Down the Rabbit Hole...
Do you ever have those days when you wake up and realize you’re in Turkmenistan? Of course not, this only happens to me and a handful of other expatriots who have come to this former Soviet republic to spend a few years of their lives. I was last here in 2003, the height of the Turkmenbashi era, where it seemed he had gone off the deep end with his personality cult of a regime. He had changed the names of the days and months, even the constellations to names that reflected his glory (January became his month, February, his father’s and March his mother’s). 2003 saw the advent of the Rukhnama, the Great Leader’s book detailing how the history of the world began and most everything was invented in Turkmenistan. Everyone had to read it and government workers stayed after work on Wednesdays to discuss it, like a forced book club or Bible study.
Anyways, he died in 2006 and all that nonsense seems to have faded away. The statues and pictures of Turkmenbashi are gone, he has been replaced on the money, and a new leader has taken his place. Not much of the personality cult of his predecessor, but Turkmenistan still isn’t the Garden of Eden. I’ve been here a little over 24 hours so give me time to observe the changes. It is still a country that is mired in layers of bureaucracy that seems to squeeze the initiative out of any progress like a boa constrictor, but there are some positive things happening. The streets are clean and orderly, not a lot of pollution, getting a visa at the aiport didn’t take forever, and so far people seem very friendly. It’s a happy place, Ashgabat is (that’s the capital people), but maybe one whose happiness is reliant on anti-depressants so to speak, artificial, unreal. Give me some time to figure that out.
Orazgan, our office driver, picked me up at 1 a.m. at the airport and whisked me off to a lovely 3-room apartment near our office downtown. My neighbors had theor laundry hanging outside and my head hit the towels and house dresses that hung low as I made my way to the third floor. I immediately fell in love with my apartment—it’s so clean, well furnished, and comfortable. I have the option of staying here and renting it or moving to another place after a month, but I think I will stay here since she has offered to rent the place for $500. $275 is paid for by my company—so a mere $225 a month, can’t ever find a deal like that in NYC! The landlady is moving to Russia to be with her daughter and wants to rent it out for the extra income. I’ve already unpacked my bags and feel like I’m at home here so I might as well stay. There’s a nice big kitchen with a breakfast nook, equipped with a little couch, sitting chairs and a TV. Big living room and bedroom too—what more does a man need?
After a 6-hour nap, I was up and at the office by 9 a.m. much to the surprise of everyone, since they thought I would be in bed all day. Not this trooper, there is work to do and jet lag to get over so what better way than jumping right in to it. I actually help up rather well all day despite my long trek from New York, only feeling drowsy around 5 when our office closes anyways. Had a quick shopping trip at my local store “Okean” (the Soviet name for the local fish store, now defnct and selling everything but fish it seems) and headed upstairs to have my first meal in my new house—pelmeni! When there isn’t lots of options for fresh food, these meat-filled dumplings always come in handy. I used to make these all the time when I lived in Russia and when I was lazy, would buy them pre-made in the shops. They’re a fun thing to make with a group of friends and then eat them or freeze them and save them for later. Pelmeni are especially delicious in winter, with some broth in the bowl to make for a warm-in-your-tummy meal to keep you going. It doesn’t get as cold here as it does in the Urals, where I used to live, but still pelmeni are still good comfort food.
I found out that my TV in the breakfast nook doesn’t get any channels (or I don’t know how to work the satellite box on it) and the TV in my living room gets on channel in Russian (or I don’t know how to work the satellite box). If that’s the case, then I will get a lot of writing on my book done. Maybe I will even finish it (oow WOW!). As God is my witness my book on my Afghans will be done by the end of 2012—I swear! Lack of many channels only goes to show the iron hold the governement has on the media. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that they block FaceBook and figuring out how I will let the rest of the world know about my existence in Turkmenistan. I cannot educate the rest of my friends about the wonders of Turkmenistan—egads! Hopefully they haven’t blocked my blog site. I guess we will see when I try to upload this later today at the office. Apparently I can use the wireless at the US embassy where I can FB to my heart’s delight but let me find out how often I can go there and use it. Step by step, day by day, I’ll get myself settled in here and find some outlets for letting the world know where I am. Besides the work I was sent here to do, develop and implement a college prep course for aspiring students who would like to go to the US to study, I need to get exercising, swimming laps every day as I did in Astana, eat healthier and lose some weight. My last visit to the doctor was not great and that visit last week was preceeded by a night in the hospital for what I thought was a heart attack but turned out to be really bad acid reflux. So it’s time to get on the healthy band wagon and stay on it. I’m sure once I go to India my healthy living will decline again but maybe I can sustain it while I’m there and try to eat better. It’s all about self control really and I’m sure I can do it.
It has been raining since last night and I’m wondering how I’m going to walk to work today without an umbrella. Maybe I’ll dig around in my landlady’s closets to see if she has one lying around. Otherwise I’ll just have to get wet or take a cab. Either way I’ll get to work ☺. OK that’s enough to report for now. Off I go to work…
Anyways, he died in 2006 and all that nonsense seems to have faded away. The statues and pictures of Turkmenbashi are gone, he has been replaced on the money, and a new leader has taken his place. Not much of the personality cult of his predecessor, but Turkmenistan still isn’t the Garden of Eden. I’ve been here a little over 24 hours so give me time to observe the changes. It is still a country that is mired in layers of bureaucracy that seems to squeeze the initiative out of any progress like a boa constrictor, but there are some positive things happening. The streets are clean and orderly, not a lot of pollution, getting a visa at the aiport didn’t take forever, and so far people seem very friendly. It’s a happy place, Ashgabat is (that’s the capital people), but maybe one whose happiness is reliant on anti-depressants so to speak, artificial, unreal. Give me some time to figure that out.
Orazgan, our office driver, picked me up at 1 a.m. at the airport and whisked me off to a lovely 3-room apartment near our office downtown. My neighbors had theor laundry hanging outside and my head hit the towels and house dresses that hung low as I made my way to the third floor. I immediately fell in love with my apartment—it’s so clean, well furnished, and comfortable. I have the option of staying here and renting it or moving to another place after a month, but I think I will stay here since she has offered to rent the place for $500. $275 is paid for by my company—so a mere $225 a month, can’t ever find a deal like that in NYC! The landlady is moving to Russia to be with her daughter and wants to rent it out for the extra income. I’ve already unpacked my bags and feel like I’m at home here so I might as well stay. There’s a nice big kitchen with a breakfast nook, equipped with a little couch, sitting chairs and a TV. Big living room and bedroom too—what more does a man need?
After a 6-hour nap, I was up and at the office by 9 a.m. much to the surprise of everyone, since they thought I would be in bed all day. Not this trooper, there is work to do and jet lag to get over so what better way than jumping right in to it. I actually help up rather well all day despite my long trek from New York, only feeling drowsy around 5 when our office closes anyways. Had a quick shopping trip at my local store “Okean” (the Soviet name for the local fish store, now defnct and selling everything but fish it seems) and headed upstairs to have my first meal in my new house—pelmeni! When there isn’t lots of options for fresh food, these meat-filled dumplings always come in handy. I used to make these all the time when I lived in Russia and when I was lazy, would buy them pre-made in the shops. They’re a fun thing to make with a group of friends and then eat them or freeze them and save them for later. Pelmeni are especially delicious in winter, with some broth in the bowl to make for a warm-in-your-tummy meal to keep you going. It doesn’t get as cold here as it does in the Urals, where I used to live, but still pelmeni are still good comfort food.
I found out that my TV in the breakfast nook doesn’t get any channels (or I don’t know how to work the satellite box on it) and the TV in my living room gets on channel in Russian (or I don’t know how to work the satellite box). If that’s the case, then I will get a lot of writing on my book done. Maybe I will even finish it (oow WOW!). As God is my witness my book on my Afghans will be done by the end of 2012—I swear! Lack of many channels only goes to show the iron hold the governement has on the media. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that they block FaceBook and figuring out how I will let the rest of the world know about my existence in Turkmenistan. I cannot educate the rest of my friends about the wonders of Turkmenistan—egads! Hopefully they haven’t blocked my blog site. I guess we will see when I try to upload this later today at the office. Apparently I can use the wireless at the US embassy where I can FB to my heart’s delight but let me find out how often I can go there and use it. Step by step, day by day, I’ll get myself settled in here and find some outlets for letting the world know where I am. Besides the work I was sent here to do, develop and implement a college prep course for aspiring students who would like to go to the US to study, I need to get exercising, swimming laps every day as I did in Astana, eat healthier and lose some weight. My last visit to the doctor was not great and that visit last week was preceeded by a night in the hospital for what I thought was a heart attack but turned out to be really bad acid reflux. So it’s time to get on the healthy band wagon and stay on it. I’m sure once I go to India my healthy living will decline again but maybe I can sustain it while I’m there and try to eat better. It’s all about self control really and I’m sure I can do it.
It has been raining since last night and I’m wondering how I’m going to walk to work today without an umbrella. Maybe I’ll dig around in my landlady’s closets to see if she has one lying around. Otherwise I’ll just have to get wet or take a cab. Either way I’ll get to work ☺. OK that’s enough to report for now. Off I go to work…
posted by Tom T at 4:15 PM
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