Name: Mina
Nickname: Mimi
Age: 28
City: Tehran
“We all grow up dreaming. All I wanted when I was growing up, was to be a fashion designer. I’d page through the French fashion magazines my aunt used to bring back from her trips to Europe. I guess being an aspiring cosmetologist is the next best thing, if you’re living in Iran today.
“My mom is a beautician to the women in our neighborhood (her salon is our living room)—nails, eyebrows, facials, you name it. My father was a math teacher at a local high school, until he retired a few years back. Since then, financially things have certainly been tough, and as the eldest of 4 children, a lot of responsibility falls on me to help out. But where are the jobs—at least ones that make real money? I waitress downtown part-time, and I’m also trying to build my reputation and brand as a cosmetologist.
I have a few clients, mostly by word of mouth, but even my ‘regulars’ visit infrequently these days. I get it, their budgets are tight—they can’t pay me to do their highlights, or to do their make up for parties—they have to try to do it themselves. I wouldn’t be able to afford it myself, these days.
“But that’s exactly it. Even if I did market myself better, cash is becoming increasingly scarce, and people aren’t paying for luxuries anymore. But I didn’t sign up for this. This isn’t what I voted for. This isn’t what I was born for. I wasn’t given life to have my self-expression restricted by a religious government, and now be further financially restricted because that same government is set on becoming nuclear, no matter what the cost to the people.
" I don’t know too much about politics, but what I am learning from experience is that I, and my family, and my friends don’t get anything out of Iran becoming a nuclear power…but every day we way the price more and more. We feel the sanctions pinching. Why our politicians are so stubborn? I guess it’s the typical “Iranian Man’s” ego, but enough is enough. This nuclear issue is hurting us more than it could ever help us.”
© WeAreTheMartyrs 2013
Nickname: Mimi
Age: 28
City: Tehran
“We all grow up dreaming. All I wanted when I was growing up, was to be a fashion designer. I’d page through the French fashion magazines my aunt used to bring back from her trips to Europe. I guess being an aspiring cosmetologist is the next best thing, if you’re living in Iran today.
“My mom is a beautician to the women in our neighborhood (her salon is our living room)—nails, eyebrows, facials, you name it. My father was a math teacher at a local high school, until he retired a few years back. Since then, financially things have certainly been tough, and as the eldest of 4 children, a lot of responsibility falls on me to help out. But where are the jobs—at least ones that make real money? I waitress downtown part-time, and I’m also trying to build my reputation and brand as a cosmetologist.
I have a few clients, mostly by word of mouth, but even my ‘regulars’ visit infrequently these days. I get it, their budgets are tight—they can’t pay me to do their highlights, or to do their make up for parties—they have to try to do it themselves. I wouldn’t be able to afford it myself, these days.
“But that’s exactly it. Even if I did market myself better, cash is becoming increasingly scarce, and people aren’t paying for luxuries anymore. But I didn’t sign up for this. This isn’t what I voted for. This isn’t what I was born for. I wasn’t given life to have my self-expression restricted by a religious government, and now be further financially restricted because that same government is set on becoming nuclear, no matter what the cost to the people.
" I don’t know too much about politics, but what I am learning from experience is that I, and my family, and my friends don’t get anything out of Iran becoming a nuclear power…but every day we way the price more and more. We feel the sanctions pinching. Why our politicians are so stubborn? I guess it’s the typical “Iranian Man’s” ego, but enough is enough. This nuclear issue is hurting us more than it could ever help us.”
© WeAreTheMartyrs 2013