Araz Gholami

July 5, 2021, Tabriz Airport

It’s been months since I last wrote something like this. Not that nothing has happened in my life—there simply wasn’t anything worth sharing. Other writings are still in progress and haven’t reached publication yet. I’m grateful to those who sent messages and emails and followed up, and I apologize for the delay.

From last March until now, I’ve been busy buying and building/renovating my new home, which literally consumed all my energy. Handling company work through hourly collaborations, freelance projects, personal projects, and spending time with family filled all 24 hours of the day, leaving no freedom for writing.

With the house work done and side projects completed, moments of free time slowly appeared in my daily life, and my months-long desire for a vacation began to become reality. Around this time, I noticed my vaccination appointment in Turkey became available, leaving no room for delay. The decision was made, and I bought a ticket for today. Scheduling the vaccine, paying the exit fees, taking the PCR test, and completing the self-declaration for entry into Turkey were the other tasks I accomplished in this newfound free time, preparing for a multi-month trip.

If everything goes well, after receiving the first dose in Istanbul, I plan to visit lovely Izmir and dear Ankara to relive sweet memories. Trabzon and Uzungol Lake are my next destinations. That is, if this plane you see doesn’t crash.