Khujand - A tourist's delight!!!

Khujand – in Pictures:

I had visitors all week so took the opportunity to take some snaps of Khujand. I haven’t actually done the tourist thing here since arriving, so it was a nice opportunity to see the city differently.

Pictures below enjoy:


The local mosque one of the largest in this region - this picture taken from the market. 

Ah I luv it - Pasjambe the infamous local market. Taken from the outside its a crazy vibrant hub of activity. Would make tesco in Finglas look soooo tame!!! They wouldn't last a day here.

A local favourite - the tea house. Probably equivalent to the 'pub' sat outside here on a tapcham for a couple of lovely cold beers. Oh yeah the locals actually drink tea here, its just the foreign yobs who drink beer!!

Well there has to be some payback for living with the heat and here you have it Karakum. The local 'tajik sea' so nice to have a dip in this heat. PS hope not making y'all jealous!!!!

Students – Discussion Group

These are some of students I meet with weekly. I love meeting up with them this week we had discussion about Irish/Tajik music. I’m organising table tennis with them on Thursday with mixed teams which should be good fun. And next week to do something different I have asked them to take me on a tour of Khujand – local style.

Invitations to Ireland:

Oops gone a bit mad with these. So far in no particular order I have invites out to: China, USA, Holland, UK, Tajikistan, Nepal, Germany, Canada, Finland, Norway, Italy, Urkraine, Russia, Austria, Israel, Indonesia and the Philippines. Of course am hoping some are of the reciprocal nature and not all turn up in Dublin at the same time. Otherwise might be calling on friends to offer accommodation and possibly having to resort to serious diplomacy!!

Seasonal Food:

It’s great here the market sells the most incredible locally grown foods. No crap all naturally grown and my god are they amazing. Tomatoes like you wouldn’t believe – so juicy and tasty. You can literally eat them on their own – sort of like a really good Irish spud. Incredible grapes, small no pips that they dry out and use for raisins. Not forgetting aubergines cucumbers and melons to die for. 

The other side off the coin is when the season is over it’s over. Come winter its spuds, eggs, and that’s pretty much it. This explains why the locals are right busy bottling tomatoes, aubergines and cucumbers for the long winter here.

Just re-read this sounds like something from ‘Little house on the Prairie’ - young readers check out re-runs always on some channel somewhere!!

Oh my lovely neighbour dropped in grapes grown literally outside my window – mmmm yummy!!

Hope all is well.

As always from me to y’all good night!!!

Lainey xxx

PS: Just realised it is 3 months since I arrived in T. I got an email from a volunteer arriving in September. God felt so knowledgeable about T – it’s amazing how much you pick up. Ahhhhh guess time is going fast!!


PPS; I do not work for the Tajikistan/Khujand tourist board!!

Hot in the city tonight oh yeah..................

Top 10 Reasons you know it’s hot hot hot!!!

10: The locals are complaining about the heat…………even heard talk of climate change

  9: Wet clothes are dry within 20 minutes of hanging out

  8: My bottle of frozen water is fully defrosted within 15 minutes of leaving flat

  7: You are dreaming of clouds and rain (seriously true)

  6: Not been bitten by mosquitos (does extreme heat maybe kill ‘em don’t know??)

  5: Cooking is major hassle – its peanut butter sambos!!

  4: You are spending more money on water etc than food

  3: You sleep on damp sheets with wet hair but still wake up kicking off non- existent duvet cover

  2: The toilet seat in flat is hot – very uncomfortable. Although could work in winter???

  1: It is 47 feckin degrees @ 4pm!!!!

Yep this week just gone was the worst yet. I have never experienced like it - unbearable. By 11a.m. I was faded – although this normally happens in Dublin so not sure if that is actually heat related!! But this week huge improvement it is only about 30 degrees which is positively tolerable!!!

Funny Photos:

My friend took this one of the bear. It is true taken on a bus in Dushanbe. The man takes him into the centre as a ‘tourist attraction’. He is apparently looking for new owner as he wants to retire. Personally if I was on that bus would have got straight off. I don’t care how ‘tame’ the bear is at the end of the day it’s a wild animal.

Jeff took this picture in a village near here. I think it’s great – especially the woman getting into the front. Of course I was dying to know how the hell they actually got the cow into the car. But it is not unusual here you see all sorts of animals in cars.

The funniest story I heard was a friend coming back down off the mountains and the shared taxi didn’t show. So they clamoured into a jeep with locals – all 11 people and a goat!!!

Brillant only in T.

President in Town:

Yep the main man was in town this week. Bit of pain really as all roads blocked off so had to walk in/out of town. Loads of security and fuss – which is grand until you remember he is President of T not USA!! On the plus side the roads he used now have lovely markings and lines and new tarmacadam.  He also opened a new huge swimming pool. Was all excited until it was explained to me; that the President opening something does not actually mean it is ready to use. I shall wait and see, hopefully before I go home!!!

He opened a park with a statute of King Somoni (see picture below). He was an old King from Persian times and revered here.  There is a bit of a story around me actually taking the damn picture – but probably not suitable for this blog……….

Friends Visiting From Penjikent:

Yeah have a friend coming down early in week for a few nights to visit me. Penjikent is a small town about 5/6 hours from here on crappy roads. It was announced that they will have no electricity for 3 days – hence the visit. Another friend is coming down over the w/end. It will be nice to show them Khujand and hopefully visit the beach!! To be fair Khujand is a big step up from Penjikent -   very limited food supplies etc with a sum total of 3 foreigners living there.

Local University – English conversations:

So I go one/twice a week to the local university to hold ‘chats’ with the the students. We usually pick a topic in advance and discuss. It is great for me and it helps me understand T and for them they get to learn lovely Irish English. They are so interested in Ireland – as they haven’t had someone from Ireland before. We have so far covered Irish Sports, History, and Culture. There are great – so eager to learn and help me. For example tonight I mentioned that I had to go to the market and that I like the local ice cream (yummy). So end of class was offered a lift to market and then a guy calls me to say that he has arranged for me to visit the ice cream factory. And I can eat all the ice cream I want – yeah ‘Lainey & the Ice Cream Factory’ happy days. Must remember to starve myself in advance!! But it’s just an indication of really how genuine these people are, they cannot do enough to help you!!

Hope all is well.

As always from me to y’all good night!!!

Lainey xxx

Working in Khujand................................

So I hear people are curious to know what exactly I doing here in Khujand well………...

I just signed off a 4 hrs ‘Disability Awareness Training’ programme and waiting to get government approval. Now I am meeting with various banks and other business here in Khujand to organise some seminars. As I explained to the people I meet at this stage it’s not about securing jobs for people with disabilities (PWD). The systems/environment are just not in place yet – but it is about raising awareness.  I am trying to get these important people to understand that PWD can work and contribute to society. This is a challenge as it does contradict the old ‘soviet’ way of thinking. But I am confident from what I have seen/heard that people are willing to listen and learn!!!

I just met the boss of one of the local banks this morning. The great thing here is that people are willing to meet with you and give you a chance to explain yourself. So this guy was great offered me a training room and anything else I needed along with some great local knowledge of other business contacts etc. At the end of the meeting we were chatting so turns out he knows Ireland well. The first branch of this bank was opened by an Irish guy in Dushanbe.

This is my boss Sabohat (above on left Nosa my translator on right)– she had me over to her house Sat night for an ‘epic’ 4 hour Tajik dinner. She wanted to wait until her son came back from Russia as he speaks English and she speaks none. Now the communication difficulties can be frustrating at times especially when your translator is away and your dependant on Google translates. (For the record not great). However having said that the positive thing that is that conversations/meetings tend to be direct and to the point. Now this is something I can appreciate – one avoids the endless marathon sometimes meandering blah blah blah meetings that occur without language barriers. (PS – this is a general comment and not directed at person(s) in particular ha ha!!).

But she is a wonderful dynamic passionate woman determined to make a difference for the children with disabilities here in T. Over the years I know this has caused some difficulties with her and officialdom but she just keeps going. I have so much admiration for her – she set up Rangikamon (rainbow) 10 years ago as a local NGO and it is still going strong.  I hear all the time about people like Sabohat trying to fight the system and make a difference. And you know they are in small ways. But if wasn’t for people like her and others I wonder what would happen here, Ireland and elsewhere??

My Translator:

Ah she is my eyes, ears and voice and brilliant. Her name is Nosa, she is 21 and speaks excellent English. She is in fact so good and so used to me now that most of the time I forget to slow down. But we are now great friends you really develop such a good bond with your translator because you are completely dependent on them. She is leaving in September for a yearlong scholarship in a university in Prague. I’m so happy for her but will miss her terribly – I just hope I can find a great replacement. Also trying to arrange for her to visit me in Dublin so hopefully some of you will get to meet her in person next year!!

Luv this photo - kettle in office balancing very precariously on two paper holders!! (I generally stand beside it when its on). As is typical here in T there are loads of electrical sockets trouble is few if any actually work!!

Marshrutka (aka Mini Bus)

Ah lads I don’t think I will ever forget the joys of travelling to work in a Marshrutka. The journey time is only about 10 minutes but honestly every week I have a different experience. They basically stop everywhere and you just wave to get their attention. Cost about 15 cents and my god they are crazy drivers. They are all competing for your business and come roaring along, screeching to a stop to try and get you on. Of course when they are full I just wave them on which causes great consternation. I still haven’t quite managed the art of climbing in/out with bags etc – it’s never particular graceful shall we say.

They tend to motor long around 25 mph but then over the bridge which is a nice decent road they pick up to maybe 45. Always at this stage my heart is in my mouth. In my view it’s a single road but here it seems to be two lanes. And at times there is literally a few inches between the Marshrukas as they zoom along.

I always get a seat because A) I’m a woman and B) Foreigner and I usually always find someone to talk to. If you get on loaded with bags people with take them off you and hold them for you. Likewise this woman got on carrying twins and just handed me one to hold. I tell you they are great crack - you normally pay a little kid who open/closes the door. And this is done wordlessly you just tap someone on the shoulder and they pass the money along. Oh and yes as is normal here no seat belts!!

Mosquitos

Oh god the bane of my life. I have tried everything. Vitamin E tablets, spray, cream, and plug in stuff to absolutely no avail. Some nights are okay just a few bites and then other nights I wake up. I’m telling you right now your average junkie in Abbey Street would have nice looking legs then mine. Let’s just say after counting 30 bites on one leg – I gave up. The little feckers just luv me – Jeff my roommate not one bite!!! Why oh why???

Alternative Sleeping Patterns:

Ah yes well I have for some reason developed my own personal alternative sleeping pattern. For example; one night I will wake up or not sleep at all  – and cranky all day. The next night cos I’m so tired I’ll sleep for about 5 hours!! I set my alarm religiously every night but not sure why I bother sun rises here so early I actually have never needed the alarm. Ah well roll on the cooler weather in October.

Ramadan:

Yep, just kicked off today 1/8/11. Essentially you cannot eat/drink between approx. 3am and 8pm for the whole month of August. Young, old and sick are excused but for everyone else this is norm. I honestly do not know how they do it especially no water in this heat. My friends tell me the first 10 days are torture but after that it gets better. Me I think I would probably last 10 minutes. You can’t even have a shower, anything that provides relief for a person breaks Ramadan.

Hope all is well.

As always from me to y’all good night and I hope you enjoyed the long w/end.

Lainey xxx

Ps: Great just got a weather warning email the weather is supposed to get extremely hot between 2 – 6^th August. Yeah just what I need more heat!!

PPS: As I upload this it's 4.12 am...........been awake all night can't sleep between heat and mosquitos ahhhhh!!