Mandy Tay in Shiraz. She said, "Iran is only two hours away from Dubai but it is so much greener. Reminds me of Singapore." (Photo courtesy of Mandy Tay) More

It’s not every day a Singaporean Chinese girl gets a marriage proposal -- in Iran, no less, and from a mullah (religious leader) searching for a suitable wife for his son.

That’s just one of the many interesting encounters 33-year-old photographer and TV producer Mandy Tay had during a two-week adventure in Iran two months ago. She shot a video, showcasing a side of Iran most people are not familiar with, and it has since attracted at least 20,000 views on video-sharing platforms YouTube and Vimeo.

Having moved to Dubai in 2011 for work, Tay started getting “distracted by the video function in her new camera” and began recording and editing short videos of her travels.

She was keen to explore the region more, especially since she had visited only one country -- Jordan -- in the two years that she has been in Dubai.

“When I was getting stamps for my postcards (in Iran), the postal office worker said that I was brave to travel alone. I replied that I thought so too. We both laughed at my cheeky response. But honestly, I’ve never felt safer anywhere else,” Tay said.

Her trip to Iran was a last-minute affair. She arrived in Tehran with an Iranian friend but travelled the country alone after they parted ways.

First encounters

On her first day in Iran, Tay visited the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art and was having a coffee at the museum’s cafe when she found herself to be the centre of attraction.

“I found a lady looking at me excitedly and whispering to her friend who also leaned to peer at me with curiosity. I mouthed the word 'Salaam' and we exchanged happy smiles.

The lady in the museum cafe who smiled at Tay. (Photo courtesy of Mandy Tay) More

“Before I left, I asked if I could take a photo to remember this moment. This was the first of endless such encounters throughout my journey in Iran,” says Tay.

During her trip, she came across many young and spirited Iranians who were eager to live out their dreams despite the difficult situations they were in.

“They cannot visit Europe or America without a visa and the Iranian currency is weak compared to most places. I also found that the Internet connection was unreliable," she shared.

Censorship is definitely present. "I made the mistake of posting the video first on Vimeo and it was filtered in some parts of Iran," she said.

She says her perspectives have changed since she found out how some of the things she used to take for granted are considered luxuries for others.

Touching lives

Her spirited and feel-good video has garnered much attention. In less than one week, the video received more than 20,000 views on both YouTube and Vimeo.

Tay says she’s been getting messages of gratitude almost every day since she posted the video online -- some from those who have left Iran and can never return.

“Someone showed it to her colleague in the US and she had to leave the room because she was crying so much. She has left the country for more than 27 years. I will never be able to imagine how that feels but I'm glad to have helped ease the pain in some small way.

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