Tehran/Amman

Greetings everyone! We have some news. First - we, together with MCC, have decided to no longer wait for our visas to Iran. After 7 months, it has become very clear that our chances of getting visas at this point are virtually non-existent. We are disappointed, but have been prepared for this decision for a couple of months now already. MCC will continue to nurture relationships in Iran that will hopefully yield visits and exchanges into the future. It just appears that right now is not a good time for a long-term student placement.

So what does this mean for us? In the immediate future, this week is our last week in Tyre as we finish up the website project for Imam Sadr Foundation. On February 2 our three month Lebanese visas expire so we have to leave the country! We'll head to Amman for three days to visit with our friends in the office there, do some work editing end-of-year reports from MCC partners, and wrap up administrative details with the Iran program. Then we'll return to Lebanon on a fresh visa.

We have been looking into other options for service in the region and hope to have some announcements on the blog in the coming weeks. I'll also keep blogging about our day-to-day adventures! Thanks everyone!