From so-called enemies to good friends

A handsome young man and his older companion were smiling up at me. "Yes, I'd love to," I said, happy for the distraction. Over cups of coffee I learned that my companions were two businessmen from Iran. I was the first American they had a chance to converse with at length. The younger man, Nozhan, asked if he could take my picture and record our conversation. I am used to having my foreign face constantly photographed, but why on earth did he want to record my remarks? "Because my mother is also a teacher and she will want to know what you said."

Who could resist? As Nozhan enthusiastically clicked and recorded, the three of us had a free-wheeling chat. They were the first Iranians I'd had a chance to get acquainted with so there was much mutual curiosity. After a while two other men sat at the table next to ours and we invited them to join us. After they ordered I asked where they were from. "Israel," they replied.

This created a small moment of awkwardness which we covered with continuous chatting. We all nibbled on snacks and sipped cups of coffee and kept up a very lively conversation. There we were - Iranians, Israelis and an American schoolteacher, filling the time between flights in harmony and in peace.

Just goes to show you that while a setting may be a bit cold and not comfortable, as always, it is the people who are there who make the difference. I won't ever forget the warmth and the camaraderie I experienced that day with that triangle of supposed "enemies", in an airport in snowbound China.