33 Countries of Origin’ Profiles

6 native Kurdish, Balochi, and Arabic speakers. English is a widely taught second language in Iran and many people, especially young people, speak at least a minimal amount of English. Culture of Iran Justin Dodge Iran is a changing country and the way of life in the country today is quickly transforming. The government has strict laws in place that dictate how people dress, act, and behave, but how long these laws will remain is in question. Many young people abide by these rules, but privately speak out about many aspects of the culture, religion, and lifestyle demanded by the government. Today the greatest differences in the way of life in Iran come with the generational gaps. Many older people tend to be fairly conservative as life is focused on the home and family. Going out with friends is uncommon and religion is the center of the world for many of these people. On the other hand much of the younger generation enjoys going out with friends and have a much more active social life. No matter the differences, life in Iran is centered on religion. The weekend is Thursday afternoon and Friday, which aligns with Islam's holy day on Fridays. The five daily prayers also tend to dictate the daily routine for nearly everyone. Even the people that aren't overly religious must at least nominally observe these prayers when in the workplace to avoid ostracism. The workplace does generally have a somewhat regular routine though as most Iranians generally begin work at the same time each morning, usually between 7:30 and 9:00 am. However, the seasons, heat, and day of the week can mean some people work until about noon while others take a long lunch then work until 6:00 pm. After work most Iranians go home for dinner with their family, but many of the farmers, who make up about a quarter of the working population, tends to set their schedule based on the sun, weather, and seasons. Iran is a very well educated country, particularly in the larger cities, and there is a thriving student life in many large cities. While there are restrictions on drinking alcohol and dating (as well as touching anyone of the opposite sex), socialization is common amongst friends and there is an active night scene filled with students and young people talking over coffee, perhaps a glimpse of the future. Identity Identity in Iran i s somewhat in flux at the moment and has been over the past couple centuries. Throughout history Iran (and formerly Persia) has been a very diverse country so there was a clear distinction between a national identity and an ethnic one. This political identity included all people no matter their ethnicity, language, or culture; however the new government is slowly changing this definition as being a Muslim is now seemingly a