Sara

About two months ago, my boyfriend called and asked me if I would like to go to watch an Iranian singer perform with him and his parents in Indianapolis. Normally, I would say no, since Middle Eastern music isn’t my type, but then I realized that this would be a great opportunity to experience something from a different culture and be able to write about it for this class. I immediately responded with a yes, and made plans to go to Indy to watch an Iranian performer named Sara.

About a month ago, my boyfriend, his family, and I made the trip to Indy. His family is Iranian and listens to her music all the time, so I felt a little out of place. When we arrived to the venue, we walked inside and the walls were lined with golden ornate decorations and Middle Eastern music was playing over the intercom. There were booths setup in the lobby with different Middle Eastern instruments on tables as well as jewelry, clothes, and other native Middle Eastern commodities. The lights flashed and everyone was herded into the auditorium to take their seats. Then, one single spotlight hit the stage and Sara came out.

She opened with one of her more popular songs that a lot of people around me knew the words to. I don’t speak the language, so I had no idea what she was singing about, but I could tell with her facial expressions that it was about something emotional. Some people actually got up and danced, which was the most entertaining part of the concert. They dance a lot differently from how I dance. They move their bodies differently, and the males actually are more fluid, and move more than the females.

It was an amazing experience, and I’m so glad I was able to be there.
This is my response to Encounter Project 3