Day Three: Dushanbe to Khujand to Chkalovsk

16 April Evening
9:33 p.m.

I was ready for bed an hour ago. Was thinking it might be too early, but then Nina got off the phone with her Russian friend Tatiana and informed me that tomorrow was not a good day for laundry. I’d better do it tonight instead. The reason? God doesn’t like people to wash tomorrow--it’s a special Sunday. Nina says for her it’s not so much a matter of maintaining faith as it is observing a tradition. So off I went to the bathroom to wash my jeans, 2 shirts, and some sundries. (fyi to any students: that’s sun-drees…not sun-dries) The light in the bathroom is out, so I was among the various pots and tubs of water, beside the coal-fed water heater, washing my clothes with scented powder in a red plastic tub inside the bathtub. All this by the light of one candle. It was actually quite a soothing enterprise. I stink at careful wringing…you know those garments whose tags warn: do not wring. Well, I had 2 of them, naturally. But now all is complete, laundry finished, and a good story to boot.
Nina and 2 of her students--Nastia and Mamura--helped me today to get my registration extended. This involved trips to a local internet store (5 computers, one printer, one scanner in a very small space…think Janet’s office at school) to download the proper forms, print them, scan them with the proper signatures, and send them back to Dushanbe for processing. Tomorrow we’re handing my documents (including passport) to someone on the Dushanbe flight who will then be met by one of Nina’s former students who will, in turn, deliver the documents to the right office. This is how things work here.

I love how Tajik men wear leather shoes and real pants, plus cotton shirts with collars (as opposed to t-shirts). Many, many women here wear traditional Tajik dress. I will post pictures, as I don’t think I could capture the look adequately in words.

We had a marvelous lunch of shashlik and greens (parsley, another leafy green and sliced onions), accompanied by the school principal. Nina served as school principal for several years, but is apparently happier back in the classroom. He’s a lovely man and I appreciated his patience as we spoke in animated English around him. I am really psyched at how much Russian I understand. With general vocabulary, I understand ¾. With specialized vocabulary, my comprehension drops off a lot and I have to rely heavily on context. Speaking is tougher…but I’m improving day by day.

Time for bed. We’ll upload this tomorrow at Nastia’s, where we’re going for a late breakfast. She’s got internet service at home, so I can update the blog. Poka!