On Monday in Tajik class Diana asked our teacher, Zarrina, if she could teach us how to make aush. She agreed and told us that we could all come over to her house and we would cook. So, today was the big day! We finished Farsi class at 12:45 and then walked with Zarrina to her house, about 15 minutes away. We cooked aush on a fire outside and had salad and the most amazing bread and vodka and tea and campote (which is this amazing drink of water boiled with fruits) and cookies...ahh, kheli ba mazast bood (it tasted really good).
The weather today was perfect for such a wonderful afternoon outdoors. It rained earlier this morning and cooled everything off so that it was actually comfortable to be outside instead of just bearable. And later tonight after dinner there was another thunderstorm with lots of lightening- my favorite!
Oh, back to the campote for another second- I was asking my host mom how to make it and she offered to teach me so I think we are going to make some soon. I am excited to learn how to cook all these different foods- hopefully I will be able to reproduce them when I get home.
Friday June 25
Best class ever. So far at least. We had Tajik class at 8:30 then a break, then Farsi class. Our teacher showed up to class with a watermelon which I cut up and we all ate while giving our speeches. How awesome would it be if professors in the US showed up with watermelons! We have been eating a lot of watermelon lately, I think it is the most popular fruit for the summertime.
Saturday June 26
Today was the start of a long weekend- Monday is a national holiday so there are no classes. A small group of students, 9 people, had decided to take a trip on their own to Panjakent and Khujand. I decided to stay here in Dushanbe and had the opportunity to go to Hisor Fort, about half and hours drive out of the city.
The fort itself was small but interesting- the gate was built in the 16th century but the original walls were much older and have been around for thousands of years. We climbed up the hill/small mountain next to it and had a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside. We were able to see down the valley and overlook the fields and small villages nearby. After climbing around on the fort and taking adorable pictures in large quantities, we walked across the street to visit a museum. The museum is inside an old Islamic school and contains clothes and pottery and tools and other such things from the people who used to live and work at the fort.
When it was time for dinner I came out and found that we had a guest- my host father’s brother had come to visit. We all sat down to eat and then someone else knocked on the gate- his other brother! So I met some more of the family. Of course, any kind of gathering in Tajikistan must be accompanied with vodka and toasts so the men had several shots and I had a few small glasses of mulberry wine. After dinner I was talking with my host mom and she asked if I was planning on going to the exhibition and bazaar from Afghanistan that was in town for the weekend. I told her that I had planned to go with Kyle and Gaby on Monday but she said that the last day for it was actually tomorrow, Sunday, so we changed our plans and decided to go then.
Sunday June 27
This morning at 10am my host mom, sister, little brother, Kyle, Gaby and I set off to go to the Afghan bazaar.
It was the last day so some of the stalls were not open anymore but there was still plenty of merchandise available and things to look at. I ended up getting a wallet/clutch and some jewelry and Kyle got a few presents for friends. My host mom was able to get a couple of things as well to save for birthday presents and other such random gifts. After we got home I was pretty exhausted so I helped make lunch and then went to rest. I read for a little bit and then ended up falling asleep until dinner time! I am also wondering if I have some kind of sickness because my upper legs are strangely sore even though climbing around on Fort Hisor and the hill was not all that strenuous. I think I will just wait to see how it goes tho and then maybe take something for it if I don’t get better.
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