Talking Tajik: Until 2012, Taj

OKAY. Last post of the semester. Here we go.

Last weekend was pretty tame. Our only scheduled activity was visiting an 'artist colony' in Dushanbe. So we went to this building that was quite a trek away from the city center. Inside we got to meet various local artists, see their studios and sample many of their pieces. We were told that a lot of the people we met are generally considered to be the best artists in Dushanbe (and thus, Tajikistan). THe artwork was honestly stunning. Maybe it's just that I haven't seen any real art in months, but I thought these artists' works were incredible. They all seemed to enjoy painting Tajik landscapes or cultural events. Just cool stuff.

The environment of the 'colony' itself was surprisingly bohemian. Each studio was kind of messy, but in an artsy sort of way. All the artists wore baggy, dirty clothes and each seemed to smoke like it was their job. There was a stray kitten that the artists had named, fed and claimed as their own because it never left the building. A couple artists also had canaries in cages. The whole place was just so relaxed and like nowhere else I've been in Tajikistan. It put me in a great mood.

The rest of the weekend was considerably more quiet. Monday and Tuesday were the last days of classes, and Wednesday was a free day for studying. I had finals Thursday and Friday. Don't worry, Mom and Dad, they went well. We were supposed to go to this astronomical observatory just outside of the city on Monday night, but cloud cover preventing us from going. We tried again for Wednesday and Thursday evenings, but the same problem persisted. So I guess we're saving that for next semester, which is honestly fine by me. I really don't like being outside after the sun goes down anymore. Even with two coats, a hat, a scarf and gloves, I'm still freezing. So after about 5:30PM, it's a pretty good bet that I am home, in my room bundled up, and probably under the covers too. I think my peers in the group have adopted the same philosophy. Being outside in the evenings is just unpleasant.

Okay so Friday night was our going away party with the whole group, all of our professors and administrators. The whole group is only about 25 people large. We've kind of formed into a nice little academic family. So that made the party pretty enjoyable. Also the dinner was at this brand new Persian (Iranian) restaurant, at which one of my friends' host parents are the chefs. The meal and company were both very nice. At the end we took a lot of pictures and said our goodbyes until the end of January. Of the eleven students currently on the program, only eight are returning for the second semester. Also no new students are coming for our program in the Spring. So that will probably force me to get even closer with the other kids coming back for the full academic year.

The only other exciting bit of new is that next semester I will be volunteering for the organization that is funded by the US Embassy in Tajikistan. The group is called American Corner. The do a bunch of things in the Dushanbe community, but their main function is providing English classes (free of charge, I believe) to local Tajiks. Literally anyone is allowed to attend any class, regardless of age or gender. So next semester, my friend Amanda and I are going to teach a class in English. I think we're shooting for a fairly basic level of English, but we're going to also introduce a new major American city with each new class. The American Corner administrator were telling us that there seems to be a ridiculously high demand for classes on English language and American culture. Luckily, those are two things that I think I know a lot about. The rest of the logistics for our class are going to be hammered out when we return in January, but for now, I'm pretty excited.

So now that the semester is over and I'm about to fly home very early on Monday morning, I feel like I should do a little reflecting. Only a little bit though. I think I've gained a lot more self-respect and self-confidence by making it through this semester in Tajikistan. The whole lack of utilities and sanitary facilities never bothered me to such an extent that I was unbearably uncomfortable. I think the hardest part for me was just dealing with the lack of social options. Thus I have been forced to spend a lot of time with myself. At first, I saw this as a negative, but as the semester went on, I have sort of come to value my alone time. I'm no longer unhappy hanging out with myself. And on top of that, I'm also pleased with how much my languages skills have grown in the past three and a half months. It's a great feeling to know how much more proficient I've become.

Okay that's enough talking about my emotions. I had my final meeting with my peer tutor (Hani) for the semester yesterday. Hani finally returned from Iran, so it was nice to see her once more and hear about her trip before my winter break.

Thanks to everyone who has read my blog this semester. Your encouragement is the main reason I've continued to keep this site current. Please check back again at the end of January, when I make my triumphant return to Central Asia.

There are some pictures below.

Happy Holidays!