators, and I was in the finance field.

Today we are both studying Persian calligraphy, the Santour which is a traditional Iranian musical instrument, poetry and the Persian language.

What brought you to Iran? How long have you lived there?

We had already been to Iran twice before settling there, once in 2018 and once in 2019, mainly for religious tourism. Sarah, through her work, used to send groups of French tourists to Iran. So we had already taken a kind of "first step".

During our last trip to Iran in 2019, a friend of ours who we had met in Mashhad in 2018, and with whom we have remained in touch, took us to the city of Mashhad, outside of the places of worship. Mashhad is a city mainly known for its great mausoleum, which is the largest in Iran.

We found that the city is quite modern and realised that we could have a lifestyle that suited us. In fact, when you come here for religious tourism, you don't realise what life is like in Iran. Obviously, there will be misconceptions, but our friend, Ali, helped us discover a little more about Mashhad, at least the more modern side. We realised that we could live in this city that combines both modern and religious aspects. So we relocated here in September 2020.

Moving to a country like Iran is quite particular. Why did you chose Iran instead of going back to your home country?

Returning to Reunion Island would have been the easiest way. It would be going back to our comfort zone. Obviously, we both have our parents there, and since we grew up there, it would have been so easy.

Going to Iran seemed more like an adventure. It's the kind of decision that you make only once in a lifetime. Either you take the chance, or you don't. This kind of opportunity doesn't come twice.

Besides, there's a big difference between what we see on the news about this country and the reality. So we could see it all with our own eyes when we moved here.

We were also tired of the consumerism in Paris. Iran is like the deep end of Asia. Consumerism, brands and ubiquitous advertising are non-existent here.

Did you find it hard adapting to your new environment? How did you overcome it?

It was quite hard in the beginning. Everything is different here: the system, the language. There is no real comparison with Europe. When we arrived, we didn't speak Persian at all, and no one speaks English here. So we were illiterate and could only communicate with gestures. Fortunately, we had two people here to help us; our friend Ali, who spoke a little English and did a lot for us, and one of Sarah's family friends who also lives in Mashhad and helped us find our accommodation. We even found it hard to eat for the first few months, so much that we lost a couple of pounds. The menus are all in Persian. There is the famous kebab, like in Turkey, but with white rice. We only knew that!

When we had settled, we started taking Persian classes to be able to communicate. It was a 6 months crash course, 5 hours a day and 6 times a week. Once we had our apartment, we had to buy some essential equipment while taking our courses.

But this was more a discovery than a challenge, and we were determined to succeed. We were super motivated us, and that helped us overcome all these steps.

What about your social life? Have you made new friends since you arrived?

It was really easy to make new friends here. There are not many expats here. Honestly, there are just a couple of Europeans expats in this country. As a result, it's quite easy to bond with people. We have a very small circle of friends here, but they're all great people, and we get along really well. Besides, in a country like Iran where there are not many expats, you have to choose your friends.

What are the most striking differences between Iran and your home country?

When we make a bank transfer here, it takes about 5 seconds for the recipient to receive the money in their account! And all this is free of charge. And there is a system whereby when you pay by card, you instantly receive an SMS with the amount spent and the remaining balance in your account.

Another thing that we mentioned above is the absence of consumerism.

The Iranian culture is totally different. The people here are very polite. The friendliness is a bit like in Reunion Island, whether you go shopping or you get into a taxi. It's easy to bond with them. For a country having a very weak local currency, we've hardly been scammed here.

Do you miss anything from France or Reunion Island?

Dumplings, samosas, Nutella biscuits, exotic fruits. In short, especially the food!

When we lived in Paris, we could take a trip to Europe for the weekend. In Iran, if we want to leave the country, we have to ask for an exit authorisation, deposit our passports, which can take a whole week. Still, there are beautiful places over here to explore on the weekends.

What about the cost of living in Iran, especially since the start of the crisis?

Iran's economy is quite critical, and this has worsened with the pandemic. The United States embargo also has a significant impact. It has resulted in a huge inflation rate - about 100% from when we arrived one and a half year ago until now. Prices are unstable. For example, when contracts come to an end, store rents rise by at least 50%, and every now and then, there's a store that's closing down.

Would you recommend Iran to people who want to move abroad?

If you're not a Muslim, Iran is a difficult country to live in. In fact, most of the time, people move to a country like Iran when they have a specific goal in mind. Otherwise, it is very unlikely that this country will come to people's minds!

What if you had to go through this all over again?

We are very happy here, so there's absolutely nothing we would change.