Bringing Iran Home
I've had a slew of roommates. Two in college, two in Florida, and five in San Francisco (four of whom I've blogged about). In order, we had:
1. White hick from North Bumfuck, New York
2. The least cool black girl in all of Brooklyn, New York
3. Latina girl from Northern Florida
4. Half-jewish girl from Nice, France
5. Crunchy lawyer-girl from midwest
6. Young Lacey from different part of midwest
7. Steamroller
8. Trixie
9. 9am
My roommate 9am is Iranian. I seem to have a pattern of being roommates with people who are from places the U.S. is having issues with (the mountain). Remember when George Bush was angry at France and french fries became freedom fries? That was when I had a roommate from Nice, France. I brought her with me to a breakfast with my family and dared her to order freedom toast (she wouldn't do it).
A couple of weeks ago, 9am spent about a half hour teaching me the last 60 years of Iranian history regarding government. As I always do, I had a lot of questions, to the point 9am almost called his mother to get clarification on some issues.
This weekend 9am's dad is here. I met him tonight and he is very warm and friendly. I like him. He is easy to talk with. He lives in San Diego, and told me what it's like there. I feel really lucky that I've gotten to meet people from different parts of the country, and world, and talk with them and learn about the places they come from.
People sometimes ask why diversity is so important. This is why. Because when I hear Iran, I will think of 9am* and his dad. I will not think it sounds similar to Iraq and we hate Iraq so we hate Iran too. Because the more people you meet, the broader your world is, the more it opens up. Next time the news mentions Iran, I'm more likely to pay attention because I'll have a base of knowledge that I didn't have before. It will mean more to me (than nothing). Knowledge is power and all that shit.
Question for you nine who are reading: when your parents are coming over, do you clean your home? 9am did not clean at all. He didn't vacuum, throw out the garbage, clean his bedroom, clean off the dining room table (piles of 9am's mail), clean the kitchen in any way, etc. It's not like his father comes over every week or anything - this is his very first visit out here. Is it a girl thing to clean before guests (especially parents) come over, or a me thing?
*Yes, 9am is misogynistic and clueless and cooks chicken in the mornings. But as far as roommates go, he is overall a good one.
1. White hick from North Bumfuck, New York
2. The least cool black girl in all of Brooklyn, New York
3. Latina girl from Northern Florida
4. Half-jewish girl from Nice, France
5. Crunchy lawyer-girl from midwest
6. Young Lacey from different part of midwest
7. Steamroller
8. Trixie
9. 9am
My roommate 9am is Iranian. I seem to have a pattern of being roommates with people who are from places the U.S. is having issues with (the mountain). Remember when George Bush was angry at France and french fries became freedom fries? That was when I had a roommate from Nice, France. I brought her with me to a breakfast with my family and dared her to order freedom toast (she wouldn't do it).
A couple of weeks ago, 9am spent about a half hour teaching me the last 60 years of Iranian history regarding government. As I always do, I had a lot of questions, to the point 9am almost called his mother to get clarification on some issues.
This weekend 9am's dad is here. I met him tonight and he is very warm and friendly. I like him. He is easy to talk with. He lives in San Diego, and told me what it's like there. I feel really lucky that I've gotten to meet people from different parts of the country, and world, and talk with them and learn about the places they come from.
People sometimes ask why diversity is so important. This is why. Because when I hear Iran, I will think of 9am* and his dad. I will not think it sounds similar to Iraq and we hate Iraq so we hate Iran too. Because the more people you meet, the broader your world is, the more it opens up. Next time the news mentions Iran, I'm more likely to pay attention because I'll have a base of knowledge that I didn't have before. It will mean more to me (than nothing). Knowledge is power and all that shit.
Question for you nine who are reading: when your parents are coming over, do you clean your home? 9am did not clean at all. He didn't vacuum, throw out the garbage, clean his bedroom, clean off the dining room table (piles of 9am's mail), clean the kitchen in any way, etc. It's not like his father comes over every week or anything - this is his very first visit out here. Is it a girl thing to clean before guests (especially parents) come over, or a me thing?
*Yes, 9am is misogynistic and clueless and cooks chicken in the mornings. But as far as roommates go, he is overall a good one.
Labels: 9am, On the Homefront, Personally
posted by Green at 10/10/2008 11:29:00 PM
11 Comments:
Cleaning for parents is mandatory...and not just a girl thing. I have seen boys clean for parents. At least take out the trash and shove your stuff in a closet or something.
And love the diversity theme. So important. Glad you are having good experiences with folks.
I clean EVERYTHING when my parents are visiting. And I do mean EVERYTHING, behind and under the couch, pulling bed away from the wall and cleaning there, etc.
No, not a girl thing to clean. My place would be a huge mess if we didn't have people over occasionally, which forces us to clean.
(Totally agree with your observation - you can't think of a place like Iran the same way once you *know* someone from Iran.)
I clean differently when my parents come to visit (which is far more frequently) than when my in-laws come to visit (which is almost never). My parents, I clean the kitchen, shut my bedroom door if it's laundry city, vacuum, and pick up the week's clutter. My in-laws, I'll actually dust the blinds and tables. I'm in survival mode now and they all know it, so I quit caring about stuff like that to a great extent.
I agree with your observation that meeting people from other countries helps us put faces, hearts and souls to the issues we're reading and hearing about in the news. For instance, I learned so much from my two classmates from Taiwan last semester. Anytime I see the country's name in print now, I have so much more perspective about the culture than I ever did before meeting them.
No I don't but that's only because I'm 44 with three kids, an Au Pair and a mess of dogs, cats and chickens (and a husband, did I mention the husband?). So I don't. If they haven't worked out who I am by now they never will. And if I haven't gotten past the approval stuff (which I have not) then I probably never will. But who needs more drama, right? Nice post, by the way. I couldn't agree more.
Heck yes I clean ! Is it because I am a women and I feel I will be judged harshly if my house is not clean? I light candles, use room spray...
oh yeah, I totally cleaned before my mom came. I actually HIRED someone to clean but it didn't work out so husband and I cleaned. Not a lot. but we did. so that she wouldn't nag. of course she did anyway.
Yes, I clean, but 9 AM is younger, isn't he? I would bet it's more of an age thing than a gender thing.
Lori, 9am is 28.
I clean when anyone comes over, but I guess I do probably clean a little more thoroughly when my parents or my in-laws come. My husband doesn't initiate the cleaning, but he'll always help.
9am is 28?!!!! I'd always, like Lori, pictured him as a young 20-something.
But yes, pre-parent cleaning is mandatory. At any age. Which is why I'm making my new roommate- my 22 year old brother in law- help us clean before his parents come in a few weeks.
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