Media's Perception Invasion.

I recently made a trip to Iran to visit relatives that i hadn't seen in years. Although overthrown with excitement, I must admit with the media today, I had my concerns about visiting the country that seems to be in all the major headlines. Looking back now I feel so foolish to have been a victim of the influence of the media. But really, who can blame me? With the ongoing obsession the news seems to have with the country, day after day, suspicions tend to grow all around. Unfortunately, the media's perception is the only side of the story most people will ever hear/see. Upon my arrival to Iran, I was instantly embarrassed for having been a victim of the media's influence. It was so interesting to witness people just living their everyday lives, oblivious to the world's obsession with them. The part that intrigued me the most was that I realized that people are people no matter where you go in the world. They all have the same interests. People want to go out, have fun, all in all enjoy life. The problem lies where people view a country through the government, not the actual people. There may be flaws in the government, but with all the negative attention towards to country, its a real shame that people will never see what a great country it really is.

All in all, it was a great experience to actually go and witness such a different, yet exciting atmosphere. On top of the amazing time I experienced, it also opened my eyes to the reality of the situation. Although the news can be very informative, its is essential to do personal research from different sources to truly be able to draw any educated conclusions. It is important to remember that even though you may hear something over and over, that doesn't necessarily make it true. Not only did this trip change my perspective on this specific subject, but it opened my eyes to everything going on around me. Understanding the importance of being properly aware, and not just trusting what the headlines may say.