Three Worlds Intersecting: An Iranian Writer in Spain
Iranian-born writer Parisa Salahshourian shares her journey, shaped by war, migration, and belonging. Now based in Spain, she brings to life the experience of growing up between cultures. She now explores her voice through poetry, and her debut collection, published by Ybernia, gives readers a powerful look into the complex world of someone who belongs to many places. With roots in theatre and a love of language, her poems offer a reflection on belonging and transformation.
By Parisa Salahshourian
For a long time, I did not belong anywhere. A child of war, I was born into fear and despair, to parents who fought tooth and nail to extricate me from hell. As it turned out, leaving hell behind did not land us in paradise, but – after much wandering and battle – it did bring us a lot closer to it. We arrived in Spain, where everything – the language, the customs, the food – was foreign, except the smell of the sea air and the kindness and hospitality of her people, which reminded us constantly of our own people in Iran.
And yet, this was the 80s in a country that had only just extricated herself from a dictatorship. Nobody was used to foreigners, immigration was rare, and the country’s borders had been closed to the world for a really long time. So, for many years, I was the brown girl, the moor, the Muslim. And finding my place in a community that had not fully accepted me yet was a challenge that went hand in hand with a desperate attempt to hold on to roots that I wasn’t sure were strong enough to keep me connected to my homeland.
Growing with Spain
Still, through all the difficulties and emotional duress of rootlessness, time inevitably moved us on. And Spain and I grew in parallel; I came of age in my adoptive country, and she evolved and opened her arms to change and novelty. Spain became a part of my story, and I suppose that, in a small way, I became a part of hers. A story that has always been a very cosmopolitan one, for as years went by, my circle became more and more international. So much so, that I have spent most of my time in Madrid speaking English a lot more frequently than Spanish.
My work in the theatre has had a lot to do with this. I became a member of the long-standing theatre group The Madrid Players, an English-speaking group that is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary, almost twenty years ago. My work on the stage eventually extrapolated to my writing and I am lucky enough to have a poetry collection, written in English, coming out, published by Ybernia.
Open to every possibility
Theatre and writing have always been my forms of expression, my safe spaces, and my routes to joy and happiness. And through them, the little girl who did not belong anywhere has gradually found her place; a place where three worlds intersect: my birthplace, my adoptive country, and my very international community. It is in this crossing of cultures and languages, customs and traditions, memories and experiences, that I find and become myself, where my voice is heard, my present is fulfilled, and my future is open to every possibility.
Discover her powerful debut poetry collection today. Visit Ybernia’s website to learn more and order your copy.
A Thousand Lives by Parisa Salahshourian
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