What Young Iranians do in their free time?
April 1st, 2008Introduction:
Few days ago, a young Swiss boy asked me several questions about young Iranians, including how they spend their free time, how girls might get in touch with boys in Iran, etc. Here is my foreword and answer to his first question: how do young people spend their free time in Iran?
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Foreword:
Residents of various parts of Iran will probably answer such questions in many very different ways. Though some common elements are likely to be found in all of their answers, some factors, including local traditions, geographical specifications and financial status, affect the answers.
With regards to traditions, I should mention that for example in metropolitan areas, most notably in Tehran, it’s generally easier for the young to find a friend of the opposite sex, especially if they happen to be university students. Universities in my country bridge the gap between traditional society in which the parents live and modern one in which the children aspire to live. Finding a friend of the opposite sex is only one example of a series of freedoms offered by universities to the young.
With regards to geographical specifications, for example, my city, Isfahan, enjoys a beautiful river with many parks around it, which make it possible for the youth to spend their time in them. In some other areas, for example in northern west of Iran, the weather is so cold during the winter that people can hardly spend their free time during the cold season (which sometimes extends to half of the year) outside. Therefore, they are likely to invest in some suitable options such as cinema or café-net (I will explain this phenomenon in later parts).
And finally with regards to financial status, this factor affects the hobbies the young choose in 2 ways: first, well-to-do families are usually more liberal, offering their children a higher degree of freedom. Second, having enough money, the people might afford more expensive options for their free time.
The question “how young Iranians spend their free time” seems to be the an important one whose answer would cover other questions to an extent, thus I would try to provide a comprehensive answer for it, and then briefly answer other questions.
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How do young people spend their free time in Iran?
A: National TV
Iranians are obsessed with TV. Official statistics reveal that some serials, including drama and especially comedy serials (which are usually planned for 90 episodes and broadcast every night during a full season), attract 60% of the population. Iran’s National TV broadcasts 6 channels in the national level, a recently launched English News Satellite Channel (called PressTV), in addition to some provinces broadcasting provincial channels.
6 national channels are called: Channel One (general), Channel Two (general), Channel Three (mainly focusing on Youth and Sports), Channel Four (with a scientific-cultural focus, sometimes broadcasts original English documentaries of BBC and other famous channels), News Channel (24/7 news channel), and Quran Channel. Channel Three is perhaps the most interesting one to the youth.
B: Satellite Channels
In spite of satellite receivers being legally banned, the regime seems reluctant to crack down those who exploit satellite receivers. Some non-official reports indicate that in metropolitan areas, up to 40% of households have access to satellite channels. 10 years ago, ’satellite receiver’ was supposed ‘evil’ by most of Iranians, but today people are somehow used to it.
Let’s classify satellite channels in two classes: Persian channels, and non-Persian channels.
With regards to Persian satellite channels, most of them are Political ones launched to oppose Iran’s regime, but they can not compete with National TV, thus fail to attract a fair amount of viewers. In addition to political ones, there are some other channels such as PMC (Persian Music Channel) which are dedicated to broadcasting music clips. Since such clips are banned in National TV, PMC has turned into one of the most favorite channels of Iranians.
With regards to the other class, in Iran, English is ranked above other foreign languages in terms of the number of people who try any second language. In addition, English is a compulsory part of schools curriculum since 7th grade. An average Iranian, however, is not familiar with English enough to take advantage of English satellite channels. Then, the only foreign satellite channels interesting to Iranians are porno, fashion and wild life ones.
C: Internet
The youth are eager to break the mold and cross the boundaries set by either the traditional society or the regime. The public atmosphere, however, is not ready to cope with the youth who might allegedly betray the very values of the nation. Therefore, the youth resort to private atmosphere so as to satisfy their needs.
Internet is a good example of such private worlds. One might easily find out that the cyber Iran is far different from, and probably not comparable with the real Iran. In a western country, web is generally supposed to facilitate the real life. But to the young Iranians, web brings a far different meaning: it is supposed to help the youth get rid off the real life and its limitations.
What do I mean by ‘limitations of real life’? Dress code, boys-girls relations, porn, fashion, etc. are some examples of these limitations, but the real limitation is far more general than these examples. Some sociologists believe that there is a wide gap between first generations of post-revolution Iran and today generation, i.e. Iran has experienced a kind of rapid cultural shift, and the new generation finds it difficult to express itself in the real world dominated and ruled over by old generations. Therefore, it seeks to express itself in the cyber world. Between all various web features, ‘chat’ and ‘weblog’ are the most interesting ones to young Iranians. Due to these reasons, café-nets (originally cafés providing internet services along with coffee and tea, but today only internet providers) have mushroomed in big cities.
D: Cafés
There are two kinds of cafés in Iran: traditional and modern. Modern cafés are almost similar to European cafés, serving various kinds of non-alcoholic drinks (coffee, tea, soft drinks, lemonade), foods (pizza, vegetarian dish, snack), cakes (fruit, caramel, chocolate cakes), etc. On the other hand, traditional cafés serve just tea, Qalyan (water pipe: a kind of traditional Iranian smoke) and few traditional foods. Generally speaking, traditional cafés are cheaper and attract more young Iranians.
E: Parks, Mountain Parks
Parks are also a well-known destination for the youth. In addition, some nearby mountains are equipped to serve as a park: camps, rest rooms, barbecues, play grounds, etc.
In addition, in almost all of the big cities, some parks are dedicated to women so that they can freely spend their time while not being forced to wear Hijab (Islamic dress code). In these parks they are allowed to practice some activities which would be considered indecent otherwise, such as sun bathing.
F: Parties
Young people frequently arrange parties, but the scale and type of the party depends on several factors. Single-sex parties, including just boys or girls, often for birthdays, may be held very easily and families get along with them. But if some are to invite both girls and boys, or include alcoholic drinks, they have to accomplish some problems. Most important of all, police forces crack down such parties if they happen to include drugs or sex, or if the neighbors complain about.
G: Educational Programs
Several institutes offer educational programs, including language, computer, art and occupational courses. Young people, especially girls, express a lot of interest to these programs and choose them for their own free time.
H: Trips
Trips are possible from 1-day journeys to 1-week or even more ones. For religious people, some holy mosques or the graves of saints constitute a suitable option. Wealthy families usually own gardens out of the city, or villas in the coast of the sea, and spending a day or night in them is a common choice.
It should be noted that some certain areas in the coast are dedicated to women so that they have fun freely.
I: Sport
In addition to specialized clubs, many areas and parks have chess tables, skate grounds, ping pong tables, etc. Billiard clubs are also a luxury option. Swimming pools are available with some hours booked for women.
Virtually, almost all kinds of sports are available to young Iranians. But it should be noted that as expected, girls are supposed to submit to dress/moral code. This code, however, is not a definite one throughout the nation. For example, though people in bigger cities are getting used to girls biking for fun or transportation, smaller cities are less likely to observe the girls doing the same stuff.
J: Hanging Out
Just do it!
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Mohammad,
would you say that if the laws were strictly enforced things would be different in Iran?
i would assume they jackoff or shag a hole in the wall in their spare time:)
Well, hopefully they don’t sit around amidst a gigantic freakin wonderland of diversion and entertainment and whine about “there’s nothing to dooooo” (and then complain that Uncle is hogging the internet again)…sorry, March Break flashback…
This is a really excellent post, thanks a lot for sharing it. Sorry to see some of the above commenters unappreciative of this information.
Esra’a:
This must be all lies, CNN and FOX tell me that things opposite to what is written here.
Mohammad Memarian, you must work for the Iranian government.
Lol Jina!
How shocking to find out people “over there” are behaving like people…”over here”…Im amazed! I seriously can’t fathom the dumb asses out there who make a villain out of “others”. Makes me sick.
On another note…China rats out Iran about the nuclear program
But I still would like to hear it from Iran…do you think if all the rules were enforced things would be different in Iran…do you think if they were to truly enforce and live up to the ideas entailed in the Islamic revolution, would there be a rebellion?
Omid:
I think that I answered your question once, but now I fail to find it in comments.
By the way, if the law were to be enforced strictly and “up to the ideas entailed in the Islamic Revolution”, most of the above “funs” would be forbidden. But, would that situation lead to a rebellion? I don’t feel so. Rebellion needs a minimum socially structured dissent along with enough impetus to translate ‘feelings’ into ‘action’, and I’m afraid if these requirements are not met in today Iran.
On the other hand, regime is smart enough not to ban such funs which work as ‘relief valve’.
Interesting, but I guess none of this is too surprising… I mean, the standard news where I live (Germany) don’t show much about what it is like to live in Iran ( only about that nuclear thing) and when something is shown, it makes one sort of come to the conclusion that in just about any place in the world except the U.S., “old” Europe and possibly Japan, people are still very poor and unhappy about freedoms they are supposedly lacking – but it is clear that only a small part of the truth, if at all.
And as it seems even though there are certain limitations which do not exist here, people can mostly bypass them.
I have a question, however: This article almost makes it sound like there is a significant gap between old people and young people. Is that really so? Isn’t there also a significant (e.g. > 10%) amount of older people interested in the Internet? And, aren’t there also some young people who are very conservative (and possibly very religious), and just do everything the way their parents want them to?
I am asking because in the U.S. for example there are a lot of very conservative, religious young people nowadays, and in Europe the importance of religion is also somewhat rising again, unfortunately.
@ Jina
Thats a view from Iran, what Mohammad Memarian says. Yes, thats it. You may wonder and assume Iranian some bored people, have nothing to do and wish Bush comes some day and set them free.
But its not the reality! Although all people in Iran have not this chances, but these things happen here and there numerously.
For example, I, myself am obsessed with Newruz holidays trips, home and garden parties, family visits and mounting climbings in just 13 days (Newruz holidays length). And also others GIRLS and boys of family with me!
Here is the reality of Iran, not BBC and CNN; you’d better watch Al Jazire!
We love to chat, listen to much, if we have a car on holidays we drive off a secluded road and take off the veil and play the music load in the car, then we get down and dance, it is more pleasing than all the discos in the world, because it is forbidden dance ,
guys, crazy after a stupid football ball, and if at home all over the tv. set watching national and european football matches,
nothing is more important to them than offsides and penalties, they play footbal at any rate, any where, with any other guy possible.
The religious go to mosque, they keep their religious cycles and regular meetings where they recite the holy verses and prayers and talk, the older Iranians wait for their kids to visit them at home, kids meet them very regularly, and that is what they Must do, they always do, you have to keep in touch with them, no one supports you more than your parents, you need them to their last days.
Some other young people are addicted to American movies, waiting for any thing new coming out, which they can buy very easily at any street, guys whispering in your ears Cd! DVD! New Stuff! and you buy, very cheap, police shouldn’t see, buty you buy it and you see it, tons of movies, most of them not good stuff, but you are addicted and you just watch. Some others go to the mountains, climb, they go in groups, and they reach the peaks too high for the revolutionary guards to catch up. Well the ones who make it that high are not the kind to take advan tage of the Freedom they acqure Boozing and Mating ! They take pleasure in nature, well it is always an advantage to be some where out of the reach of the guards, the spot in itself is a peaceful place where you can be yourself, whatever you are you can demonstrate. Well, since the youth are really deprived from their very rights of communicating with the opposite sex in a decent context, you can see many many if let free tending to fulfill their suppressed desires, but that does not apply to all. People, specially the youth await for a national happy event to dance in the streets. some 10 years back irna won over Australia and some years back, more recently, Iranian football team ( oh yes it should be football) won over Bahrain and people were crazy, in the streets, dancing even in front of the street where Khomeini lived when he was alive, the same street is home to many officals and people of fame and turbin , who is there to stop the cars when too many cars are in the street, all with aload music and people dancing iside and outside and on top?
You could see girls taking off their veils and dancing in cycles, and the revolutionary guards, watching in a very Civilized manner. In occasions as such they watch, that is the best policy otherwise…..
It is very interesting. Thank you Mohammad!
Martin said:
this is a rather difficult question which I’ve been contemplating last days. today I’m going to pay a visit to a university professor for an unofficial interview regarding your question. I will inform you of his answer.
I really appreciate this kind of blog so much, just the details of ordinary life in a country or a culture that is often misunderstood by outsiders. I’ve always dreamed of going to Iran, and someday hope to make it there. The people seem to me to be so full of poetry and strength. Thank you for sharing that.
Heather Smith
You are always most welcome, we love guests
surely there are some young people who follow their religous parents and some older people who watch PMC , like their lives would depend on it and surf the internet and even chat;-)…
but there are not lots of such people around… even those very relious children are not as religous as their parents… they rebell every now and then.
I’ve seen some CCN and BBC documentaries lately about Iran, in which they talked about iran’s youth like they really are….
about those parties and going up and down Jordan street in tehran and everything…
there was also this movie “Persepolise” I saw some time ago… That’s what IRAN is like today!!!!
and there is another place for meeting people:
There are some big malls and shopping centers in Tehran for example, lots of people (younger people) go there just to have fun not actually for real shopping just hanging out. people there usually dress like in a fashion show they are so popular now that almost all of those malls have “gashte ershad” (some kind of police for “advising” people who are wearing clothes not approved by the islamic rules, like tight trenchcoats for girls and short T-shirts for boys ) put on the enteries so the islamic rules would not be broken!
Anahita:
Good complementary info. Just one point: most modern episodes of Persepolise belong to more than one decade ago… Iran is a far different place right now with regards to what the youth do!
Hey Anahita
Some time back I was shopping in Vali-asr square with my family, I saw a good deal of these religious police, dealing with girls and guys who did lousily with their religious dress codes and all, you know what amazed me the most?
Well, there were women police and men, and they were flirting so openly themselves!
Oh they are disgusting.. disgusting for being hypocrites before an thing else. What I could clearly see was, that people do not trust the religious guards.
What Young Iranians do in their free time?
A lot of Mid east youth watch the internet TV station RTV Channel.
which are dedicated to broadcasting music clips. Since such clips are banned in National TV, RTV Channel has turned into one of the most favorite channels of Mideast youth.