Dispatches from an Iranian American Expat
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The Diasporic Split Screen
There are no gurus for living between two homelands on fire
Jan 16
•
David Shams
5
1
Finding Stillness in the Roar of the Market
A lesson for finding peace anywhere
Jan 13
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David Shams
4
3
The Universal Language of the Pitch
Finding connection from Kentucky to Beijing to Warsaw and everywhere in between, one match at a time
Jan 9
•
David Shams
7
3
3
Behind the Great Firewall, the Beautiful Game is Far From Dead
A reflection on football in Beijing
Jan 7
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David Shams
5
6
3
Universal Fan Customs in Beijing
Snapshots from Afar: January 5th, 2026
Jan 5
•
David Shams
4
1
2
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Notes on Empire with the Professor
Dec 17, 2025
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David Shams
2
5
Dispatches from an Iranian-American Expat: July 4th, 2025
Jul 4, 2025
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David Shams
5
3
Dispatches from an Iranian American Expat: July 14th, 2025
Jul 14, 2025
•
David Shams
6
2
The Universal Language of the Pitch
Jan 9
•
David Shams
7
3
3
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New Year's Resolutions for a Life in Transition
On moving to Warsaw, finishing a novel, and learning when to let go.
Jan 2
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David Shams
4
2
5 things worth reading this month
Southern Noir, German football culture, and the trust deficit in Iran. Plus: why I’m obsessed with George Pelecanos.
Dec 31, 2025
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David Shams
4
2
The Bashang Grasslands: Trading Beijing’s Gray for Wild Green
Snapshots from Afar: December 29th, 2025
Dec 29, 2025
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David Shams
3
2
Handling the Holidays as Expat Parents
December 26th, 2025
Dec 26, 2025
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David Shams
3
1
Pomegranates, Hafez, and Hope: The Ancient Lesson of Shab-e Yalda
Cultural Insights: December 24th, 2025
Dec 24, 2025
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David Shams
3
1
A Beijing Balancing Act
Snapshots from Afar: December 22nd, 2025
Dec 22, 2025
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David Shams
1
2
Ultra Culture on the Hardcourt: What Happens When Legia Warsaw Plays Hoops
December 19th, 2025
Published on Around the World in Matches
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Dec 19, 2025
Notes on Empire with the Professor
Flash Fiction inspired by my travels
Dec 17, 2025
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David Shams
2
5
Finding Stillness Outside Hanoi's Dong Xuan Market
Snapshots from Afar: December 15th, 2025
Dec 15, 2025
•
David Shams
3
1
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Dispatches from an Iranian American Expat
Join me, an Iranian American expat writer and photographer from rural Kentucky, as I share insightful reflections on the complexities of the Iranian American experience, life as an expat writer, and living abroad.
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