Zara Noruzi: Surfing in Exile

Zara Noruzi: Surfing in Exile

Author: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich - surf stories & ocean adventures September 15, 2019 Duration: 1:01:29

Zara was kidnapped and imprisoned by the Iranian government for her activism. The ocean helped her find a path toward belonging after fleeing her homeland.

Zara Noruzi was born an upper middle class girl with political subversion in her blood. She lived through the devastating war between Iraq and Iran. At university she wrote feminist articles and participated in student protests, begging for answers about why women were being denied basic human rights after the regime change.

Zara detailed her experiences in her memoir My Life As a Traitor.

In Episode 7 of The Waterpeople Podcast, she  picks up where her memoir left off -- with discovering surfing and how it has subsequently shaped her life.

Zara's is a story of youthful idealism, no-apologies activism, and the power of surfing to bring us back to ourselves.

It is a story about the pure and enduring power of the ocean to heal.


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Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich

More about Zara 

Sound Engineer: Shannon Sol Carroll 

Join the conversation: Waterpeoplepodcast.com

@Waterpeoplepodcast 


Photo Credit: Cait Miers

Send us Fan Mail

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Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich

Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander

Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll

Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander

Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast 

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There’s a particular kind of life shaped by time spent in and around the ocean, one that blends saltwater with a deeper perspective. Hosted by lifelong surfers and storytellers Lauren L. Hill and Dave Rastovich, the Waterpeople Podcast explores exactly that. Each conversation is less an interview and more a shared dive with guides who know the water intimately-from scientists and activists to adventurers and artists. You’ll hear firsthand accounts that stretch beyond simple adventure tales, touching on how a connection to the sea informs everything from ecological stewardship and community building to the pure, playful joy of a wave. This podcast serves as a meeting point for a far-flung tribe, weaving together themes of inclusivity, humour, and what it means to live thoughtfully along the coast. It’s about the stories that emerge when people are truly at home in the aquatic world, offering listeners a sense of place and connection within a global ocean community. Tune in for genuine, meandering talks that feel like sitting around after a long day in the swell, where the topics are as vast and shifting as the sea itself.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 133

Waterpeople Podcast
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