Iran - Andrew Burke [310]
Or you could arrange it all in advance and come to Iran on a student visa. For free online Farsi classes, try the excellent www.easypersian.com.
Two schools have good reputations for intensive courses.
Dehkhoda Institute (Map: 021-271 1902; icps@ut.ac.ir or dehkhoda@ut.ac.ir; Bagh-e Ferdows, off Valiasr Ave, Shemiran, Tehran) The International Center for Persian Studies at the institute offers five-week and 3½-/seven-month courses. Tuition is inexpensive, but you’ll need to find your own accommodation.
University of Isfahan (Map; 0311-793 2039-41; www2.ui.ac.ir or int-office@ui.ac.ir; Hezar Jerib St, Esfahan) This sounds like a good bet. Bob, a traveller who completed a three-month course here in 2007, reported that his US$2000 paid for 3½ hours of lessons each morning and comfortable accommodation in the university guesthouse on campus, where foreign students share a floor with views over the city. Apply about three months before you intend to arrive (longer for UK and US passport holders) and the university’s International Office looks after the rest. One-month courses cost US$1000. The final word from Bob: ‘Needless to say, learning the language takes you into new worlds you might not otherwise see (eg two nights ago I spent a day and night with nomadic shepherds on the summit of Shah-e Kuh above Paveh – priceless)’.
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CUSTOMS
Contrary to popular belief, Iranian officialdom is fairly relaxed about what foreigners take into and out of the country; at airports, your bags probably won’t be searched at all. However, don’t take this to mean you can load your luggage with vodka, bacon and skin mags. You are allowed to import, duty-free, 200 cigarettes and 50 cigars, and a ‘reasonable quantity’ of perfume. And of course zero alcohol, which remains strictly illegal.
You’ll probably get away with any book, no matter how critical of the government, as long as it doesn’t have too much female skin or hair visible on the cover.
You should have no trouble bringing in your laptop, shortwave radio, ipod and anything but the largest video equipment. Visitors are supposed to declare cash worth more than US$1000. In practice few people do and the authorities aren’t really interested.
Export Restrictions
Officially, you can take out anything you legally imported into Iran, and anything you bought, including handicrafts other than carpets or rugs up to the value of US$160 (hang on to your receipts), as long as they are not for ‘the purpose of trade’. Many traders are willing to undervalue goods on receipts issued to foreigners. In our experience, we’ve never been asked to show any paperwork when carrying (small numbers of) rugs out of Iran.
You can take out a reasonable, non-commercial number of Persian carpets, 150g of gold and 3kg of silver, without gemstones. If you want to exceed these limits, you will need an export permit from the local customs office. Officially you need permission to export anything ‘antique’ (ie more than 50 years old), including handicrafts, gemstones and coins, so there is always a slight risk that anything vaguely ‘antique’ looking could be confiscated. If you are worried that an expensive item might be confiscated, speak with the customs office before buying. No more than IR200,000 in Iranian cash is allowed to be taken out of Iran.
American sanctions in theory mean you can’t take more than US$100 worth of goods purchased in Iran into the US.
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DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
Earthquakes
Earthquakes happen every day in Iran (see Shaking Iran’s Confidence, Click here), but most travellers will never feel one. If you are unlucky enough to be in the wrong place when a big quake strikes, the following precautions might help.
The greatest danger is from falling debris, so if you’re indoors stay inside and try to take cover under a sturdy desk, table or other furniture. Hold on to it and be prepared to move with it. Hold