Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation

In this lesson, we go over the last lines of the poem payāmé naseem by Hafez: می‌ای دارم چو جان صافی و صوفی می‌کند عیبش may-ee dāram chō jān sāfee ō soofee meekonad aybash خدایا هیچ عاقل را مبادا بخت بد روزی khodāyā heech āghel rā mabādā bakht bad roozee

In this lesson, we go over the following lines of the poem payāmé naseem by Hafez: جدا شد یار شیرینت کنون تنها نشین ای شمع jodā shod yāré sheereenat konoon tanhā nesheen ay sha'am که حکم آسمان این است اگر سازی و گر سوزی ké hokmé āsemān een ast agar sāzee ō gar soozee

In this lesson, we go over the following lines of the poem payāmé naseem by Hafez: به صحرا رو که از دامن غبار غم بیفشانیbé sahrā rō ké az dāman ghobāré gham beafshānee به گلزار آی کز بلبل غزل گفتن بیاموزیbé golzār āy k’az bolbol ghazal goftan beāmoozee

In part 3 of our discussion of Hafez's poem payāmé naseem, we go over the 3rd and 4th lines of the poem: چو گُل گَر خُردِه‌ای داری خُدا را صَرفِ عِشرَت کُن کِه قارون را غَلَط‌ها داد سُودایِ زَر‌اَندوزیchō gol gar khordeyee dāree khodā rā sarfé eshrat kon ké ghāroon rā ghalat-hā dād sodāyé zarandoozee

In this part 2 episode of Hafez's beautiful poem payāmé naseem, we look at the individual words and phrases in the first two lines of the poem, and learn how to use the words and phrases in current Persian conversation.

In this introduction to the poem payāmé naseem, we are joined by musician Fared Shafinury to discuss the full selection of the poem. In addition, we provide a detailed overview of Hafez, the poet, and his significance in Iranian culture.

In this second part of the poetry lesson for Rudaki's poem shād zee, we go over the entire poem line by line, phrase by phrase so you can get a full grasp of the vocabulary in the poem. You'll then have a full understanding of how to use the vocabulary in everyday conversation.

This is the introduction to our shabé shehr (night of poetry) series, where we go over short selections of poems in Persian, and their overall meanings in English. In this episode, we're joined by Yara Elmjouie to talk about a poem by Rudaki about living in the moment.

Shally Zomorodi is one of the more well-known and incredibly prolific members of the Iranian diaspora. Her day job is as a news anchor of Fox 5 San Diego Morning News where she’s been waking up San Diego for more than a decade now. However, her journalism career spans over two decades at this point, including a two-year stint in Texas where I live. But over the years, she’s also been heavily involved in the greater Iranian community, through her show Bereez o bepaz, through the many lives she does on her Instagram page interviewing other Iranians, or giving glimpses into her embrace of Iranian traditions in her home, through her Iranian gher breaks on her morning news show, and so much more. I had a lot of questions to ask Shally after having watched her develop into such a force in the past few years, and especially over the last year. Related Links: on Instagram

Hollay Ghadery is is an Iranian-Canadian writer living in Ontario on Anishinaabe land. She has her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph. Fuse, her memoir of mixed-race identity and mental health, was released by Guernica Editions (2021) and won the 2023 Canadian Bookclub Award for Nonfiction/Memoir. Her collection of poetry, Rebellion Box, came out Radiant Press in 2023 and her collection of short fiction, Widow Fantasies, is scheduled for release with Gordon Hill Press in fall 2024. Hollay is also a book publicist and the Poet Laureate of Scugog Township. I read Hollay’s memoir Fuse back when it came out in 2021, and I couldn’t believe how applicable the things she wrote about were for my audience- for biracial or bicultural Iranians raised in the west grappling with issues of identity, of all the difficulties and joys of being raised with all these identities, of the dark sides of it, and the beautiful sides as well. I’m so excited for y’all to hear our conversation, and of course for you to experience this book, as I hope you all do. Related Links: FuseHollay on instagram

From the very beginning of this current stage of the conflict, after the horrific events of October 7th, the first person I turned to for an understanding of what was happening was Noam Shuster-Eliassi. I’d been following her for a long time because of her comedy about Israel and Palestine. I had so many questions to ask her, and was so incredibly grateful that she took the time to speak to me. There are no easy answers, and I will let the interview speak for itself. I thank you for taking the time to listen. Related Links Noam’s speech from 2015instagram pageStanding Together

In this episode of Growing Up Irooni, host Leyla interviews Farnoosh Torabi, renowned podcast host and author of the book "A Healthy State of Panic." Leyla and Farnoosh delve into the world of finances, personal development, and the positive aspects of fear. Farnoosh shares her insights on fear and how it can be a powerful force in our lives when understood and harnessed correctly. Related Links: www.chaiandconversation.com"A Healthy State of Panic""So Money with Farnoosh Torabi"instagram

I’m so excited to share with you my interview with Arya Shahi, author of the fantastic new debut novel, An Impossible Thing to Say. It’s coming out this week, September 26th 2023, so no matter when you’re listening to this interview, please drop everything and go buy it- you will love it. So as a brief introduction, Arya Shahi is an Iranian-American multidisciplinary artist. He is a co-founder of PigPen Theatre Co., the award-winning theatre company and band. With PigPen, Arya has written, directed, and performed in original musicals as well as books adapted for stage. Arya’s debut novel, An Impossible Thing To Say, has been published by HarperCollins and Arya will direct the Pulitzer Prize-winning English at The Old Globe in early 2024. We actually ended up recording this interview on September 11th, which is interesting because September 11th was a big part of this novel. I had been looking forward to talking to Arya for a long time, and our conversation did not disappoint- we could have talked for hours more. He is really an ideal guest for this podcast, and talked about so many of the issues I hear from a lot of you about all the time. I hope you enjoy, and thanks for listening!

So excited to share that Navied Mahdavian's incredible debut graphic memoir, This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America is NOW OUT and available for purchase! And to celebrate, I’m so excited to share with you all the conversation I had with Navied after reading his incredible his work. The book is set in rural Idaho where Navied moved with his wife and dog in November 2016- yes, the month Trump got elected. I could NOT put the book down and enjoyed reading it immensely- it brought up so many issues we all think about so much, like issues of identity, language, culture, being “others”- I had so many questions for Navied and feel so lucky I got to sit down and ask him some of them. He’s delightful to talk to, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the conversation as much as I did. Related Links: Navied Mahdavian on Instagram Navied's comic about Iran

In this episode, we dive into an enriching conversation with Samira Mohieddin, discussing her experiences growing up in a Persian family that migrated to Canada. We unpack the challenges and dynamics of navigating multiple cultures, languages, and political climates. Highlights: This episode offers a deep dive into the lived experience of an Iranian-Canadian, illustrating the power of personal stories in bridging cultural gaps and dispelling misunderstandings. Join us for an intimate journey of laughter, nostalgia, and reflection.

In the latest episode of the "Growing Up Irooni" podcast series, I had the unique privilege of sitting down with the iconic Gisue Hariri, one half of the brilliant duo behind Hariri & Hariri Architecture. In this intimate conversation, Gisue delves into the intricacies of growing up in the southern part of Iran, where the environment fostered imagination, resilience, and a profound connection to nature. She candidly shares the challenges and triumphs she faced as a female architect, breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated profession. From her experiences at Cornell University to designing a coffee shop in New York City with Colombian architects, our discussion traverses the intersections of culture, architecture, and womanhood. Whether you're an architecture enthusiast or someone intrigued by personal narratives of struggle, triumph, and identity, this episode promises a heartfelt journey through the eyes of one of Iran's pioneering architectural minds. Tune in to witness how Gisue's unique upbringing influenced her path and her passion for creating more inclusive spaces in architecture. Related Links: Gisue Hariri on Instagram Website of Hariri and Hariri Architecture

"Finding Joonam: A Dialogue with Filmmaker Sierra Urrich" - Immerse yourself in a candid and emotive conversation with Sierra Urrich, the talented director behind the striking documentary, 'Joonam'. In this episode, Sierra shares her heartfelt experiences of creating the film and navigating her Iranian identity through the process. She provides us with an intimate glimpse into her journey, spanning from her childhood in Vermont to her connections with Iran, sparked by the stories, culture, and heritage shared by her mother and grandmother. We discuss the complexities of learning Persian, the multifaceted portrait of three generations of women against Iran's cultural backdrop, and the powerful reactions to the brave protests happening in Iran. This dialogue will undoubtedly resonate with anyone who has ever sought to understand their roots, grappled with their identity, or felt the echoes of a diasporic existence. Tune in for an enriching exploration of heritage, identity, and the extraordinary potency of storytelling. Related Links: hereinstagram

Continuation of our discussion of Rumi's deevāné shō