April 4/5, 2007 We have another day to continue our exploration of Istanbul as our flight does not leave until 20:45 (8:45) PM. We spent the day exploring the Royal Palace and the Archeological Museum just below the Hagia Sofia. In the Archeological Museum there was a most impressive collection of artifacts from all over the Middle East. One of the more magnificent items was called Alexander’s Sarcophagus. It was thought to be for a long time the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, but was discovered to contain the remains of a powerful Sultan who ruled right after Alexander died around 500 BC. The Sarcophagus was an amazing piece of marble elaborately carved with scenes of major battles. The reliefs on the sarcophagus were incredibly life-like. There was in one large room of the museum that displayed a copy of the Trojan Horse and the entire face structure of the Temple of Athena. The Palace had many areas under renovation which were closed to the public as Istanbul has been designated the International City of 2010, so they are getting ready for a wave of tourism and want the city and its treasures to be in top shape. The rooms that were opened displayed the tremendous wealth of the Sultans and later the Ottoman Turkish Empire the royal treasury rooms had swords, crowns, and broaches laddened with precious diamonds, ruby’s, and sapphires. Truly an Emperor’s ransom. After another day of touring and more shopping it was time to enjoy one more sumptuous meal in Istanbul. For lunch this time it was stuffed tomatoes with lamb and beef, spicy beef with vegetables, and bulgur rice and for desert baklava. It was time to head back to the hotel to get ready for the ride to the airport. Istanbul is still a beautiful city during the daytime, but it certainly lacks the intrigue of the cloak of night. The security at Istanbul’s airport has three levels to get through before getting to the gate. It gets tiresome constantly unloading and stripping down only to have to do it again. One also realizes that even with all the security there are still holes that any could find if they wanted to so something. The flight was most interesting because the movie was the new Bond film: Casino Royale. Even though I had already seen it, it seemed almost sacrilegious not to watch it on this flight, considering how many times Bond has saved the world from Istanbul.
After another 5.5 hour flight we finally arrive in Dushanbe, Tajikistan at 4:00 AM on April 5, 2007. Seems Russian inefficiency lingers in the former republics as it took hours to clear customs and get our luggage. I wondered how much they were pilfering as they were inspecting it. I watched as even members of the airport security argued over the pace of clearing passengers through customs. A Ural Flight landed just after us that was full of Russian soldiers who were cleared through customs and received their luggage while we waited for another hour to complete the entry process. We were told the Soviet Union may have collapsed but the Russians still control the country. Amazingly we got everything and nothing “disappeared” from our luggage. We were met after clearing customs by Daniyor and Shuhrat who work for Relief International. They took us to the Tajikistan Hotel for some sleep. We were informed that our Visas into Tajikistan were only good for one in and one out passage, which was a problem as we were going into Afghanistan and would not be allowed back into Tajikistan. So after 3 hours of sleep we headed to get passport pictures to apply for new Visas. Right now our passports are somewhere in Dushanbe working their way through the bowels of the local authorities in order that we don’t get stranded in Afghanistan. After a quick breakfast of wonderful Tajik coffee and cinnamon rolls it was off to the new US embassy for a security briefing with the head of security, Daniel Robrahn. He gave us a brief history of Tajikistan including a discussion of the bloody Civil War after the demise of the Soviet Union from 1992-97. He then proceeded to tell us that Tajikistan was under the US government’s highest state of alert as a result of its geopolitical location next to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq. It is also a key area in terms of heroine and arms trafficking. Three major terrorist groups are now operating here: Al Qaeda, IMU (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan), and IJU (Islamic Jihad Union) which is a more militant splinter group of the IMU. These groups take full advantage of the fact that Tajikistan is one of the 7 poorest and 5th most corrupt countries in the world to gain recruits. The US government and embassy here have declared the Garm Valley in Tajikistan off limits because of the tension. This is one of the incredible areas I was fortunate enough to have traveled in two years earlier. While the Tajik government has close ties to Iran that concern the US it is also known that the Tajik government is very suspicious of Iran as they supported the rebels in the Civil War against the current government. However, as relations deteriorate between the West and Iran over the British hostages and US pressures over Iran’s nuclear program there is concern that the Tajik government could move more towards Iran. So the message was to remain very low key and try to not stand out, which is too late because we are already known to be in the country. So I guess we will travel with our eyes and ears to the ground watching for any warning signs. We have Dan’s phone number and he assures us he has access to numerous clandestine resources that are available to assist us in the event of a problem. I’m sure a part of Dan’s job is to “scare” Americans who are crazy enough to travel into this part of the world into recognizing the dangers they face as one of his responsibilities is our safety in Tajikistan. Obviously this is not traveling in Europe or the US which also possess their own dangers. We then headed on a short walk over too School #10 for a presentation by the students who go to school there as well as 8 students who will be headed for the U.S. in 4 days. The students were very excited to demonstrate for us their mastery of English through singing songs, reciting poetry, and putting on a puppet show. They also recreated the story of Cinderella. Their grasp of English is excellent considering they have only been learning out of textbooks. It turns out that the Peace Corps will not establish a mission in Tajikistan because they don’t think there are enough English speakers. They really need to reevaluate their position and send many of the Peace Corp members in Eastern Europe where aide is plentiful to poor areas like Tajikistan were their work could do so much more in terms of improving the lives of people. The GCEP (Global Connections Exchange Program) students then gave us a PowerPoint presentation they have been working on to present in the United States while on their exchange. They included in their presentation facts and information concerning Tajikistan’s economy, geography, culture, and history. During which they expressed the fact that under the Soviets life had been more prosperous. Which lead to corrections from adults in the room that life is getting better and will soon be better than it was under the Soviets. There is an incredible optimism in the people here that the young will get the education needed to make the changes necessary to develop the resources that do exist in Tajikistan to raise the standards of living. The students talked about a major holiday of Navruz they had just celebrated in which people clean their homes, dress in new clothes, and cook 7 meals that start with the letter S. This is all a celebration of the change from winter to spring. The teachers then asked us questions about how to motivate apathetic students. We told them that there is no secret and teachers in the U.S. struggle with the same character trait in our students. The students were interested in what type of degrees and careers our students go into when they leave high school. The loved the fact that there is so much freedom to choice one’s life goals. It was pointed out during this discussion that all Tajik school curriculums are strictly controlled by the Dept of Education. We were told my Munira that they had just been visited by the Education Ministry who scared the kids so much they wouldn’t talk when asked questions so now their school director (principal) is in danger of being fired. We then went to dinner at a tea house in Tajikistan and afterward a short tour of the city with Munira and her son during which we viewed the major sights in Dushanbe: Opera House, National Theaters, Chinese and Russian Embassies, WW II memorial, and the old KGB building that is still controlled by the Russians who have a huge presence in Tajikistan. The tour was very informative but the most exciting part is the drive itself as there are no rules of the road in Tajikistan so it is every driver for himself and pedestrians better beware as they are potential targets. During the drive I couldn’t help but notice that there is some new construction going on but overall the city and its infrastructure did not show much improvement since my visit 2 years ago. The obstacle to improvement seems to be the corruption in the government that requires bribes for any business to get established. I was told on Korean businessman had been in Dushanbe for a year trying to get business licenses and had yet to receive them after paying a $500,000 bribe. The director Greg told me that during their National Police Day last week he and his driver Daniyor were pulled over and Daniyor was harassed by the police, finally Daniyor said you cannot tell me what I did wrong I’m leaving. As he drove away he remembered what day it was and that the police expected everyone to pay a small bribe on this day and the police were being honored. Sound a little like the graft in the Chicago and New York police departments.
April 6, 2007 Today we visited a school for the deaf in the morning. The students told us they were anxious to continue their studies at the University. Many of them wanted information about deaf schools in the U.S. as they were eager to come to the U.S. to continue their studies. They showed us one book for the deaf that they had with a 1980 copyright in it. It was clear that if we could do anything to help them get more modern textbooks to learn international sign language they would be most appreciative. The Internet Learning Center at this school is used frequently by the students to access the web and use it as a tool to develop their sign language skills. They also love to use it to communicate with students in the U.S. via email. While Linda showed them pictures of California, Laura and I talked to some other students about their school and future. It is remarkable how resilient these students are when poverty is a way of life for almost all of them. Students and people in the U.S. could learn a lot from the Tajiks about the power of optimistic thinking in the face of huge obstacles. We then headed off to the Fortress at Gissar which is outside Dushanbe approximately 45 minutes. On the way we passed a city that has completely sunk into the ground as a result of an earthquake in 1986. The earth just swallowed all of it. There were little mounds of dirt where buildings and homes once existed. The town was named Sharora after the one little baby girl who survived. She is in her twenties now and a student in Dushanbe. After Sharora we toured the fortress at Gissar that was built on the Silk Road some 2000 years ago. While touring the fortress there were little children climbing on the spired entrance who loved hanging around with me and getting their picture taken. Tajik children are absolutely adorable. There was a little girl with two turtles who shyly followed me until I took her picture with her turtles. Ironically, while touring the fortress the Russian and Tajik military were playing war games so that there was the constant sound of artillery and gunfire echoing off the hills around Gissar. The local villages will be happy tonight as these soldiers will be spending money in their restaurants for food and drink. It was time to head off to Gissar School #2 where we were given a traditional Tajik greeting of breaking nan (bread) and dipping it into salt. The students practiced their English and greeted us then proceeded to entertain us with songs, recitation of Russian poetry, skits, and little vignettes concerning students who did not complete their assignments and getting into trouble with their teachers, parents, and grandparents. Family ties are key to Tajiks, a point that is established at every stop we make. The songs and dancing were very traditional and reflected the long cultural history of Tajikistan. I remember when similar types of activities used to be conducted in grade schools in the U.S. when I was an elementary student. It is sad to think that as the U.S. has become more diversified these activities are being lost in order not to offend any one culture. It is making the culture of the U.S. bland and very materialistic. The enthusiasm and smiles on the children’s faces made it clear that they truly enjoyed preserving their vibrant cultural traditions. The school and children then presented us with traditional Tajik gifts and even though we needed to leave we moved to a local house for a traditional Tajik meal that they had prepared. It was another walk with a mass procession of children and adults. It is strange being treated as stars considering that in the U.S. teachers are basically used as punching bags or a means of escape to blame all the problems in the U.S. It is warming to know that at least in a few areas of the world teachers are still highly respected and valued. At the house we were treated like royalty and presented with a wonderfully set and decorated table. While taking tea and eating homemade sweets with nuts and fruit a discussion comparing and contrasting U.S. and Tajik schools unfolded. I think both the Tajiks and U.S. teachers realized that through this discourse we had discovered that Tajik and U.S. students were remarkable similar. Both show great signs of potential but also often waste that potential with apathy and laziness. At one point a Tajik math teacher proclaimed that his students tend to be lazy. We assured him that American students can be just as unmotivated and it is frustrating. We needed to leave and head back to Dushanbe for dinner at the director of Relief International’s house (Greg) which proved to be very difficult as they wanted us to stay longer and constantly asked questions or requested more pictures. The road from Gissar to Dushanbe requires a kidney belt. Many of the bottoms of the potholes we encountered were the tops of smaller cars that had proceded us. The infrastructure of Tajikistan (roads, energy, communication, medical, education) are in dire straights. Most of it was built when the Soviet Union controlled the country and since they have left has completely fallen apart. The school at Gissar had floors and walls that didn’t exist anymore along with missing windows. The schools have no or very poor facilities (bathrooms). I asked the director why the State does not help fix their ground. He said they have written letters to the government requesting aide to repair their school and have never received a response. The power is constantly shutting down and usually at the most inconvenient times such as occurred now when I was working on downloading this journal to the Internet. Good thing I knew to constantly save my work or it would have been lost as it took hours to get any power back. It appears that many of the dollars that Dan (head of security at the Embassy) said the U.S. was spending in Tajikistan were not making it to the areas the needed the most attention and would do the most good in terms of improving the standard of living for the people in Tajiksitan. Greg (Director of Relief) and I began discussing creating high school service projects in the U.S. to help raise funds to complete work repairing the schools. I suggested that we need to find NGOs to avoid raising money that the government would only pilfer away through corruption. He said he would contact a couple he knows and set up a meeting with me to start the process. Working with solid NGO’s would make sure that real change was created by the service work of students in the U.S. Maybe something good for students in both countries can eventually grow out of this trip. Dinner that night at Greg’s was a wonderful feast of traditional Tajik foods and desert that was out of this world. His wife is a gourmet cook. Any thoughts of losing a few pounds while on this trip are being dashed as every stop involves eating massive amounts of incredible food. During dinner we discussed the problems that U.S. schools are confronted with when trying to fit programs like Relief’s into the curriculum when so much pressure is on testing and the scores. Greg and his wife are teaching their children to speak in English and Russian. Greg only speaks English with them and his wife only Russian. Every where we find that the children speak multiple languages: Russian, Tajik, Uzbek, or English. If only schools in the U.S. would realize the best time to help children acquire new languages is when they are young not older and in high school. Greg also has a huge German shepherd named Khan. He is only 2 years old and full of energy. Just like my dog he always wants to play.
April 7, 2007 This morning was spent at the Islamic University in Dushanbe. We were guests at the Internet Learning Center where the students introduced themselves and then asked us questions about education in the United States and the Muslims who live in the U.S. The women in the group were more inquisitive than the men. They wanted to know if Muslim women in the U.S. had to wear traditional clothing. We told them that American women could make their own choices concerning how they dressed and society for the most part accepted their decisions. They expressed a desire to be freer to decide how they dress and make decisions in their lives. We then met the director of the University who has traveled in the United States and speaks English very well. He told us that during his travels in the U.S. he was very impressed. His University has about 1000 students studying the Koran and Islamic history when most of the students leave they then go to another University to obtain a degree to begin a career as a doctor, lawyers, or teachers. There are about 750 men and 250 women who attend the University. It was very apparent that although women were allowed to attend the University they are not viewed as equals by all the men. Democracy and modernization are slowly working their way into Tajiksitani society. Everywhere we have been so far there is a deep desire being expressed to be more like the U.S. when it comes to the freedom to control their life. All these students either asked questions or were interested in knowing how to be able to attend universities in the U.S. The director was very proud of the fact that Secretary of State Condolessa Rice had visited his University and he had his picture taken with her. The students all referred to him as a celebrity. The director is a very astute man with a good sense of humor. I asked him what his biggest challenges were in running the University; he said “everyday brings new and different challenges.” The atmosphere was very friendly and inviting at the University and the students were eager to learn as much as they could. They asked thoughtful questions that showed they wanted to learn as much from us as they could about America and what life was like there. We then headed to the Tajik National Museum to view the archeological history of this ancient area. They had exhibits showing artifacts from the Paleolithic period, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Greek/Roman eras. One of the more fascinating displays was a huge terracotta statue of Buddha that had been excavated in the 1970s. It was 13 meters long and laying on its side in the museum and occupied a whole room to itself. The museum literature says the Buddha was lying on its side to present a friendlier Buddha that emphasizes living a relaxed life. Next it was off to lunch and a traditional Tajik meal of plov (rice, vegetables, and beef) with nan (bread) and a couple of salads (mixed greens with pickles, tomatoes, cucumbers). The meal was superb as every meal has been. The biggest problem is the amount of food. There is no such thing as a small portion. Seems Daniyor is always on me because I can never finish all the food they put in front of me. I told Daniyor that he needs to start ordering me half portions. We then headed to the bazaar to walk off some of lunch and do some shopping for souvenirs. Linda and Laura are the shoppers in this group. I did find some unique cloth that hopefully my wife and daughter will enjoy. We did spend some time looking at all the DVDs of American movies and shows. It was interesting how they were packaged with 8-10 movies all on one disk that only cost about 15 somoni or about 5 U.S. dollars. They were in Russian or Tajik with some also in English. We then moved on to Bactria which is another NGO working in Dushanbe. They were holding a show of artwork created by young Tajiks who suffer from disabilities or mental problems. All of us purchased a piece of art in order to help fund more work with these children. It is very apparent that most of the work that is helping to improve the lives of the people in Tajikistan is being carried on through the NGOs that are working in Tajikistan. We will spend the night at a barbeque having Shashlik (shish kabobs) cooked by Murod (one of our awesome drivers) and visiting with the Tajik students who will be leaving for the U.S. to visit on an exchange. April 4/5, 2007 We have another day to continue our exploration of Istanbul as our flight does not leave until 20:45 (8:45) PM. We spent the day exploring the Royal Palace and the Archeological Museum just below the Hagia Sofia. In the Archeological Museum there was a most impressive collection of artifacts from all over the Middle East. One of the more magnificent items was called Alexander’s Sarcophagus. It was thought to be for a long time the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, but was discovered to contain the remains of a powerful Sultan who ruled right after Alexander died around 500 BC. The Sarcophagus was an amazing piece of marble elaborately carved with scenes of major battles. The reliefs on the sarcophagus were incredibly life-like. There was in one large room of the museum that displayed a copy of the Trojan Horse and the entire face structure of the Temple of Athena. The Palace had many areas under renovation which were closed to the public as Istanbul has been designated the International City of 2010, so they are getting ready for a wave of tourism and want the city and its treasures to be in top shape. The rooms that were opened displayed the tremendous wealth of the Sultans and later the Ottoman Turkish Empire the royal treasury rooms had swords, crowns, and broaches laddened with precious diamonds, ruby’s, and sapphires. Truly an Emperor’s ransom. After another day of touring and more shopping it was time to enjoy one more sumptuous meal in Istanbul. For lunch this time it was stuffed tomatoes with lamb and beef, spicy beef with vegetables, and bulgur rice and for desert baklava. It was time to head back to the hotel to get ready for the ride to the airport. Istanbul is still a beautiful city during the daytime, but it certainly lacks the intrigue of the cloak of night. The security at Istanbul’s airport has three levels to get through before getting to the gate. It gets tiresome constantly unloading and stripping down only to have to do it again. One also realizes that even with all the security there are still holes that any could find if they wanted to so something. The flight was most interesting because the movie was the new Bond film: Casino Royale. Even though I had already seen it, it seemed almost sacrilegious not to watch it on this flight, considering how many times Bond has saved the world from Istanbul.
After another 5.5 hour flight we finally arrive in Dushanbe, Tajikistan at 4:00 AM on April 5, 2007. Seems Russian inefficiency lingers in the former republics as it took hours to clear customs and get our luggage. I wondered how much they were pilfering as they were inspecting it. I watched as even members of the airport security argued over the pace of clearing passengers through customs. A Ural Flight landed just after us that was full of Russian soldiers who were cleared through customs and received their luggage while we waited for another hour to complete the entry process. We were told the Soviet Union may have collapsed but the Russians still control the country. Amazingly we got everything and nothing “disappeared” from our luggage. We were met after clearing customs by Daniyor and Shuhrat who work for Relief International. They took us to the Tajikistan Hotel for some sleep. We were informed that our Visas into Tajikistan were only good for one in and one out passage, which was a problem as we were going into Afghanistan and would not be allowed back into Tajikistan. So after 3 hours of sleep we headed to get passport pictures to apply for new Visas. Right now our passports are somewhere in Dushanbe working their way through the bowels of the local authorities in order that we don’t get stranded in Afghanistan. After a quick breakfast of wonderful Tajik coffee and cinnamon rolls it was off to the new US embassy for a security briefing with the head of security, Daniel Robrahn. He gave us a brief history of Tajikistan including a discussion of the bloody Civil War after the demise of the Soviet Union from 1992-97. He then proceeded to tell us that Tajikistan was under the US government’s highest state of alert as a result of its geopolitical location next to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq. It is also a key area in terms of heroine and arms trafficking. Three major terrorist groups are now operating here: Al Qaeda, IMU (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan), and IJU (Islamic Jihad Union) which is a more militant splinter group of the IMU. These groups take full advantage of the fact that Tajikistan is one of the 7 poorest and 5th most corrupt countries in the world to gain recruits. The US government and embassy here have declared the Garm Valley in Tajikistan off limits because of the tension. This is one of the incredible areas I was fortunate enough to have traveled in two years earlier. While the Tajik government has close ties to Iran that concern the US it is also known that the Tajik government is very suspicious of Iran as they supported the rebels in the Civil War against the current government. However, as relations deteriorate between the West and Iran over the British hostages and US pressures over Iran’s nuclear program there is concern that the Tajik government could move more towards Iran. So the message was to remain very low key and try to not stand out, which is too late because we are already known to be in the country. So I guess we will travel with our eyes and ears to the ground watching for any warning signs. We have Dan’s phone number and he assures us he has access to numerous clandestine resources that are available to assist us in the event of a problem. I’m sure a part of Dan’s job is to “scare” Americans who are crazy enough to travel into this part of the world into recognizing the dangers they face as one of his responsibilities is our safety in Tajikistan. Obviously this is not traveling in Europe or the US which also possess their own dangers. We then headed on a short walk over too School #10 for a presentation by the students who go to school there as well as 8 students who will be headed for the U.S. in 4 days. The students were very excited to demonstrate for us their mastery of English through singing songs, reciting poetry, and putting on a puppet show. They also recreated the story of Cinderella. Their grasp of English is excellent considering they have only been learning out of textbooks. It turns out that the Peace Corps will not establish a mission in Tajikistan because they don’t think there are enough English speakers. They really need to reevaluate their position and send many of the Peace Corp members in Eastern Europe where aide is plentiful to poor areas like Tajikistan were their work could do so much more in terms of improving the lives of people. The GCEP (Global Connections Exchange Program) students then gave us a PowerPoint presentation they have been working on to present in the United States while on their exchange. They included in their presentation facts and information concerning Tajikistan’s economy, geography, culture, and history. During which they expressed the fact that under the Soviets life had been more prosperous. Which lead to corrections from adults in the room that life is getting better and will soon be better than it was under the Soviets. There is an incredible optimism in the people here that the young will get the education needed to make the changes necessary to develop the resources that do exist in Tajikistan to raise the standards of living. The students talked about a major holiday of Navruz they had just celebrated in which people clean their homes, dress in new clothes, and cook 7 meals that start with the letter S. This is all a celebration of the change from winter to spring. The teachers then asked us questions about how to motivate apathetic students. We told them that there is no secret and teachers in the U.S. struggle with the same character trait in our students. The students were interested in what type of degrees and careers our students go into when they leave high school. The loved the fact that there is so much freedom to choice one’s life goals. It was pointed out during this discussion that all Tajik school curriculums are strictly controlled by the Dept of Education. We were told my Munira that they had just been visited by the Education Ministry who scared the kids so much they wouldn’t talk when asked questions so now their school director (principal) is in danger of being fired. We then went to dinner at a tea house in Tajikistan and afterward a short tour of the city with Munira and her son during which we viewed the major sights in Dushanbe: Opera House, National Theaters, Chinese and Russian Embassies, WW II memorial, and the old KGB building that is still controlled by the Russians who have a huge presence in Tajikistan. The tour was very informative but the most exciting part is the drive itself as there are no rules of the road in Tajikistan so it is every driver for himself and pedestrians better beware as they are potential targets. During the drive I couldn’t help but notice that there is some new construction going on but overall the city and its infrastructure did not show much improvement since my visit 2 years ago. The obstacle to improvement seems to be the corruption in the government that requires bribes for any business to get established. I was told on Korean businessman had been in Dushanbe for a year trying to get business licenses and had yet to receive them after paying a $500,000 bribe. The director Greg told me that during their National Police Day last week he and his driver Daniyor were pulled over and Daniyor was harassed by the police, finally Daniyor said you cannot tell me what I did wrong I’m leaving. As he drove away he remembered what day it was and that the police expected everyone to pay a small bribe on this day and the police were being honored. Sound a little like the graft in the Chicago and New York police departments.
April 6, 2007 Today we visited a school for the deaf in the morning. The students told us they were anxious to continue their studies at the University. Many of them wanted information about deaf schools in the U.S. as they were eager to come to the U.S. to continue their studies. They showed us one book for the deaf that they had with a 1980 copyright in it. It was clear that if we could do anything to help them get more modern textbooks to learn international sign language they would be most appreciative. The Internet Learning Center at this school is used frequently by the students to access the web and use it as a tool to develop their sign language skills. They also love to use it to communicate with students in the U.S. via email. While Linda showed them pictures of California, Laura and I talked to some other students about their school and future. It is remarkable how resilient these students are when poverty is a way of life for almost all of them. Students and people in the U.S. could learn a lot from the Tajiks about the power of optimistic thinking in the face of huge obstacles. We then headed off to the Fortress at Gissar which is outside Dushanbe approximately 45 minutes. On the way we passed a city that has completely sunk into the ground as a result of an earthquake in 1986. The earth just swallowed all of it. There were little mounds of dirt where buildings and homes once existed. The town was named Sharora after the one little baby girl who survived. She is in her twenties now and a student in Dushanbe. After Sharora we toured the fortress at Gissar that was built on the Silk Road some 2000 years ago. While touring the fortress there were little children climbing on the spired entrance who loved hanging around with me and getting their picture taken. Tajik children are absolutely adorable. There was a little girl with two turtles who shyly followed me until I took her picture with her turtles. Ironically, while touring the fortress the Russian and Tajik military were playing war games so that there was the constant sound of artillery and gunfire echoing off the hills around Gissar. The local villages will be happy tonight as these soldiers will be spending money in their restaurants for food and drink. It was time to head off to Gissar School #2 where we were given a traditional Tajik greeting of breaking nan (bread) and dipping it into salt. The students practiced their English and greeted us then proceeded to entertain us with songs, recitation of Russian poetry, skits, and little vignettes concerning students who did not complete their assignments and getting into trouble with their teachers, parents, and grandparents. Family ties are key to Tajiks, a point that is established at every stop we make. The songs and dancing were very traditional and reflected the long cultural history of Tajikistan. I remember when similar types of activities used to be conducted in grade schools in the U.S. when I was an elementary student. It is sad to think that as the U.S. has become more diversified these activities are being lost in order not to offend any one culture. It is making the culture of the U.S. bland and very materialistic. The enthusiasm and smiles on the children’s faces made it clear that they truly enjoyed preserving their vibrant cultural traditions. The school and children then presented us with traditional Tajik gifts and even though we needed to leave we moved to a local house for a traditional Tajik meal that they had prepared. It was another walk with a mass procession of children and adults. It is strange being treated as stars considering that in the U.S. teachers are basically used as punching bags or a means of escape to blame all the problems in the U.S. It is warming to know that at least in a few areas of the world teachers are still highly respected and valued. At the house we were treated like royalty and presented with a wonderfully set and decorated table. While taking tea and eating homemade sweets with nuts and fruit a discussion comparing and contrasting U.S. and Tajik schools unfolded. I think both the Tajiks and U.S. teachers realized that through this discourse we had discovered that Tajik and U.S. students were remarkable similar. Both show great signs of potential but also often waste that potential with apathy and laziness. At one point a Tajik math teacher proclaimed that his students tend to be lazy. We assured him that American students can be just as unmotivated and it is frustrating. We needed to leave and head back to Dushanbe for dinner at the director of Relief International’s house (Greg) which proved to be very difficult as they wanted us to stay longer and constantly asked questions or requested more pictures. The road from Gissar to Dushanbe requires a kidney belt. Many of the bottoms of the potholes we encountered were the tops of smaller cars that had proceded us. The infrastructure of Tajikistan (roads, energy, communication, medical, education) are in dire straights. Most of it was built when the Soviet Union controlled the country and since they have left has completely fallen apart. The school at Gissar had floors and walls that didn’t exist anymore along with missing windows. The schools have no or very poor facilities (bathrooms). I asked the director why the State does not help fix their ground. He said they have written letters to the government requesting aide to repair their school and have never received a response. The power is constantly shutting down and usually at the most inconvenient times such as occurred now when I was working on downloading this journal to the Internet. Good thing I knew to constantly save my work or it would have been lost as it took hours to get any power back. It appears that many of the dollars that Dan (head of security at the Embassy) said the U.S. was spending in Tajikistan were not making it to the areas the needed the most attention and would do the most good in terms of improving the standard of living for the people in Tajiksitan. Greg (Director of Relief) and I began discussing creating high school service projects in the U.S. to help raise funds to complete work repairing the schools. I suggested that we need to find NGOs to avoid raising money that the government would only pilfer away through corruption. He said he would contact a couple he knows and set up a meeting with me to start the process. Working with solid NGO’s would make sure that real change was created by the service work of students in the U.S. Maybe something good for students in both countries can eventually grow out of this trip. Dinner that night at Greg’s was a wonderful feast of traditional Tajik foods and desert that was out of this world. His wife is a gourmet cook. Any thoughts of losing a few pounds while on this trip are being dashed as every stop involves eating massive amounts of incredible food. During dinner we discussed the problems that U.S. schools are confronted with when trying to fit programs like Relief’s into the curriculum when so much pressure is on testing and the scores. Greg and his wife are teaching their children to speak in English and Russian. Greg only speaks English with them and his wife only Russian. Every where we find that the children speak multiple languages: Russian, Tajik, Uzbek, or English. If only schools in the U.S. would realize the best time to help children acquire new languages is when they are young not older and in high school. Greg also has a huge German shepherd named Khan. He is only 2 years old and full of energy. Just like my dog he always wants to play.
April 7, 2007 This morning was spent at the Islamic University in Dushanbe. We were guests at the Internet Learning Center where the students introduced themselves and then asked us questions about education in the United States and the Muslims who live in the U.S. The women in the group were more inquisitive than the men. They wanted to know if Muslim women in the U.S. had to wear traditional clothing. We told them that American women could make their own choices concerning how they dressed and society for the most part accepted their decisions. They expressed a desire to be freer to decide how they dress and make decisions in their lives. We then met the director of the University who has traveled in the United States and speaks English very well. He told us that during his travels in the U.S. he was very impressed. His University has about 1000 students studying the Koran and Islamic history when most of the students leave they then go to another University to obtain a degree to begin a career as a doctor, lawyers, or teachers. There are about 750 men and 250 women who attend the University. It was very apparent that although women were allowed to attend the University they are not viewed as equals by all the men. Democracy and modernization are slowly working their way into Tajiksitani society. Everywhere we have been so far there is a deep desire being expressed to be more like the U.S. when it comes to the freedom to control their life. All these students either asked questions or were interested in knowing how to be able to attend universities in the U.S. The director was very proud of the fact that Secretary of State Condolessa Rice had visited his University and he had his picture taken with her. The students all referred to him as a celebrity. The director is a very astute man with a good sense of humor. I asked him what his biggest challenges were in running the University; he said “everyday brings new and different challenges.” The atmosphere was very friendly and inviting at the University and the students were eager to learn as much as they could. They asked thoughtful questions that showed they wanted to learn as much from us as they could about America and what life was like there. We then headed to the Tajik National Museum to view the archeological history of this ancient area. They had exhibits showing artifacts from the Paleolithic period, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Greek/Roman eras. One of the more fascinating displays was a huge terracotta statue of Buddha that had been excavated in the 1970s. It was 13 meters long and laying on its side in the museum and occupied a whole room to itself. The museum literature says the Buddha was lying on its side to present a friendlier Buddha that emphasizes living a relaxed life. Next it was off to lunch and a traditional Tajik meal of plov (rice, vegetables, and beef) with nan (bread) and a couple of salads (mixed greens with pickles, tomatoes, cucumbers). The meal was superb as every meal has been. The biggest problem is the amount of food. There is no such thing as a small portion. Seems Daniyor is always on me because I can never finish all the food they put in front of me. I told Daniyor that he needs to start ordering me half portions. We then headed to the bazaar to walk off some of lunch and do some shopping for souvenirs. Linda and Laura are the shoppers in this group. I did find some unique cloth that hopefully my wife and daughter will enjoy. We did spend some time looking at all the DVDs of American movies and shows. It was interesting how they were packaged with 8-10 movies all on one disk that only cost about 15 somoni or about 5 U.S. dollars. They were in Russian or Tajik with some also in English. We then moved on to Bactria which is another NGO working in Dushanbe. They were holding a show of artwork created by young Tajiks who suffer from disabilities or mental problems. All of us purchased a piece of art in order to help fund more work with these children. It is very apparent that most of the work that is helping to improve the lives of the people in Tajikistan is being carried on through the NGOs that are working in Tajikistan. We will spend the night at a barbeque having Shashlik (shish kabobs) cooked by Murod (one of our awesome drivers) and visiting with the Tajik students who will be leaving for the U.S. to visit on an exchange.
April 7, 2007
Mr. Bsharah, it seems you’re having an unbelievable time in Tajikistan and the rest of Europe. You’re descriptions are very vivid and allow me to imagine Dushanbe and Hagia Sofia very well. I look forward to seeing the pictures you’re taking, but the culture that you’re describing is beautiful beyond anything a picture can captivate. The emphasis that the students place on their education and their passion is unparalleled to anything in the United States. I hope that they consider themselves rich in that aspect. It’s amazing how many ingredients Tajiks place in their dishes; I hope you don’t gain too much weight.
Francisco
We have another day to continue our exploration of Istanbul as our flight does not leave until 20:45 (8:45) PM. We spent the day exploring the Royal Palace and the Archeological Museum just below the Hagia Sofia. In the Archeological Museum there was a most impressive collection of artifacts from all over the Middle East. One of the more magnificent items was called Alexander’s Sarcophagus. It was thought to be for a long time the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, but was discovered to contain the remains of a powerful Sultan who ruled right after Alexander died around 500 BC. The Sarcophagus was an amazing piece of marble elaborately carved with scenes of major battles. The reliefs on the sarcophagus were incredibly life-like. There was in one large room of the museum that displayed a copy of the Trojan Horse and the entire face structure of the Temple of Athena. The Palace had many areas under renovation which were closed to the public as Istanbul has been designated the International City of 2010, so they are getting ready for a wave of tourism and want the city and its treasures to be in top shape. The rooms that were opened displayed the tremendous wealth of the Sultans and later the Ottoman Turkish Empire the royal treasury rooms had swords, crowns, and broaches laddened with precious diamonds, ruby’s, and sapphires. Truly an Emperor’s ransom. After another day of touring and more shopping it was time to enjoy one more sumptuous meal in Istanbul. For lunch this time it was stuffed tomatoes with lamb and beef, spicy beef with vegetables, and bulgur rice and for desert baklava. It was time to head back to the hotel to get ready for the ride to the airport. Istanbul is still a beautiful city during the daytime, but it certainly lacks the intrigue of the cloak of night.
The security at Istanbul’s airport has three levels to get through before getting to the gate. It gets tiresome constantly unloading and stripping down only to have to do it again. One also realizes that even with all the security there are still holes that any could find if they wanted to so something. The flight was most interesting because the movie was the new Bond film: Casino Royale. Even though I had already seen it, it seemed almost sacrilegious not to watch it on this flight, considering how many times Bond has saved the world from Istanbul.
After another 5.5 hour flight we finally arrive in Dushanbe, Tajikistan at 4:00 AM on April 5, 2007. Seems Russian inefficiency lingers in the former republics as it took hours to clear customs and get our luggage. I wondered how much they were pilfering as they were inspecting it. I watched as even members of the airport security argued over the pace of clearing passengers through customs. A Ural Flight landed just after us that was full of Russian soldiers who were cleared through customs and received their luggage while we waited for another hour to complete the entry process. We were told the Soviet Union may have collapsed but the Russians still control the country. Amazingly we got everything and nothing “disappeared” from our luggage. We were met after clearing customs by Daniyor and Shuhrat who work for Relief International. They took us to the Tajikistan Hotel for some sleep. We were informed that our Visas into Tajikistan were only good for one in and one out passage, which was a problem as we were going into Afghanistan and would not be allowed back into Tajikistan. So after 3 hours of sleep we headed to get passport pictures to apply for new Visas. Right now our passports are somewhere in Dushanbe working their way through the bowels of the local authorities in order that we don’t get stranded in Afghanistan. After a quick breakfast of wonderful Tajik coffee and cinnamon rolls it was off to the new US embassy for a security briefing with the head of security, Daniel Robrahn. He gave us a brief history of Tajikistan including a discussion of the bloody Civil War after the demise of the Soviet Union from 1992-97. He then proceeded to tell us that Tajikistan was under the US government’s highest state of alert as a result of its geopolitical location next to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq. It is also a key area in terms of heroine and arms trafficking. Three major terrorist groups are now operating here: Al Qaeda, IMU (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan), and IJU (Islamic Jihad Union) which is a more militant splinter group of the IMU. These groups take full advantage of the fact that Tajikistan is one of the 7 poorest and 5th most corrupt countries in the world to gain recruits. The US government and embassy here have declared the Garm Valley in Tajikistan off limits because of the tension. This is one of the incredible areas I was fortunate enough to have traveled in two years earlier. While the Tajik government has close ties to Iran that concern the US it is also known that the Tajik government is very suspicious of Iran as they supported the rebels in the Civil War against the current government. However, as relations deteriorate between the West and Iran over the British hostages and US pressures over Iran’s nuclear program there is concern that the Tajik government could move more towards Iran. So the message was to remain very low key and try to not stand out, which is too late because we are already known to be in the country. So I guess we will travel with our eyes and ears to the ground watching for any warning signs. We have Dan’s phone number and he assures us he has access to numerous clandestine resources that are available to assist us in the event of a problem. I’m sure a part of Dan’s job is to “scare” Americans who are crazy enough to travel into this part of the world into recognizing the dangers they face as one of his responsibilities is our safety in Tajikistan. Obviously this is not traveling in Europe or the US which also possess their own dangers.
We then headed on a short walk over too School #10 for a presentation by the students who go to school there as well as 8 students who will be headed for the U.S. in 4 days. The students were very excited to demonstrate for us their mastery of English through singing songs, reciting poetry, and putting on a puppet show. They also recreated the story of Cinderella. Their grasp of English is excellent considering they have only been learning out of textbooks. It turns out that the Peace Corps will not establish a mission in Tajikistan because they don’t think there are enough English speakers. They really need to reevaluate their position and send many of the Peace Corp members in Eastern Europe where aide is plentiful to poor areas like Tajikistan were their work could do so much more in terms of improving the lives of people.
The GCEP (Global Connections Exchange Program) students then gave us a PowerPoint presentation they have been working on to present in the United States while on their exchange. They included in their presentation facts and information concerning Tajikistan’s economy, geography, culture, and history. During which they expressed the fact that under the Soviets life had been more prosperous. Which lead to corrections from adults in the room that life is getting better and will soon be better than it was under the Soviets. There is an incredible optimism in the people here that the young will get the education needed to make the changes necessary to develop the resources that do exist in Tajikistan to raise the standards of living. The students talked about a major holiday of Navruz they had just celebrated in which people clean their homes, dress in new clothes, and cook 7 meals that start with the letter S. This is all a celebration of the change from winter to spring. The teachers then asked us questions about how to motivate apathetic students. We told them that there is no secret and teachers in the U.S. struggle with the same character trait in our students. The students were interested in what type of degrees and careers our students go into when they leave high school. The loved the fact that there is so much freedom to choice one’s life goals. It was pointed out during this discussion that all Tajik school curriculums are strictly controlled by the Dept of Education. We were told my Munira that they had just been visited by the Education Ministry who scared the kids so much they wouldn’t talk when asked questions so now their school director (principal) is in danger of being fired. We then went to dinner at a tea house in Tajikistan and afterward a short tour of the city with Munira and her son during which we viewed the major sights in Dushanbe: Opera House, National Theaters, Chinese and Russian Embassies, WW II memorial, and the old KGB building that is still controlled by the Russians who have a huge presence in Tajikistan. The tour was very informative but the most exciting part is the drive itself as there are no rules of the road in Tajikistan so it is every driver for himself and pedestrians better beware as they are potential targets. During the drive I couldn’t help but notice that there is some new construction going on but overall the city and its infrastructure did not show much improvement since my visit 2 years ago. The obstacle to improvement seems to be the corruption in the government that requires bribes for any business to get established. I was told on Korean businessman had been in Dushanbe for a year trying to get business licenses and had yet to receive them after paying a $500,000 bribe. The director Greg told me that during their National Police Day last week he and his driver Daniyor were pulled over and Daniyor was harassed by the police, finally Daniyor said you cannot tell me what I did wrong I’m leaving. As he drove away he remembered what day it was and that the police expected everyone to pay a small bribe on this day and the police were being honored. Sound a little like the graft in the Chicago and New York police departments.
April 6, 2007
Today we visited a school for the deaf in the morning. The students told us they were anxious to continue their studies at the University. Many of them wanted information about deaf schools in the U.S. as they were eager to come to the U.S. to continue their studies. They showed us one book for the deaf that they had with a 1980 copyright in it. It was clear that if we could do anything to help them get more modern textbooks to learn international sign language they would be most appreciative. The Internet Learning Center at this school is used frequently by the students to access the web and use it as a tool to develop their sign language skills. They also love to use it to communicate with students in the U.S. via email. While Linda showed them pictures of California, Laura and I talked to some other students about their school and future. It is remarkable how resilient these students are when poverty is a way of life for almost all of them. Students and people in the U.S. could learn a lot from the Tajiks about the power of optimistic thinking in the face of huge obstacles.
We then headed off to the Fortress at Gissar which is outside Dushanbe approximately 45 minutes. On the way we passed a city that has completely sunk into the ground as a result of an earthquake in 1986. The earth just swallowed all of it. There were little mounds of dirt where buildings and homes once existed. The town was named Sharora after the one little baby girl who survived. She is in her twenties now and a student in Dushanbe. After Sharora we toured the fortress at Gissar that was built on the Silk Road some 2000 years ago. While touring the fortress there were little children climbing on the spired entrance who loved hanging around with me and getting their picture taken. Tajik children are absolutely adorable. There was a little girl with two turtles who shyly followed me until I took her picture with her turtles. Ironically, while touring the fortress the Russian and Tajik military were playing war games so that there was the constant sound of artillery and gunfire echoing off the hills around Gissar. The local villages will be happy tonight as these soldiers will be spending money in their restaurants for food and drink.
It was time to head off to Gissar School #2 where we were given a traditional Tajik greeting of breaking nan (bread) and dipping it into salt. The students practiced their English and greeted us then proceeded to entertain us with songs, recitation of Russian poetry, skits, and little vignettes concerning students who did not complete their assignments and getting into trouble with their teachers, parents, and grandparents. Family ties are key to Tajiks, a point that is established at every stop we make. The songs and dancing were very traditional and reflected the long cultural history of Tajikistan. I remember when similar types of activities used to be conducted in grade schools in the U.S. when I was an elementary student. It is sad to think that as the U.S. has become more diversified these activities are being lost in order not to offend any one culture. It is making the culture of the U.S. bland and very materialistic. The enthusiasm and smiles on the children’s faces made it clear that they truly enjoyed preserving their vibrant cultural traditions.
The school and children then presented us with traditional Tajik gifts and even though we needed to leave we moved to a local house for a traditional Tajik meal that they had prepared. It was another walk with a mass procession of children and adults. It is strange being treated as stars considering that in the U.S. teachers are basically used as punching bags or a means of escape to blame all the problems in the U.S. It is warming to know that at least in a few areas of the world teachers are still highly respected and valued. At the house we were treated like royalty and presented with a wonderfully set and decorated table. While taking tea and eating homemade sweets with nuts and fruit a discussion comparing and contrasting U.S. and Tajik schools unfolded. I think both the Tajiks and U.S. teachers realized that through this discourse we had discovered that Tajik and U.S. students were remarkable similar. Both show great signs of potential but also often waste that potential with apathy and laziness. At one point a Tajik math teacher proclaimed that his students tend to be lazy. We assured him that American students can be just as unmotivated and it is frustrating. We needed to leave and head back to Dushanbe for dinner at the director of Relief International’s house (Greg) which proved to be very difficult as they wanted us to stay longer and constantly asked questions or requested more pictures.
The road from Gissar to Dushanbe requires a kidney belt. Many of the bottoms of the potholes we encountered were the tops of smaller cars that had proceded us. The infrastructure of Tajikistan (roads, energy, communication, medical, education) are in dire straights. Most of it was built when the Soviet Union controlled the country and since they have left has completely fallen apart. The school at Gissar had floors and walls that didn’t exist anymore along with missing windows. The schools have no or very poor facilities (bathrooms). I asked the director why the State does not help fix their ground. He said they have written letters to the government requesting aide to repair their school and have never received a response. The power is constantly shutting down and usually at the most inconvenient times such as occurred now when I was working on downloading this journal to the Internet. Good thing I knew to constantly save my work or it would have been lost as it took hours to get any power back.
It appears that many of the dollars that Dan (head of security at the Embassy) said the U.S. was spending in Tajikistan were not making it to the areas the needed the most attention and would do the most good in terms of improving the standard of living for the people in Tajiksitan. Greg (Director of Relief) and I began discussing creating high school service projects in the U.S. to help raise funds to complete work repairing the schools. I suggested that we need to find NGOs to avoid raising money that the government would only pilfer away through corruption. He said he would contact a couple he knows and set up a meeting with me to start the process. Working with solid NGO’s would make sure that real change was created by the service work of students in the U.S. Maybe something good for students in both countries can eventually grow out of this trip.
Dinner that night at Greg’s was a wonderful feast of traditional Tajik foods and desert that was out of this world. His wife is a gourmet cook. Any thoughts of losing a few pounds while on this trip are being dashed as every stop involves eating massive amounts of incredible food. During dinner we discussed the problems that U.S. schools are confronted with when trying to fit programs like Relief’s into the curriculum when so much pressure is on testing and the scores. Greg and his wife are teaching their children to speak in English and Russian. Greg only speaks English with them and his wife only Russian. Every where we find that the children speak multiple languages: Russian, Tajik, Uzbek, or English. If only schools in the U.S. would realize the best time to help children acquire new languages is when they are young not older and in high school. Greg also has a huge German shepherd named Khan. He is only 2 years old and full of energy. Just like my dog he always wants to play.
April 7, 2007
This morning was spent at the Islamic University in Dushanbe. We were guests at the Internet Learning Center where the students introduced themselves and then asked us questions about education in the United States and the Muslims who live in the U.S. The women in the group were more inquisitive than the men. They wanted to know if Muslim women in the U.S. had to wear traditional clothing. We told them that American women could make their own choices concerning how they dressed and society for the most part accepted their decisions. They expressed a desire to be freer to decide how they dress and make decisions in their lives. We then met the director of the University who has traveled in the United States and speaks English very well. He told us that during his travels in the U.S. he was very impressed. His University has about 1000 students studying the Koran and Islamic history when most of the students leave they then go to another University to obtain a degree to begin a career as a doctor, lawyers, or teachers. There are about 750 men and 250 women who attend the University. It was very apparent that although women were allowed to attend the University they are not viewed as equals by all the men. Democracy and modernization are slowly working their way into Tajiksitani society. Everywhere we have been so far there is a deep desire being expressed to be more like the U.S. when it comes to the freedom to control their life. All these students either asked questions or were interested in knowing how to be able to attend universities in the U.S. The director was very proud of the fact that Secretary of State Condolessa Rice had visited his University and he had his picture taken with her. The students all referred to him as a celebrity. The director is a very astute man with a good sense of humor. I asked him what his biggest challenges were in running the University; he said “everyday brings new and different challenges.” The atmosphere was very friendly and inviting at the University and the students were eager to learn as much as they could. They asked thoughtful questions that showed they wanted to learn as much from us as they could about America and what life was like there.
We then headed to the Tajik National Museum to view the archeological history of this ancient area. They had exhibits showing artifacts from the Paleolithic period, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Greek/Roman eras. One of the more fascinating displays was a huge terracotta statue of Buddha that had been excavated in the 1970s. It was 13 meters long and laying on its side in the museum and occupied a whole room to itself. The museum literature says the Buddha was lying on its side to present a friendlier Buddha that emphasizes living a relaxed life.
Next it was off to lunch and a traditional Tajik meal of plov (rice, vegetables, and beef) with nan (bread) and a couple of salads (mixed greens with pickles, tomatoes, cucumbers). The meal was superb as every meal has been. The biggest problem is the amount of food. There is no such thing as a small portion. Seems Daniyor is always on me because I can never finish all the food they put in front of me. I told Daniyor that he needs to start ordering me half portions.
We then headed to the bazaar to walk off some of lunch and do some shopping for souvenirs. Linda and Laura are the shoppers in this group. I did find some unique cloth that hopefully my wife and daughter will enjoy. We did spend some time looking at all the DVDs of American movies and shows. It was interesting how they were packaged with 8-10 movies all on one disk that only cost about 15 somoni or about 5 U.S. dollars. They were in Russian or Tajik with some also in English. We then moved on to Bactria which is another NGO working in Dushanbe. They were holding a show of artwork created by young Tajiks who suffer from disabilities or mental problems. All of us purchased a piece of art in order to help fund more work with these children. It is very apparent that most of the work that is helping to improve the lives of the people in Tajikistan is being carried on through the NGOs that are working in Tajikistan.
We will spend the night at a barbeque having Shashlik (shish kabobs) cooked by Murod (one of our awesome drivers) and visiting with the Tajik students who will be leaving for the U.S. to visit on an exchange.
April 4/5, 2007
We have another day to continue our exploration of Istanbul as our flight does not leave until 20:45 (8:45) PM. We spent the day exploring the Royal Palace and the Archeological Museum just below the Hagia Sofia. In the Archeological Museum there was a most impressive collection of artifacts from all over the Middle East. One of the more magnificent items was called Alexander’s Sarcophagus. It was thought to be for a long time the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, but was discovered to contain the remains of a powerful Sultan who ruled right after Alexander died around 500 BC. The Sarcophagus was an amazing piece of marble elaborately carved with scenes of major battles. The reliefs on the sarcophagus were incredibly life-like. There was in one large room of the museum that displayed a copy of the Trojan Horse and the entire face structure of the Temple of Athena. The Palace had many areas under renovation which were closed to the public as Istanbul has been designated the International City of 2010, so they are getting ready for a wave of tourism and want the city and its treasures to be in top shape. The rooms that were opened displayed the tremendous wealth of the Sultans and later the Ottoman Turkish Empire the royal treasury rooms had swords, crowns, and broaches laddened with precious diamonds, ruby’s, and sapphires. Truly an Emperor’s ransom. After another day of touring and more shopping it was time to enjoy one more sumptuous meal in Istanbul. For lunch this time it was stuffed tomatoes with lamb and beef, spicy beef with vegetables, and bulgur rice and for desert baklava. It was time to head back to the hotel to get ready for the ride to the airport. Istanbul is still a beautiful city during the daytime, but it certainly lacks the intrigue of the cloak of night.
The security at Istanbul’s airport has three levels to get through before getting to the gate. It gets tiresome constantly unloading and stripping down only to have to do it again. One also realizes that even with all the security there are still holes that any could find if they wanted to so something. The flight was most interesting because the movie was the new Bond film: Casino Royale. Even though I had already seen it, it seemed almost sacrilegious not to watch it on this flight, considering how many times Bond has saved the world from Istanbul.
After another 5.5 hour flight we finally arrive in Dushanbe, Tajikistan at 4:00 AM on April 5, 2007. Seems Russian inefficiency lingers in the former republics as it took hours to clear customs and get our luggage. I wondered how much they were pilfering as they were inspecting it. I watched as even members of the airport security argued over the pace of clearing passengers through customs. A Ural Flight landed just after us that was full of Russian soldiers who were cleared through customs and received their luggage while we waited for another hour to complete the entry process. We were told the Soviet Union may have collapsed but the Russians still control the country. Amazingly we got everything and nothing “disappeared” from our luggage. We were met after clearing customs by Daniyor and Shuhrat who work for Relief International. They took us to the Tajikistan Hotel for some sleep. We were informed that our Visas into Tajikistan were only good for one in and one out passage, which was a problem as we were going into Afghanistan and would not be allowed back into Tajikistan. So after 3 hours of sleep we headed to get passport pictures to apply for new Visas. Right now our passports are somewhere in Dushanbe working their way through the bowels of the local authorities in order that we don’t get stranded in Afghanistan. After a quick breakfast of wonderful Tajik coffee and cinnamon rolls it was off to the new US embassy for a security briefing with the head of security, Daniel Robrahn. He gave us a brief history of Tajikistan including a discussion of the bloody Civil War after the demise of the Soviet Union from 1992-97. He then proceeded to tell us that Tajikistan was under the US government’s highest state of alert as a result of its geopolitical location next to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq. It is also a key area in terms of heroine and arms trafficking. Three major terrorist groups are now operating here: Al Qaeda, IMU (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan), and IJU (Islamic Jihad Union) which is a more militant splinter group of the IMU. These groups take full advantage of the fact that Tajikistan is one of the 7 poorest and 5th most corrupt countries in the world to gain recruits. The US government and embassy here have declared the Garm Valley in Tajikistan off limits because of the tension. This is one of the incredible areas I was fortunate enough to have traveled in two years earlier. While the Tajik government has close ties to Iran that concern the US it is also known that the Tajik government is very suspicious of Iran as they supported the rebels in the Civil War against the current government. However, as relations deteriorate between the West and Iran over the British hostages and US pressures over Iran’s nuclear program there is concern that the Tajik government could move more towards Iran. So the message was to remain very low key and try to not stand out, which is too late because we are already known to be in the country. So I guess we will travel with our eyes and ears to the ground watching for any warning signs. We have Dan’s phone number and he assures us he has access to numerous clandestine resources that are available to assist us in the event of a problem. I’m sure a part of Dan’s job is to “scare” Americans who are crazy enough to travel into this part of the world into recognizing the dangers they face as one of his responsibilities is our safety in Tajikistan. Obviously this is not traveling in Europe or the US which also possess their own dangers.
We then headed on a short walk over too School #10 for a presentation by the students who go to school there as well as 8 students who will be headed for the U.S. in 4 days. The students were very excited to demonstrate for us their mastery of English through singing songs, reciting poetry, and putting on a puppet show. They also recreated the story of Cinderella. Their grasp of English is excellent considering they have only been learning out of textbooks. It turns out that the Peace Corps will not establish a mission in Tajikistan because they don’t think there are enough English speakers. They really need to reevaluate their position and send many of the Peace Corp members in Eastern Europe where aide is plentiful to poor areas like Tajikistan were their work could do so much more in terms of improving the lives of people.
The GCEP (Global Connections Exchange Program) students then gave us a PowerPoint presentation they have been working on to present in the United States while on their exchange. They included in their presentation facts and information concerning Tajikistan’s economy, geography, culture, and history. During which they expressed the fact that under the Soviets life had been more prosperous. Which lead to corrections from adults in the room that life is getting better and will soon be better than it was under the Soviets. There is an incredible optimism in the people here that the young will get the education needed to make the changes necessary to develop the resources that do exist in Tajikistan to raise the standards of living. The students talked about a major holiday of Navruz they had just celebrated in which people clean their homes, dress in new clothes, and cook 7 meals that start with the letter S. This is all a celebration of the change from winter to spring. The teachers then asked us questions about how to motivate apathetic students. We told them that there is no secret and teachers in the U.S. struggle with the same character trait in our students. The students were interested in what type of degrees and careers our students go into when they leave high school. The loved the fact that there is so much freedom to choice one’s life goals. It was pointed out during this discussion that all Tajik school curriculums are strictly controlled by the Dept of Education. We were told my Munira that they had just been visited by the Education Ministry who scared the kids so much they wouldn’t talk when asked questions so now their school director (principal) is in danger of being fired. We then went to dinner at a tea house in Tajikistan and afterward a short tour of the city with Munira and her son during which we viewed the major sights in Dushanbe: Opera House, National Theaters, Chinese and Russian Embassies, WW II memorial, and the old KGB building that is still controlled by the Russians who have a huge presence in Tajikistan. The tour was very informative but the most exciting part is the drive itself as there are no rules of the road in Tajikistan so it is every driver for himself and pedestrians better beware as they are potential targets. During the drive I couldn’t help but notice that there is some new construction going on but overall the city and its infrastructure did not show much improvement since my visit 2 years ago. The obstacle to improvement seems to be the corruption in the government that requires bribes for any business to get established. I was told on Korean businessman had been in Dushanbe for a year trying to get business licenses and had yet to receive them after paying a $500,000 bribe. The director Greg told me that during their National Police Day last week he and his driver Daniyor were pulled over and Daniyor was harassed by the police, finally Daniyor said you cannot tell me what I did wrong I’m leaving. As he drove away he remembered what day it was and that the police expected everyone to pay a small bribe on this day and the police were being honored. Sound a little like the graft in the Chicago and New York police departments.
April 6, 2007
Today we visited a school for the deaf in the morning. The students told us they were anxious to continue their studies at the University. Many of them wanted information about deaf schools in the U.S. as they were eager to come to the U.S. to continue their studies. They showed us one book for the deaf that they had with a 1980 copyright in it. It was clear that if we could do anything to help them get more modern textbooks to learn international sign language they would be most appreciative. The Internet Learning Center at this school is used frequently by the students to access the web and use it as a tool to develop their sign language skills. They also love to use it to communicate with students in the U.S. via email. While Linda showed them pictures of California, Laura and I talked to some other students about their school and future. It is remarkable how resilient these students are when poverty is a way of life for almost all of them. Students and people in the U.S. could learn a lot from the Tajiks about the power of optimistic thinking in the face of huge obstacles.
We then headed off to the Fortress at Gissar which is outside Dushanbe approximately 45 minutes. On the way we passed a city that has completely sunk into the ground as a result of an earthquake in 1986. The earth just swallowed all of it. There were little mounds of dirt where buildings and homes once existed. The town was named Sharora after the one little baby girl who survived. She is in her twenties now and a student in Dushanbe. After Sharora we toured the fortress at Gissar that was built on the Silk Road some 2000 years ago. While touring the fortress there were little children climbing on the spired entrance who loved hanging around with me and getting their picture taken. Tajik children are absolutely adorable. There was a little girl with two turtles who shyly followed me until I took her picture with her turtles. Ironically, while touring the fortress the Russian and Tajik military were playing war games so that there was the constant sound of artillery and gunfire echoing off the hills around Gissar. The local villages will be happy tonight as these soldiers will be spending money in their restaurants for food and drink.
It was time to head off to Gissar School #2 where we were given a traditional Tajik greeting of breaking nan (bread) and dipping it into salt. The students practiced their English and greeted us then proceeded to entertain us with songs, recitation of Russian poetry, skits, and little vignettes concerning students who did not complete their assignments and getting into trouble with their teachers, parents, and grandparents. Family ties are key to Tajiks, a point that is established at every stop we make. The songs and dancing were very traditional and reflected the long cultural history of Tajikistan. I remember when similar types of activities used to be conducted in grade schools in the U.S. when I was an elementary student. It is sad to think that as the U.S. has become more diversified these activities are being lost in order not to offend any one culture. It is making the culture of the U.S. bland and very materialistic. The enthusiasm and smiles on the children’s faces made it clear that they truly enjoyed preserving their vibrant cultural traditions.
The school and children then presented us with traditional Tajik gifts and even though we needed to leave we moved to a local house for a traditional Tajik meal that they had prepared. It was another walk with a mass procession of children and adults. It is strange being treated as stars considering that in the U.S. teachers are basically used as punching bags or a means of escape to blame all the problems in the U.S. It is warming to know that at least in a few areas of the world teachers are still highly respected and valued. At the house we were treated like royalty and presented with a wonderfully set and decorated table. While taking tea and eating homemade sweets with nuts and fruit a discussion comparing and contrasting U.S. and Tajik schools unfolded. I think both the Tajiks and U.S. teachers realized that through this discourse we had discovered that Tajik and U.S. students were remarkable similar. Both show great signs of potential but also often waste that potential with apathy and laziness. At one point a Tajik math teacher proclaimed that his students tend to be lazy. We assured him that American students can be just as unmotivated and it is frustrating. We needed to leave and head back to Dushanbe for dinner at the director of Relief International’s house (Greg) which proved to be very difficult as they wanted us to stay longer and constantly asked questions or requested more pictures.
The road from Gissar to Dushanbe requires a kidney belt. Many of the bottoms of the potholes we encountered were the tops of smaller cars that had proceded us. The infrastructure of Tajikistan (roads, energy, communication, medical, education) are in dire straights. Most of it was built when the Soviet Union controlled the country and since they have left has completely fallen apart. The school at Gissar had floors and walls that didn’t exist anymore along with missing windows. The schools have no or very poor facilities (bathrooms). I asked the director why the State does not help fix their ground. He said they have written letters to the government requesting aide to repair their school and have never received a response. The power is constantly shutting down and usually at the most inconvenient times such as occurred now when I was working on downloading this journal to the Internet. Good thing I knew to constantly save my work or it would have been lost as it took hours to get any power back.
It appears that many of the dollars that Dan (head of security at the Embassy) said the U.S. was spending in Tajikistan were not making it to the areas the needed the most attention and would do the most good in terms of improving the standard of living for the people in Tajiksitan. Greg (Director of Relief) and I began discussing creating high school service projects in the U.S. to help raise funds to complete work repairing the schools. I suggested that we need to find NGOs to avoid raising money that the government would only pilfer away through corruption. He said he would contact a couple he knows and set up a meeting with me to start the process. Working with solid NGO’s would make sure that real change was created by the service work of students in the U.S. Maybe something good for students in both countries can eventually grow out of this trip.
Dinner that night at Greg’s was a wonderful feast of traditional Tajik foods and desert that was out of this world. His wife is a gourmet cook. Any thoughts of losing a few pounds while on this trip are being dashed as every stop involves eating massive amounts of incredible food. During dinner we discussed the problems that U.S. schools are confronted with when trying to fit programs like Relief’s into the curriculum when so much pressure is on testing and the scores. Greg and his wife are teaching their children to speak in English and Russian. Greg only speaks English with them and his wife only Russian. Every where we find that the children speak multiple languages: Russian, Tajik, Uzbek, or English. If only schools in the U.S. would realize the best time to help children acquire new languages is when they are young not older and in high school. Greg also has a huge German shepherd named Khan. He is only 2 years old and full of energy. Just like my dog he always wants to play.
April 7, 2007
This morning was spent at the Islamic University in Dushanbe. We were guests at the Internet Learning Center where the students introduced themselves and then asked us questions about education in the United States and the Muslims who live in the U.S. The women in the group were more inquisitive than the men. They wanted to know if Muslim women in the U.S. had to wear traditional clothing. We told them that American women could make their own choices concerning how they dressed and society for the most part accepted their decisions. They expressed a desire to be freer to decide how they dress and make decisions in their lives. We then met the director of the University who has traveled in the United States and speaks English very well. He told us that during his travels in the U.S. he was very impressed. His University has about 1000 students studying the Koran and Islamic history when most of the students leave they then go to another University to obtain a degree to begin a career as a doctor, lawyers, or teachers. There are about 750 men and 250 women who attend the University. It was very apparent that although women were allowed to attend the University they are not viewed as equals by all the men. Democracy and modernization are slowly working their way into Tajiksitani society. Everywhere we have been so far there is a deep desire being expressed to be more like the U.S. when it comes to the freedom to control their life. All these students either asked questions or were interested in knowing how to be able to attend universities in the U.S. The director was very proud of the fact that Secretary of State Condolessa Rice had visited his University and he had his picture taken with her. The students all referred to him as a celebrity. The director is a very astute man with a good sense of humor. I asked him what his biggest challenges were in running the University; he said “everyday brings new and different challenges.” The atmosphere was very friendly and inviting at the University and the students were eager to learn as much as they could. They asked thoughtful questions that showed they wanted to learn as much from us as they could about America and what life was like there.
We then headed to the Tajik National Museum to view the archeological history of this ancient area. They had exhibits showing artifacts from the Paleolithic period, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Greek/Roman eras. One of the more fascinating displays was a huge terracotta statue of Buddha that had been excavated in the 1970s. It was 13 meters long and laying on its side in the museum and occupied a whole room to itself. The museum literature says the Buddha was lying on its side to present a friendlier Buddha that emphasizes living a relaxed life.
Next it was off to lunch and a traditional Tajik meal of plov (rice, vegetables, and beef) with nan (bread) and a couple of salads (mixed greens with pickles, tomatoes, cucumbers). The meal was superb as every meal has been. The biggest problem is the amount of food. There is no such thing as a small portion. Seems Daniyor is always on me because I can never finish all the food they put in front of me. I told Daniyor that he needs to start ordering me half portions.
We then headed to the bazaar to walk off some of lunch and do some shopping for souvenirs. Linda and Laura are the shoppers in this group. I did find some unique cloth that hopefully my wife and daughter will enjoy. We did spend some time looking at all the DVDs of American movies and shows. It was interesting how they were packaged with 8-10 movies all on one disk that only cost about 15 somoni or about 5 U.S. dollars. They were in Russian or Tajik with some also in English. We then moved on to Bactria which is another NGO working in Dushanbe. They were holding a show of artwork created by young Tajiks who suffer from disabilities or mental problems. All of us purchased a piece of art in order to help fund more work with these children. It is very apparent that most of the work that is helping to improve the lives of the people in Tajikistan is being carried on through the NGOs that are working in Tajikistan.
We will spend the night at a barbeque having Shashlik (shish kabobs) cooked by Murod (one of our awesome drivers) and visiting with the Tajik students who will be leaving for the U.S. to visit on an exchange.
April 7, 2007
Mr. Bsharah, it seems you’re having an unbelievable time in Tajikistan and the rest of Europe. You’re descriptions are very vivid and allow me to imagine Dushanbe and Hagia Sofia very well. I look forward to seeing the pictures you’re taking, but the culture that you’re describing is beautiful beyond anything a picture can captivate. The emphasis that the students place on their education and their passion is unparalleled to anything in the United States. I hope that they consider themselves rich in that aspect. It’s amazing how many ingredients Tajiks place in their dishes; I hope you don’t gain too much weight.
Francisco