Nazy Kaviani

I have written all my life. Well, I have written different things throughout my life. I have written short stories, long stories, poems, diaries, interviews, technical documentation, briefing notes, statistical analysis, love letters from myself, love letters from others (for my cousin to send off to her boyfriend), office memoranda, letters, notes, you name it. I write in both Farsi and English.

Last December I decided to start a blog. I asked two of my co-workers what was entailed, they directed me to Blogspot, and by that afternoon, I had a blog. I started making sporadic entries, talking to myself really, venting, reminiscing, crying, laughing, and telling. I was an “undercover blogger” (blogger makhfi as I called it) until one day I gave Jahanshah the address to my blog to check out samples of my writing in conjunction with some pieces I had been giving him to publish in Iranian.com.

In February, after giving him several pieces which were published, he decided to create a homepage for me on Iranian.com, complete with my own logo, and a list of all the things I had written. The day he did that, I was looking at the page with pride, feeling really excited when I realized to my horror, that he had published the address of my blog on my homepage, announcing it to the world! I was shocked and paralyzed with fear. Though by then a few people had known about my blog and had kindly been visiting me, I wasn’t prepared for hundreds of people whom I didn’t know. What would they see? What would they think? Would they like my writings?

In just a few months, I have become a blogger who takes this medium quite seriously. I write in English not just because I can. I believe there are thousands of Iranian blogs which are meticulously and enthusiastically kept in Farsi, but which can only be read by literate Farsi speakers in the world. The stories those bloggers tell, their anecdotes, their analysis, their humor and their irony are lost on people who can’t read them. I feel Iranians must also speak to others in the world to tell them stories about Iran, themselves, their thoughts, their values, and their hopes and fears. There is also a growing number of Iranians who were born and raised outside of Iran and unfortunately cannot read Farsi. This shouldn’t discount them as Iranians. They should still be able to find other Iranians with whom they can communicate. Then there are non-Iranians who are continually bombarded with slanted news and propaganda from all directions about and against Iran and Iranians. Those who are interested to know about Iran and Iranians must be given choices to go and read the messages of hope, understanding, optimism, and pride of ordinary Iranians in diaspora. That’s why I keep my humble blog in English.

Many of my visitors are Iranians, actually. About half of those come from Iran and the other half from all over the world from Japan, Australia, and New Zealand to European countries, Americas, and the Middle East. I know they come, but very few of them leave comments. Many of them write emails to me, because this is easier for them than to leave comments in English. That is perfectly fine with me. I am an ordinary individual who has found a medium which is a hobby, a lifeline, and an instrument of hope and understanding. My blog is a labor of love; love for Iran, Iranians, America, Americans, and the people of world. I believe it is upon each and every one of us who can to try and bring understanding and compassion to those who care enough to search and find us. For that, I thank Jahanshah Javid.

Soon I will write again about the trials and tribulations of being an Iranian blogger.