Persians and Americans
Americans and Persians by Veronica Sheno:
There are some differences and similarities between Americans and Persians. One of the biggest differences between Iran and America is their culture. Americas culture is very diverse because of the variety of people to migrate to America. Irans culture history goes back over 3000 years. Every generation in Iran has seen different kings. At one point, the Iranian people were known as the most famous and wealthiest people in the world. Iranian history is very important, so it is required that all the students take history classes every semester in Iran. Family is of top priority in Iranian culture. Family in Iran is considered holy and being a mother is the really important. In Iran every one has to get married and it is considered a sin if has a child out of wedlock. Everything in Iran is based on family. All the family members live together until they get married and are ready to begin their own lives. If you look at Iranian family trees it seems like a jungle because its important for them to keep their generation. But in America, it seems as if families are not as close knit. People are expected to move out by the time they are 18 and the average family is America consists of about four or five people. Or sometimes parents ask their children's to leave the house and take their own responsibility of life. That's why most of the young people in America have a job. Being a mother is not as big of a deal in America because you can have a child even if you don't get married and a lot of women in America get abortions. People in America do are not as pressured to marry.
Cultural differences can be found even in the clothing choices people make. People seem to pay a lot of attention to the way Persians, women in particular, dress in Iran. Even though they are more into European fashion trends and they like to buy expensive and famous brand clothes, they cant show that they have a sense of style because of they have to cover up their entire bodies. Transversely, in America people have the freedom to wear whatever they like without the possibility of getting arrested. In Iran, ones choice of attire is very important. Every season they have new fashion trends which people follow and if you look in the street you will see many people wearing the same style and mostly the same color. Usually people in Iran dress very formal even for daily activities, but in America people wear comfortable clothes for their day and they have special clothes for certain occasions. In Iran when you have a meeting with the government, you need to cover up your entire body with clothes and you need to wear a scarf on your head so that your hair wont show. Also, in America, if you are going to a professional meeting, you need to wear formal clothes which are usually suits for women with close toed shoes and suit with tie for men.This is a significant difference between Iranians and Americans.
The other difference between Iran and America is the life style. People in Iran have more free time. Most of the time women don't have to work because being a housewife counts as a job. It is really important that women in Iran take care of their own kids. Well, through out the years, many more women have found jobs outside of the house and are not as domesticated. In America, however, people are busy most of the time. Every minute counts in America, and people try to catch up every minute. It is important for females to have a job, that's why most of the women go to school and get degrees so they can have a job when they get out. Its important for American women to be able to earn their own money because they cannot always depend on a husband to get their money for them. Women in America are much more independent. In Iran, men have to support their wives and their families, but in America, both men and woman are responsible for their lives. Weekends in Iran start on Friday which is based on the Islamic culture. Friday in Iran its like a dead day. You cant find any body working, except in some restaurants. That is why on Friday Iranian people try to hang out with their family and mostly they go out and spend time in nature and some people just clean up their house and try to get ready for the week coming up. But in America, weekends are on Saturday and Sunday and many people have to work even thought its a weekend. But for those who don't have to work on weekends, their time is usually spent at parties or at the beach with their friends or their family. The cultural differences between Iran and America are significant and having been a part of both is a great learning experience. While America is much more liberal, Iran is very conservative.