Tajikistan travels

Tajikistan podcast

For all of us who have travelled through Central Asia this year, the stories have stayed with us. We find ourselves retelling our experiences to anyone who'll listen. From a small Church house group just yesterday evening to a podcast with Dutch activist, Bicyclemark.

Bicyclemark interviewed Amanda Farrant, a communications officer at Christian Aid and one of the original Tajikistan Five at the start of the year. Over 30 minutes Amanda paints a compelling picture of the socio-economic and political situation in Tajikistan. One of the best podcasts I've listened to in a while and we thoroughly recommend the episode to Tajikistan Travels readers.

You can access the podcast here on the web - the audio will play through any PC by clicking the listen now link.

http://bicyclemark.org/blog/2006/11/bm166-working-for-change-in-tajikistan/

Homeward bound

We thought it would be nice to finish our blog by all writing a line (or two!) summing up our time here. We had a bit of a sinking moment yesterday, after writing up our blog, when the Internet went down (as it frequently does in Tajikistan) just as we sent out blog to go live! If we can retrieve that day's blog we'll add it in the next few days but, for now, as we leave this amazing, heart-warming, poverty-stricken country here are our summarised, tumbling thoughts on the country and the trip...

'Nothing at all like what I was expecting and challenging in very different ways. But also an incredibly welcoming place and I've also had a lot of fun here.' Jema

'A two line summary?! A humbling experience that at times had me in tears and, at others, filled me with hope. An inspiring trip.' Jo

'Fantastic Tajik people. Their great hospitality and warm welcome will stay with me forever.' Joanna

'An upside down place. Really strange to be in a country that had so much and is slowly falling apart. The warmth of the people gave so much hope but also so much heartbreak that their love isn't enough to make things better.'  Ruth

'An amazing country full of amazing people who have inspired me through the two weeks.' Alasdair

'Tears, smiles; sugar, oil; hope, despair; fog, sun; city, mountains; autumn leaves, summer rain; Muslim, Christian: Tajikistan'  Ali

'Beautiful smiles and beautiful people. Beautiful colours and beautiful dresses. Beautiful mountains and beautiful sunsets. A place hidden but never forgotten. A place we've now seen and know. Beautiful.'  Emily

'A fantastic country full of amazing scenery and wonderful people who are so kind and hospitable. The past two weeks have inspired me so much in my faith and for my work with Christian Aid.'  Hannah

'Evocative and provocative, Tajikistan is a country of astounding beauty and arresting decay. Such a wonderful sense of community and overwhelming friendliness. Tajikistan deserves better.'  Jonny

'A real place of contrasts - but so much hope and potential. It has been a privilege to experience the beauty of the country and the warmth and love of its people.'  Charlotte

'Beautiful. The people, the place, the culture. It has been a life-inspiring trip. I will never forget the warmth of this country. it will always shine in my memories!'  Laura

'I've really enjoyed my time here in Tajikistan. It was nothing like I expected and I'm truly grateful for that. The people, the scenery, the food - everything about this place has been an inspiration. A big thank you to the new family members that I acquired on this trip...God bless.' Oby

'It's been amazing. The people we have met have inspired me in so many ways. We have constantly been greeted with love and warmth and I'm really grateful for this. Tajikistan is a beautiful country and I recommend everyone to visit!'  Rachel

'This country is amazing. The people are so welcoming and the scenery is beautiful. I've been so struck by the passion and hope shown by so many people we've met, especially the young people - despite the problems they face. After all the worries I had before this trip, I'm now so glad that I had this wonderful opportunity.'  Lydia

Beauty, education and hospitality in Kulyab

Group one's second two night excursion from Dushanbe started bright and early on Monday morning. Somewhat bleary eyed, we left the hotel at about 6.25am (a bit of a random time - we were aiming for 6am but with eight 18-25 year olds trying to get up we no longer expect punctual departures...). This time were headed down to Kulyab - slightly alarmingly close to the Afghan border (a couple of hours) - though we'd be assured it would be safe...

Any efforts to catch up on sleep in the minibus were utterly frustrated (slightly rickety minibus + lots of people + lots of bags + very bumpy, ill-maintained roads = no sleep), however, this was just as well because the scenery was absolutely stunning. We journeyed up and up into the mountains, surrounded on all sides by dusty looking peaks, with glimpses of snow on the distant skyline. As we rounded a bend we were confronted with the beauty of lake Norak. The surface shimmered under the early morning sun, shockingly turquoise - reminiscent of the Mediterranean rather than Central Asia. Faced by such a large expanse of water I was reminded of Tajikistan's landlocked state - suddenly it occurred to me that most Tajiks must never see the sea... As I write this, I  remember a university student of Tajikistan University who in interview expressed his greatest dream is to witness the ocean. Quite a feat when even to travel to Dushanbe from this region is too expensive for many. And I thought Oxford was far from the coast...

Another impressive sight of our journey was the region's massive salt mountains, which we were informed could supply the world with salt for 100 years. This certainly is a country with an abundance of natural resources. However paradoxically, the salt from these mountains lacks iodine - a major problem when deficiency of this important element is causing high incidence of the disease goitre in the region. Therefore, local NGO's encourage people to buy packeted salt, rather than the cheaper mountain salt. A parallel seems to lie in the fact that Tajikistan is rich in water and the possibilities for hydro-electric power stations are numerous - however in so many of the rural villages that we visited, electricity is rationed to just a few hours in winter. The country's potential is enormous, but it needs to be effectively harnessed.

The true highlight of the day was the people we met and the warmth with which we were received. Ruhafzo, the partner we were visiting, works in four rural villages in the Kulyab region providing educational support and training for young people, as well as organising parents' committees which liaise with local schools. As we arrived at one of the villages in which Ruhafzo is working, we were treated to a traditional Kulyab greeting. We were met by girls who presented us with a tower of bread - on top of which was a small pot of salt (from the mountain). One by one we were invited to break off a piece of bread, dip in in the salt and eat it. We were also treated to flowers and dancing. This hospitality continued throughout the day. When our morning plans overran and we no longer had time to go the office for lunch, a local family invited us into their home. There we had one of the best meals of the trip - treated to not one, but two traditional dishes! We were overwhelmed by the generosity, especially with such little notice. Over dinner conversation turned to Tajik hospitality. The director of Ruhafzo (a man whose face seemed almost entirely comprised of smile lines) explained how the prophet Muhammed (PBUH) taught that Muslims are obliged to welcome visitors. We have certainly reaped the benefits of this during our trips - and have felt humbled by the experience.