A Single Woman in Tehran

Dear Lynne,
If I say I'm having a hard time being single, it would be a lie. However, being single is not that easy over here with a culture where marriage is a sacred duty.
My family never put pressure on me or my sister to get married, visa Versa, my dad always says we should see for ourselves what really the world is & decide upon our own experience. But the fact remains that with every wedding I attend to, a lot of people try to bribe me into getting a hold of a good chap & settling down!
Besides, It's not usual for a single woman to live all by themselves in my country which in return makes independence somewhat impossible. My aunt, however, lives all by herself & is very happy yet I know that I would face a lot of economical & social problems if I would want to follow her lead. I'm far to dependent on my family to live somewhere else.