Since I’ve been living in Portugal, I’ve been experiencing two cultures: Portuguese, of course, and Iranian.

I rent a room from a young Iranian woman. She has lived in Lisbon for more than three years. Vivacious and outgoing, she makes everyone feel at home and welcome.

Her boyfriend is Portuguese, friendly and helpful. I learn about Portugal from both of them.

Her parents are visiting us. They are lovely people. Like their daughter, they are warm and welcoming.

It’s been a marvelous experience.

 

Two cultures: Portugal and Iran

Not only have I been able to spend time exploring the city, I’ve enjoyed making new friends and learning more about their traditions.

 

If you follow me on Instagram, you saw some photos from the Iranian new year celebration, which coincides with the start of spring.

We enjoyed a nice meal, which usually is fish for the new year. Just before 10 pm local time for us, we counted down to the new year while watching a program with music and festivities — think Dick Clark’s “Rockin’ New Year.”

Friends and family who live afar called with video chats to say hello and wish a happy new year.

A tradition is setting the haft seen table. It features seven items, each starting with the letter S, that symbolize health and prosperity in the new year. Special foods, sweets, nuts, fruit and more are enjoyed leading up to and during the new year celebration.

It’s a little like Christmas in that they give gifts, with the older ones giving to the younger.

As part of the renewal aspect, they usually get a new clothing item to wear.

 

Sharing their culture

In all of this, they included me.

They did not have to, but they did.

And it was wonderful.

If I had someone living with me, I like to think I would include her in any festivities I was celebrating. So I understand that. My hostess is just that sort of person.

Her parents and boyfriend, too.

But it’s been lovely to be included.

I don’t think I could have asked for anything better than what I’ve experienced here so far. It’s been perfect.

When my friend told me all those months ago that I’d find the perfect place to live, probably neither of us envisioned this. Yet here I am, grateful and happy, in the right spot at the right time, sharing two cultures.

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Be a Better Writer Tip

There’s so much more I want to say about Sanam, her boyfriend and her parents. Anecdotes, the way they switch between languages, the sound of their voices, how they smile at each other and at me.

Yet, this is a column, not a book. And as readers, you probably wouldn’t understand — or I wouldn’t be able to fully explain.

Instead, I focused on one aspect of this experience. However, even that is incomplete. There simply is too much to tell.

This is where editing comes in. As a writer, you need to decide what to keep and what to let go.

You’ve maybe heard it phrased as “Kill your darlings.” That always sounds so harsh to me, but I guess that’s the point. Just because you like something doesn’t mean you should keep it.

The next time you struggle to get something to fit in what you’ve written, give it a try. Take out the part you’re working to get in, and see if it works better without it — even if you really like it. If you take it out, you may find your piece comes together.

And if your “darling” is really good, it will come back, and you can use it another time in a place where it will shine.