Qishm

Before the breakup of the Soviet Union, when the news media frequently reported that the world’s greatest fear was a US vs. USSR nuclear war to end all wars, and all life on earth (except cockroaches), a friend visited Moscow. When he returned, he was a bit of a celebrity, and was required to tell about his trip at pretty much every opportunity. The thing he found most unexpected, as it turns out, was how well the Russian people treated him.

He was treated as an honored guest. Like an old friend they’d been missing. They were truly kind to him, happy to spend time with him, and sad to see him leave. It was quite a contrast to the expectations of boiling hatred and animosity for which he had braced himself. Although the Russian people who he met were very much Russians, they were not at all his enemies.

It is hard to separate a foreign government from the people in that nation. In fact, it is often hard to view a foreign nation as something other than a simple description defined by the encyclopedia or the press. So it may be poor or rich, dirty or pristine, hostile or friendly, barren or beautiful, but it cannot be all of those. And yet, most nations have a bit of each. There are many destinations where tourists and aid workers are seated on the same flights.

Certainly in recent years, it would be a challenge for most Americans to view Iran through a lens clear of the headlines. Qishm (or Kishm, or most commonly, Qeshm) is the name of the capital city (and the county) of an island by the same name off the southern coast of Iran. It is the largest island in Iran, and is a hotspot for ecotourism. There is also an underground military facility where submarines can be stored.

I suspect that the majority of the 110K or so Iranians who live on the island just consider it home. And the tourists and guests who come are customers and visitors. The locals probably don’t see themselves as players in an international power struggle or fodder for the press. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d love to just sit down for a strong cup of coffee and talk about the weather. Which sounds good to me.