麻豆传媒映画

Sitting on the plane, 1:40 a.m., heading back to Moscow.

I鈥檒l spend the day sleeping, and catch a flight the following day back to Vancouver. My World Cup is over, and so is Iran鈥檚. It wasn鈥檛 without drama. Iran really had to win to get through. They shut down Ronaldo, even stopping him on a penalty, but it wasn鈥檛 enough. Iran would tie, and with four points, fall short of Spain and Portugal. A commendable performance, but still. It hurts. It stings. It was this close.
I can鈥檛 spend too much time lamenting. It was a tremendous experience, and Iran fought until the end. Fans of this team have much to be proud of. Their team fought relentlessly until the final whistle.聽

My final thoughts:聽First, it鈥檚 amazing how your perception of a place and people can be shaped by popular culture and the news.

Second, it鈥檚 amazing how your ideology and views can shape your perception of others. I didn鈥檛 know what to expect going to Russia. I like to think I have an open mind. I was blown away by the hospitality and kindness of Russian people. In hindsight, I should have known better to separate politics and government, from the general public.

In the short span of two weeks I had Russians: invite me to their home for a sauna, a home cooked meal, and to tattoo me (free of charge). That鈥檚 just a small tidbit. The Russian people opened the world with their arms, and never let go. I will forever carry their warmth and kindness with me and share with them the same gratitude.

Second, I met so many different people from all walks of life, most from cultures I鈥檇 never been exposed to. I met Saudis who are hopeful for the future of their country, one that might see them inch closer to a more Western way of life. The youth I talked to want this. Just like the youth of Iran I met just want peace and stability to earn a living.

Some South Americans saved years and years worth of salary to come and experience this, and while they were upset when their team lost, they didn鈥檛 let that distort the great time they were having.

All this is to say, if you can get out more, do it. Everyone who knows me knows how much I love to yap my mouth, but this trip, I decided to do something different: I listened. And I鈥檒l forever be happy for it.聽And I thank you for listening to me. Cheers.

Nick Hosseinzadeh is a Canadian with Iranian heritage and a longtime resident of the North Shore. He鈥檒l be sending back regular dispatches during his time in Russia to give our readers a feel for the World Cup away from the TV cameras.