Frankfurt to Middleast and Central Asia

Back in October 2025, I had a month free to travel, and I wanted to travel inside the Middle East. But soon after, I realized that as an Iranian passport holder, I would need much more than a month to get visas for every single country.

Now the idea seems even farther away, but at the beginning of April I realized that, thanks to the large diaspora from this region, I can still learn a lot— which would be the objective of travel anyway.

So I am creating this experimental meetup that combines curiosity, the Middle East, and Central Asia. I’m not sure how this is going to go, but here’s what I imagine could happen.

What I would most like to hear are stories. How was it for you to grow up? What do you miss the most now? What bothered you as a young woman or a young man? I want stories about your grandma, about your uncle.

I would like to learn and cook more food from all around the Middle East. I want book recommendations. I want to read poems. I want to hear about hopes, fears, jokes, and even the subtle forms of racism within each culture. I want to understand what was different for you compared to how I grew up, and what was similar.

I think this meetup can be open both to people who are from the Middle East and to those who are simply curious about it. But it doesn’t make sense to have an event with only curious people and no lived experience. I will try to ensure that each event has a mix of both.

For now, I will cap each meetup at a maximum of five people, because I don’t yet feel skilled enough to handle more.

I would say no politics, but that might be too strict—so let’s say minimal to no politics, and more focus on experiences, stories, anecdotes, and examples.

I want this meetup to inform the next time I get the chance to travel through the Middle East, or maybe even live in some of its countries. The same applies to Central Asia. As an Iranian, I feel connected to both, even though each side might feel they don’t have much to do with the other. Iran connects them.

I welcome all genders and all ages—from 10 to 80—as long as participants can understand English, and as long as nobody dominates the conversation or disrupts the group.

I’m open to suggestions for formats, and stay tuned for concrete events.