Hannah Jaffe-Walt

From WBEZ Chicago, it's This American Life.

I'm Chana Jafi-Walt, sitting in for Ira Glass.

When Shirin Jafari moved to the U.S.

as a young adult, there were a lot of promises made to her family back home.

We'll be in touch all the time, call you every week, almost like we're in the same town.

which is the kind of thing you say.

But Shirin actually pulled this off for the last 20 years.

And they really get into the details, this family.

Who ate what?

How far was the walk?

What's the latest with the dental work?

On the phone, by text, random thoughts tossed out at any hour.

Have you seen this pumpkin dessert?

Unsolicited suggestions.

Like you worrying about them getting enough movement?

Not great.

So just like a constant, ongoing conversation with them?

Then, in February, the United States and Israel attacked Iran, where her parents live.

And on that very same day, the first day of the war, the Iranian authorities shut the Internet down.

Just put the whole country into an Internet blackout.