My Story
The beauty of getting to know someone from a different culture, especially when you share a life together, is that you don’t just learn about their world, you also get to teach them about yours. And sometimes, in the most unexpected ways, you get to experience the best of both worlds.
Hi, I’m Dela. I come from Iran and moved to Germany in 2017 for my studies. During my time there, I met a wonderful German guy, my beautiful soul husband.
One day, he told me he had been accepted to a university abroad and would be leaving Germany for a year to continue his studies. I was thrilled for him and said, “Congratulations, my love! In my culture, whenever something good happens, whether it’s a new achievement, a new purchase, or a moment of success, you share your happiness with your loved ones by giving them “Shirini”.”
Shirini literally means pastry in Persian. But it doesn’t always have to be something sugary. It can be anything like a small gift, an invitation to dinner, or even a simple gesture like bringing pastry.
A few weeks later, he surprised me with a huge box and said, “Here you go, this is your Shirini.” Inside was something I had never expected, a pottery wheel.
And just like that, my pottery journey began.
Now, years later, he’s back, we’re married, and we’ve moved to Belgium. I’m a full-time engineer and a part-time potter, and I love every moment of it. That pottery wheel remains one of the sweetest Shirinis I’ve ever received.
If you ever find a space where your hands, heart, and mind move quietly in sync, don’t let it go. That’s what pottery is for me.
From the moment I first touched clay, it became part of my rhythm. Pottery has taught me to slow down, to be patient with the material, the process, and with myself.
Now, I try to pass this on, not just as a skill, but as a way to reconnect. I accompany people on their clay journey, from their first pinch of clay to throwing on the wheel, experimenting with glazes, painting, and eventually finding their own expression in ceramics.
