Week 3: Tests, Dictionaries, Other Nerdy Things
I'm pretty much into the swing of things by this week. You can check out the US embassy party post for some relaxation time stories!
Because I had limited WiFi in Dushanbe, I decided to journal everyday and upload blog posts / highlights after I returned. Warning: it might be a mix of at-the-time journaling with current comments I add. And don't count on the tenses being consistent; I was tired every day in Tajikistan!
I’ll be breaking these up into weekly posts, with key events or days that made my Tajikistan experience special. I hope you enjoy reminiscing with me on my six-week journey. I miss it already. :)
ITINERARY
7/5 - Guest Speaker from IOM!*
7/6 - First Test & National Library**
7/7, 7/8 - US EMBASSY PARTAY & HIKE!***
7/9 - Group Meeting
7/10 - Dictionary nerd much?*
7/11 - Speed-Dating at Bactria Center**
POSTS
7/5 - Guest Speaker from IOM (International Organization for Migration)
During lunch, Bobby, a previous FLEX student who works at IOM (International Organization for Migration) came to talk to us. He had done marathons and biking, and got sponsors from Tajik Airlines and a bunch of other places. He talked about how many people try to migrate to Russia, but they were actually on the KGB blacklist no one knows about. So he helps set up jobs and businesses for people banned for 15, 10, 5 years etc.!
Also, he talked about how Tajik girls go to different countries in Central Asia and nearby countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE) and take jobs like babysitting, cleaning, but they’re treated horribly- tiny living spaces, abuse. So when the girls upload videos on social media, IOM can help track down these girls, bring them back to Tajikistan, rehabilitate them, giving them psychological assistance and possibly treating them at centers. He spoke Tajik/Farsi, German, (Went to Netherlands), Turkish, English, possibly more.
7/6 - First Test & National Library
I woke up later to try to eat less for breakfast, but my family likes to wake up early so I was disturbed pretty early on anyway. At 8 am, they started calling my name (Ааааанииисаааа) to get to breakfast!! How could I say no?
The night before, studying for our first test, was a bit rough. I got really frustrated with myself, and that always snowballs into a self-criticism session of my ineptitude... I released some of my pent up anger by doing exercise videos and I had gone to bed, sleepy from the Motrin pill for my headache, around 11:30 pm (not bad!).
SO, OUR FIRST TEST!
written test: adjective translations, opposite matchups, fill in blank, poem fill-in, passage translation. We also each got a picture to describe location of items
Since I handed mine in first, I had to do the most spoken work. So I had to say 10 proverbs, talk about Dushanbe, describe my picture, and have a dialogue with Rayyan pretending I’m at a bazaar.
After the break, Саъдулло went over each of our tests with us. The afternoon class was chill! I mean, we had to read a passage about a bank and I nearly had a breakdown because I didn’t get a word of it, so I interrupted and asked to go over all the words. And I proceeded to spend twenty minutes with the translation dictionary, while everyone had conversations with Sadullo.
A bright spot in the day: I was talking to Tiffany about shows on Netflix and found out Yannick watches Voltron and anime!!!! ~proceed to geek out for rest of day~
Around 3 pm, we took the marshrutka to the National Library - китобхона миллӣ! It has a number of floors, and centers for 5 countries I think, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Korea, and one more… The American Corner used to be here, before it moved to an expanded location near the American Councils office. Each of the library rooms was huge. There was a kids room with books in different languages, and a super big room with books about countless nations and eras - there was a English-Japanese dictionary from the 40s!
We also stopped by the Chinese Center, and I had a brief conversation with the one Chinese man working there - he loves studying history, and since he’s mixed, he also wanted to learn about his family history too. He gave us his WeChat, for his translation project! I’m sort of annoyed I didn’t think of more to say to him since my Chinese was a bit rusty - but this is a learning process, right?
7/10 - Dictionary nerd much?
I woke up earlier to pick up some water at Rudaki Plaza with Mikaela! We stopped by the bookstore right next to the Plaza, where I bought the English-Tajik Dictionary for 65c, which is less than $7!
Class was okay - a good amount of talking, which I’m sort of getting better at. Meaning, I can form and express simple thoughts with some grammatical errors but still make my opinions understandable.
After class, Mikaela, Tiffany and I stopped for snacks at the Korean bakery in Rudaki Plaza. Then, we dropped by the bookstore again! I asked the guy at the front (I’m proud!) if he had a Tajik English dictionary, and he found a 25c copy of a dictionary (луғат) that goes BOTH WAYS in translation! Yes! I also wanted to get three copies of the Rumi poetry book (for me, Isabella, and Mrs. Rothbard). But I already bought so many books… I sort of regret it.
7/11 - Speed Dating at Bactria Center
Well, I woke up early to work out a bit - and it worked!! I exercised and even watched the Office. I also managed to eat one egg (not two) for breakfast, thank you very much!
After class, we had about 2 hours to kill before leaving to the Bactria Center. Ava, Elaine and I watched the Stress Relief episodes of the Office (ft. fire drill, Stanley’s heart attack, ensuing CPR class, and roast sessions), basically some of the best episodes of the entire show. I then ran into Gholib at American Councils!!! I tried telling him I saw his wife the day before, and he told me our neighbors will have a wedding soon.
At the Bactria Center, I saw Anisa again (from the AC 4th of July party), and we took a tour! They have lots of books in different languages, and have intensive classes in English, Russian, French, Tajiki. The tour guide dude said they only accept 12 students to a class! He also was a Fullbright student and studied in TCNJ, which is a crazy coincidence
After that, we joined their English Discussion Club, where Tajiks can practice English. So we basically did 2-min speed dating rounds for 30+ minutes, and it was SO LOUD my voice hurt.
15 year old boy, Askar, who said he hated Tajikistan, doesn’t speak Tajik, did breakdancing, wants to study to be a plastic surgeon in Stanford, and also cursed in Russian at the judges at a debate tournament.
Green camo shirt - patted me on the head. Do I look like a golden retriever to you?
HXH-looking dude with dark glasses, played poker for a living
That girl who still asked, “you have two homelands?!” after my painstaking explanation of my heritage vs. nationality.
At home, I ate pasta for dinner, but my family then asked why I didn’t like eggs. I wanted to explain that I only wanted one, not two. But then I realized I can’t handle the oil of the sunny-side up eggs anymore, so I just said I like fruits. We also talked about Gholib / that wedding - it’s Hurshed’s, my neighbor that I met once who spoke English! Isn’t that cool? I hope I can attend! (comment from the future: stay tuned for an awesome wedding blog post!)
