I could never, know this feeling, nope, not me

(I am good at reading languages, mediocre at writing, ok at listening, crap at speaking)

Basically I can translate a Nizami poem and explain the obscure metaphors but would have an impossible time just giving someone directions https://twitter.com/protosemite/status/1322212247733784576
And frankly a lot of the diaspora aren't very patient with those of us who didn't grow up fluent. Or their own Farsi is mispronounced Pinglish with outdated slang from their parents. Got some practice with my sufi friends before covid but none now.
Turkish, on the other hand: intuitive for me, learning it faster, and people are much more helpful and excited about letting me practice. Same reason in undergrad I felt unwelcome in the "Persian" Students Club and ended up partying with the Turkish foreign students
The rather unwelcoming atmosphere for Iranian halfsies in the diaspora combined with the opposite response from Turkish immigrants is something the recent debates in Iranian circles re: Karabakh have brought back to my memory
Basically I can sum it up with two anecdotes.

An Iranian-American kid introduced me to his mother at a Persian Students Club cultural event. She hears my last name and says in Farsi "oh he's a Mongolian invader, not Iranian"

Contrast with:
A Turkish hairdresser learns my heritage. "Your father's people were nomads, your family tree has strong roots. Let's practice Turkish while I cut your hair."
Same thing in the Qajar tribe, actually.

Persianized Qajars: constantly comparing pedigree prestige like it's a dog show, downplaying the nomadic history, cold, unwelcoming.

Azerbaijani & Turkish Qacars/Kacars: "Hello my brother, please visit, we are one blood."
Feel like I should tag @nedasoc in this in case this can be used as qualitative data in a future paper ahahaha
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