Just Some Musings

So after a month in Tajikistan, I figured it might be a good idea to try to compile my thoughts and just make a note of some things I’ve noticed thus far. People have been asking me questions intermittently, and this might also be a good time to address some of those. As a note, I have no intentions of making this a regular thing, I personally hate these “personal reflection after a trip”-type things, but with a month in a country so different than my homeland, it just might be necessary…

I’ll start this paragraph with a statement I’ve repeated several times, but that people really don’t seem to get: Tajikistan is a safe country, and if you’re not stupid, or have any sense of cultural awareness, this place is beautiful. Now I understand, if you’re not focusing on Central Asia (i.e. if you’re not one of the handful of people like myself who are basically diseased with a focus on something so marginal and generally pretty useless to the greater public), you probably know very little about Tajikistan. Also, I understand that it’s not in the friendliest corner of the world. But that’s like saying America is dangerous because it’s next to cartel-riddled Mexico and general disaster area Haiti. The facts are, after a month here, the most threatened I’ve ever felt was in a dirt road on the side of a mountain, because it was a goddamn dirt road on the side of a goddamn mountain. Aside from that, I’ve felt safer in most parts of this country that I would, for instance, in parts of DC or Buffalo (or most other cities in the US). That’s not to say that there aren’t dangers naturally, but again, being smart/culturally sensitive usually helps in not making situation bad, or worse as the case may be.

Now that that’s over, that’s not to say there aren’t problems. I admit that the motto of “it’s not better or worse, just different” doesn’t apply to bathrooms in this (or any developing) country, and the fact I know about 4 words of Russian is a bit of a setback when going out usually requires some basic knowledge of Russian. And I've already had one mental breakdown, and we're only a month in. But these problems are mere stumbling blocks, and have hardly been anything serious enough to turn me away from the country (and mental breakdowns are fun when you have to explain it in Persian). And in regards to food, the thing that was supposed to cause the most problems, the biggest issue thus far has been the fact that I’m continually eating the same thing. In a country where food shortages are a serious issue, however, it’s not something worth complaining or getting worked up over.

In an effort to try to save myself having to write this update, I’ll mention one final thought that I’ve tried to express people that have asked in the simplest and most direct way I can: This place feels like home. This place feels like, for various reasons, like I’m back in Kenmore (for you Western New Yorkers) or relaxing in Thurston (for you DCers). Is it the best place in the world? Absolutely not. Is anyplace perfect? Again, hell no. But this is somewhere where, on any given day, I can go to class, argue something as complex as Iranian politics or as simple as where to buy pork at the bazaar, can leave class, walk down the street to said market, buy a half kilo of pistachios and something to drink, sit in the park and people watch, chat up some random curious Tajik(s), go home, play with the kids, do some homework, enjoy a family dinner, go to bed, and wake and do something completely different. Run-on sentences aside, that’s really all anyone can want from life, the ability to find happiness and joy in whatever forms it may take. And in Tajikistan, fun is where you make it.

I could probably write more, but I’m not really feeling it at the moment. I’ll be glad to answer any questions (as always), and since I’m not planning on going anywhere this weekend, next update will probably be about something I’ve been debating whether to write about, but now feel that the powers that be aren’t anywhere near adequate enough to stop me from doing so.

As always: Tashakkur and khudo hafez.