Christmas in Amsterdam

misc/amsterdam

Told my boss of my plans...

On Friday afternoon I told my boss of my plans to spend next year from March on the road. He didn't try and talk me out of it, and seemed pretty sympathetic with the idea. I understand from another colleague that he's also thinking of taking a sebatical at some point. On Monday we have a staff meeting so I'll break it to my colleagues there. I won't resign until January or so.

"Persian Pilgrimages" by Afshin Molavi

I just finished reading "Persian Pilgrimages" by Afshin Molavi. The book is a journalistic account of an American of Iranian decent who spends some months in Iran travelling to see iconic Iranian places and talking to people whom he meets along the way. He visits "martyrs" cemeteries and talks to religious conservatives as well as reformist politicians and taxi drivers. His visit co-incided with the period of Khatami's preseidency when the spirit of reform was in the air. The book is filled with the author's positivism. It's a pleasure to read and I only hope that I am able to experience some of what I read when I travel in Iran.