Thanksgiving in Wonderland
It’s Thanksgiving day over in America but just another Thursday here in Turkmenistan. If I were at home, I’d be waking to the Macy’s parade and probably preparing a bird or pumpkin pies for a party somewhere. I love Thanksgiving, I think it’s my favorite holiday—no religion, no gift giving, no hype, just good food and always interesting people. A reason to come together and be thankful for what we have. Lately, Thanksgiving seems to have been shoved aside by the ever-expanding hype of Christmas, but it’s still there and still an important holiday.
I like Christmas and in New York especially it is a very festive time to be in the city. Getting ready to leave for Turkmenistan, I was a little remiss in leaving the Big Apple for Wonderland (as I think I’ll be calling Ashgabat) as we gear up for the holiday season. I’ll miss a season of shirt selling at Christmas markets, staying up until all hours making stockings that “fly off the shelves” the following day, finding that peaceful moment in all the madness to pick out a tree and decorate it, as well as festoon the house with lights on the outside. I’ll still have time to festoon the house with lights when I get back to New York for I need the house to look festive and I’ll be back for New Years so I can enjoy it then. As for a tree, I may forgo it but maybe not. I might get a small one to have in the house for the small amount of time I’ll be in New York. One of these days I will stay put in New York, have a two floor apartment and every Christmas have a giant tree in the middle of the floor downstairs where I can put every last ornament I have collected on the tree and not have half of them in storage and the other half on the tree. My family will come out east for Christmas and we’ll all go see the Rockettes, have a big party and enjoy the season together. Until then, I’ll travel the world making some cash to be able to afford giving up my tenants on the bottom floor and making that dream a reality.
Let’s talk about reality and/or the lack of it here. Well, not really lack of it, just a different reality. Turkmenistan prides itself on being neutral and independent. Those are things many nations should take pride in but here it is more like they want to shut out the world and live in their own hermetically sealed “reality” that they can control and in turn control what people think (or have them not think at all). Turkmenistan is the ostrich with its head in the sand of Central Asia, closing itself off from the world around and controlling what and who comes in and goes out. In some ways it’s refreshing to not be overwhelmed by media and a dearth of information, it helps me focus better and not be distracted, but in the end it’s not a healthy way to run a country. The fact that I cannot communicate on Facebook or post these blogs with ease is a testimony to the state of affairs here. But I’m not complaining, I’m just stating my opinion on the facts (as I see them) and will figure out a way to get around the obstacles. They may want to stop people from thinking but that approach just makes people think more creatively.
Office life here is OK. Our office is made up of mostly women, there are four of us guys and 7 women and everyone seems to get along. I have a program coordinator Lyale who I am getting to know this week and so far we are enjoying working together and figuring things out. Next week we’ll have a program assistant, Gulshat, join our team. It’s a bit challenging for me to have people to help me work when I am figuring things out for myself. Still I’m managing to keep Lyale busy and we will get Gulshat busy as well. It’ll all work out beautifully I know, I just need to put all the magic together.
I think I’m almost over my jet lag but now and then I have my moments. Last night I was so tired that after my landlady Irina came over to show me everything, I was in bed by 9:00. Then I get up at 5am and am able to write, get some other work done I need to do and slowly greet another day here in Wonderland. Maybe this schedule will change as I adjust to the local time and get a social schedule going on here, but it would be nice to keep this routine. Lord knows I need to get that Afghan book written. I do need to find a pool where I go swim on a daily basis for sure. That’ll be on the list for next week.
I like Christmas and in New York especially it is a very festive time to be in the city. Getting ready to leave for Turkmenistan, I was a little remiss in leaving the Big Apple for Wonderland (as I think I’ll be calling Ashgabat) as we gear up for the holiday season. I’ll miss a season of shirt selling at Christmas markets, staying up until all hours making stockings that “fly off the shelves” the following day, finding that peaceful moment in all the madness to pick out a tree and decorate it, as well as festoon the house with lights on the outside. I’ll still have time to festoon the house with lights when I get back to New York for I need the house to look festive and I’ll be back for New Years so I can enjoy it then. As for a tree, I may forgo it but maybe not. I might get a small one to have in the house for the small amount of time I’ll be in New York. One of these days I will stay put in New York, have a two floor apartment and every Christmas have a giant tree in the middle of the floor downstairs where I can put every last ornament I have collected on the tree and not have half of them in storage and the other half on the tree. My family will come out east for Christmas and we’ll all go see the Rockettes, have a big party and enjoy the season together. Until then, I’ll travel the world making some cash to be able to afford giving up my tenants on the bottom floor and making that dream a reality.
Let’s talk about reality and/or the lack of it here. Well, not really lack of it, just a different reality. Turkmenistan prides itself on being neutral and independent. Those are things many nations should take pride in but here it is more like they want to shut out the world and live in their own hermetically sealed “reality” that they can control and in turn control what people think (or have them not think at all). Turkmenistan is the ostrich with its head in the sand of Central Asia, closing itself off from the world around and controlling what and who comes in and goes out. In some ways it’s refreshing to not be overwhelmed by media and a dearth of information, it helps me focus better and not be distracted, but in the end it’s not a healthy way to run a country. The fact that I cannot communicate on Facebook or post these blogs with ease is a testimony to the state of affairs here. But I’m not complaining, I’m just stating my opinion on the facts (as I see them) and will figure out a way to get around the obstacles. They may want to stop people from thinking but that approach just makes people think more creatively.
Office life here is OK. Our office is made up of mostly women, there are four of us guys and 7 women and everyone seems to get along. I have a program coordinator Lyale who I am getting to know this week and so far we are enjoying working together and figuring things out. Next week we’ll have a program assistant, Gulshat, join our team. It’s a bit challenging for me to have people to help me work when I am figuring things out for myself. Still I’m managing to keep Lyale busy and we will get Gulshat busy as well. It’ll all work out beautifully I know, I just need to put all the magic together.
I think I’m almost over my jet lag but now and then I have my moments. Last night I was so tired that after my landlady Irina came over to show me everything, I was in bed by 9:00. Then I get up at 5am and am able to write, get some other work done I need to do and slowly greet another day here in Wonderland. Maybe this schedule will change as I adjust to the local time and get a social schedule going on here, but it would be nice to keep this routine. Lord knows I need to get that Afghan book written. I do need to find a pool where I go swim on a daily basis for sure. That’ll be on the list for next week.
posted by Tom T at 4:19 PM
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