November 23, 2011

Made it to my second conversation class at the Slavonic Russian University and upon its conclusion was called into the office by the teacher. Five different teachers were trying to talk to me and each other all at once as apparently a decision had been made that the conversation class was causing a disruption to their “teaching plan” as it had been submitted to the Ministry of Education and they could not allow it to proceed. It then became clear to me that they wanted to have me teach first year students English grammar with the same crappy book the PedInst is using. As a matter of fact they seemed to be behind the institute as they were just getting to the same pointless lesson about an English doctor’s cottage with its many rooms and orchards. I told the teacher that spoke the most fluent English that since my arrangement had been made with the dean, I’d contact him about the situation and let them know. I don’t believe I’ll be setting foot on that campus again.

Proceeded to the American Corner where all ELFs and Tahmina and Sandy were meeting for what they deemed an “orientation” almost two months after my arrival. Sandy pulled out a list of topics and promised to get us out within an hour since Corrie had a class in the same room beginning at 1:00pm. She went ahead and informed us about the chain of command at the embassy, diplomatic pouch privileges and the possibility of getting a photocopier available to us at the American Corner if we agreed to pay for the paper and toner. I can’t see how we could pay for these expenses without having control over access to it. We were also a list of organizations affiliated with the embassy which are in need to support from ELFs and also places outside the capital where teacher training could take place especially if we could travel in groups of two or three. That was the best part of the meeting.I invited Caroline, who was feeling better by now, and Peter to come up to my place for leftovers and we ate more of the plov, polished off the last of the persimmon tart and had coffee.

It was then off to my last class. As arrived at the building it seemed as if all the leaves had come to an agreement to fall at the same time and with the most graceful swirls started landing on the pavement. I had never seen anything like it as the ground was completely covered in leaves in a matter of seconds. I wish I had a high-powered camera to capture it as it happened. One student handed me a beautiful brown leaf when she came in.

Pariso reminded me that I need to have a medical check-up and submit a letter of recommendation from my landlady before I can receive the 80.00 somonis a month I have been promised. She offered to accompany me and promised it won’t cost more than 20.00. I’m going to do it just to see what constitutes a medical exam in Tajikistan. I wrote to Tahmina to ask her about the letter of reference from my landlady, a woman I don’t know how to locate or communicate with.

I stopped at the supermarket to get milk and thought I recognized the woman ahead of me as Elena, the embassy employee who was handling my visa extension, and so I said hello. She barely acknowledged me and when I asked if she lived in the area, curtly replied that she didn’t but did her shopping there anyway. I hope she’s not present tomorrow at the Thanksgiving dinner as she certainly is a sourpuss.

Yoomie called to inquire if leftovers could still be had as she would be working late. She came over after 7:00 and we chatted for a while before she had to go to Ryan’s house to get his Couch Surfer as Ryan is departing tonight for Copenhagen.