May 4, 2012

My rent was due and thus it was necessary to make a trip to the American Embassy for the cashing of the requisite check. It was a beautiful morning with more blue skies, a soft breeze and tons of sunshine as I made my way to get on the mini-van for the relatively long ride to the embassy which had relocated its headquarters to the outskirts of the city to have a more fortified and grander place. I got there before 9:00am and the cashier was still closed so I went downstairs to see Tahmina and Sandy. I found Tahmina was free and when she asked how things were going at the PedInst, I point blank asked her to give me the reason the deputy dean had given her for turning down my request for an extension. She looked away and asked me to talk to Sandy, which I told her I had already done receiving only multiple apologies, but nothing concrete. She was obviously unease with handling the topic and went into Sandy’s office so we could discuss the issue there. Coward!

Sandy went around with the circular reasoning routine: it wasn’t a good fit between the institution and me and that’s why they have been taken off the program. I reiterated my need to know exactly what had been the argument since they post cancellation had come after the denial and to stop the diplomatic horse manure. She eventually came around to say something like my lack of Tajik, or Russian for that manner, had hampered my ability to integrate myself into the faculty and that the dean perceived my inability to speak the local languages as an insurmountable barrier and requested someone like Beth who spoke them and had no trouble getting around or participating in staff meetings. What he left out, of course, was the fact that Beth only became fluent during the second year of her fellowship after taking numerous classes. I couldn’t pass on the chance to mention the bribe-taking scheme the deputy dean is participating in. Sandy did promise to write a glowing letter of recommendation at the end of my fellowship.

We moved on to the topic of the upcoming summer camps for Access students in different regions of Dushanbe. She emailed me the complete schedule and encouraged me to choose any or all of them as the students are very enthusiastic and eager to have native teachers work with them. I’ll see what I can fit into my schedule prior to my departure. When I went back upstairs to the cashier, Nabi informed me that they were having difficulties with the system and it might be another hour before he could handle any financial transactions. I couldn’t wait that long and after posting a letter for Stephanie, left the building to go directly to the market and buy the remaining ingredients for the dinner. Hopefully, my landlady will be as late as she normally is in collecting the rent and I can go back on Monday.

Having done my shopping, I turned to finish cleaning the flat while cooking the oxtail, curry lamb and rice and beans. I had forgotten that I only have access to two burners and had to constantly switch the different pots so everything would be ready by 3:00pm. When the Caritas group knocked on my door, I was still cooking and hadn’t taking a shower. Takhmina took over and lay the tablecloth on the living room floor, the guys moved the furniture around, and when I came out of the shower, they were ready to eat since they had skipped lunch altogether to be here. I was surprised to see Johanna, their supervisor, coming along. Mary, the U. K. volunteer, also joined us and brought a vegetarian shepherd pie while Johanna brought a dish of cold ratatouille.

                                Mouthwatering display on my tablecloth.

Khurshed was the only one of the Tajiks to cook a dish of lamb and vegetables he had baked while Nigina asked the cook at their canteen to make vegetarian sambusas and Takhmina and Furkat brought along drinks and sweets. We had tons of food including a salad and fresh fruit. Ryan joined us when he finished work and did as I asked him to do and not mentioned his sexual orientation or any body parts while talking to this group. I had invited Eraj as well since the headquarters for Caritas Germany is in Freiburg, the same city where he’s going to spend 16 days this summer. I made tea and coffee and played Latin music in the background for all to enjoy.

Khurshed finished replacing the burnt outlet in the living room and now things look just as they used to. When the Caritas group left, Eraj had a long conversation with Ryan regarding the fact that his wife's still in pain a year after delivering her daughter via a cesarean operation. Ryan admonished Eraj and his family for having the poor woman carrying water and doing other heavy lifting when she needs at least three years of rest to heal. Eraj seemed more concerned about how soon  she could get pregnant again. Ryan starkly informed him that another pregnancy on a woman still healing could kill her. He advised Eraj to accompany his wife to her next check up and to make sure she's taking iron as, no surprises here, is also anemic.