One of the interesting parts of my life in Tajikistan is how it intersects multiple layers of society. Maybe even the extremes of society. Part of it is simply being an American student in a third-world country.
As a student who is only here for a few months, I usually stay at an average apartment and shop at the bazaars like average citizens. My research takes me out to the villages where I live with people facing extreme poverty. But as one of the few Americans here in a small foreign community I find myself returning to the city and interacting with the elite.
So sometimes I have weeks where I head out to the village for research. Then in a few days I’m heading back to the city to the most expensive restaurant in town to use their wireless connection while I enjoy a roast beef sandwich. Then on the weekends going with friends to a dinner party with the ambassador, World Bank and United Nations heads of offices, and employees of other international organizations.
Yesterday day was a day in one of the extremes of city life. A friend of mine from last year was leaving the country and had a small garden party as a send off. It was set in the private gardens of a bed and breakfast started by an Australian. She built the house from scratch and then spent years planning the gardens. It is a gorgeous garden with ponds, streams, fountains, and even a nice lawn. Since it is the spring it was filled with tulips, lilacs, lilly of the valley, and other flowers.
After the garden party we went bowling (which costs more than the average salary of Tajikistan to get a lane for a few games [$30]). This is the third bowling alley in town and maybe the most outrageous. It is designed more like a dance club that happens to have bowling with it. The balls, carpet, and fixtures all glowed underneath a black light and the techno music was definitely blaring in the background. The place was not so full when we got there but soon filled up (all six lanes). Bowling in Tajikistan is usually great for people watching because most people have never bowled before or even seen it played before. So that makes for all sorts of “creative” approaches to getting the ball down the lane. It usually involves running very fast to the line and throwing the ball as hard as possible… then there’s the occasional hop/skip combo approach.
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