Hello!
It's been hot every day, so I hope you're all staying healthy.
As many of you may know from my Instagram posts and live streams, this time at Layout, I went to Iran for the first time in two years to buy some goods!
Since the world has changed so drastically, I think there are many people who are hesitant to go abroad. This time, I had a little bit of time on Instagram Live where you could join in on the purchasing and have fun together, so what do you think?
This time, I'd like to talk about the deep thoughts that were on my mind during my trip to Iran.
(Please note that there will be no mention of lag whatsoever.)
Iran mannequin issue
Iranian mannequins have strong personalities.
Many of the male mannequins were even wearing sunglasses and looked stylish. One man had green dyed hair and beard. Of course, there was not a single man like this on the streets of Iran.
(Even if you search the whole world, you'll only find a few.)
The owner probably aspires to be a macho, slightly bad boy.
Elsewhere, there was a well-built mannequin that looked to weigh over 100 kilograms.
That's right, everyone is different. Some are skinny, some are fat. We all have our own personalities.
Now, this is a corner of a certain service area, where drinks, nuts, and fun-looking toys are neatly lined up from the ceiling.
It is one of the more tidy stores in Iran, revealing the owner's meticulous side.
But do you understand?
Something that would never happen in Japan is happening here.
Why put it there?
At another convenience store, a plastic bag of candy was placed on top of a can of food.
I wonder why it's there. There was no sign of candy sold by weight in this convenience store, so perhaps someone put it there on purpose.
The sense of unease I feel when I see something that seems out of place is overwhelming.
I don't know, the problem
That's right, it's hot so you want to cool your drink! But it's not cold at all, so at least point the pipe downwards. And what is this white thing anyway? I want to ask.
In the far right corner, next to the white liquid, there is a bottle of detergent that clearly warns you not to mix things together.
It's a bit of a thrill to make sure you don't pick it up by mistake.
Iranian-style shops, problems
In the bazaar, I often saw children tending the shops while their fathers were taking a nap. A boy in an antique shop, a boy in a copperware shop, a boy in a fabric shop.
Of course, the boy is just working at the store, so when asked the price he says something perfectly reasonable: "I won't know until my dad comes home."
It would be wrong to say, "No, I don't have time, but I want it now..." because your dad is taking a nap. If you want it, you have no choice but to wait for him to wake up from his nap.
Iran's toilet problem
In Iran, I often had trouble with toilets.
If there is a place where there seems to be a clean toilet, I'll just go in.
It's natural that there won't be any tissues, so bring some with you.
Perhaps because it is Islamic culture, there is still a culture of separating men and women in many ways, and in the bazaar toilets, the interpreter told me, "This is for women and older men." It's still a mystery to me, but there was an older man in line behind me, so I was sure it was for older men.
Anyway, it was my first time in Iran and I was often surprised by many things, but I met friendly and charming people and had a great time every day. Thank you, Iran!
We plan to update our purchasing blog from time to time! Stay tuned!