Regarding the country I've lived I've been Mashhad, Iran, which is the city with the second largest population in the country following Tehran, its capital. Although its large population, it's hard to find Japanese here, and I guess that there might be only several people who have the same origin with me, including the one and only Japanese colleague in our office. I've been driven, sometimes, mad due to the overwhelming isolation. Whenever feeling that, I escape into reading books. Iran is, actually, a very interesting country. Not only because of its own culture, the history the country has passed so far, seems to be particular in the world. The country used to flourish and have greatest power more than 2,500 years ago, and ever since the period, it has experienced a lot of conquests and divide-and-rule by the various super powers such as the oldest Greek kingdoms, the Islamic imperials and the modern states. Finally, it could become to keep its own rule by the revolution led by Imam Khomeini in 1979, there seems to be many controversial issues according to the viewpoints of outside of the country, though.