Howdy folks-
I'm back in Abot, and I've picked up directly where I had left off. I'm busy teaching and teaching and commuting and scheming new things to teach.
Lucky for me, I made it back in town for Christmas. Although here, the big day is New Year's. For this reason, the Russian/Turkmen version of Santa Claus is circling the third floor of the Turkish superstore where I happen to be using high speed internet. He is escorted by his beautiful young grandaughter. When I tell people that Santa Claus has a wife, they usually ask, "But she is young right?" Hahahahah! No, I reply, she is not.
I don't feel like reiterating last year's New Year's post. Instead, I have decided to include a welcome letter that I was asked to write by staff for the new volunteers. Yes, there should be new volunteers coming in February or March!! Only health volunteers are coming but regardless, I'm excited to meet everyone!
Ok, here it is:
Welcome to Trainees!
We are so glad to have you! You have embarked upon a journey of epic proportions in a country of epic contrasts. But you know that already. Everyone has told you some variant of the above, I’m sure. Most people have no idea, though, what the specifics will be. To be honest, neither do I. I know that my experience is uniquely mine and your experience here will also be uniquely yours. Own it! You get to be in Turkmenistan today.
So about what I do know. I teach English at a language institute in T-stan’s beautiful, if somewhat surreal, capital city. In other words, I teach approximately 120 students a week ranging in age from 16 to 25. Not only do they span the spectrum in maturity, they also span the spectrum in language ability. A year into my service, my job still demands constant flexibility, creativity, and more than anything, optimism. I have learned to fail gracefully and start building again not only at the institute, but also in my daily interactions with my host family and even with the strangers on the bus. I have eaten bone-marrow jello, taught a class of 30 students with 0 preparation, welcomed Santa on New Year’s, discussed the difference between nationality and ethnicity, worn skirts, survived the buses during rush hour, and found peanut butter at a bazaar. All this adds up to some of the highest highs and some of the lowest lows of my life. I don’t regret it for a second.
I hope I haven’t solidified any expectations that you are carrying around because that is probably the worst thing I could possibly do. Do not go into your service with expectations. Easier said than done, I know. Open minded, yes. Expectations, no. Expectations tend to lead to let downs or worse, self-fulfilling low standards. A lack of expectations allows for room to observe, listen, induce (not deduce!), and build up from what you find.
I hope that your experience will not be easy. I hope that you will face challenges, make mistakes, and feel lonely. Why? Well, I have found that it is from these low places that I learn the most. I’m a teacher after all!
That's all for now guys. Have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!
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3 comments:
Hi!
I enjoyed your Christmas post. Merry Christmas and happy New Year from Tajikistan. I'm Ray, the T-12 who had your post at Azadi from 2003-2005, when Turkmenbashi (we used to call him Wayne Newton) was still Prez. If there's a green-covered copy of Shakespeare's plays floating around the institute, that was mine -- I managed to build a 300-book or so library while I was there, in the room next to the English Department office, but I have no idea of whether or not it still exists.
I'm glad to see that they are placing volunteers at the institute -- and after reading over several of your posts, it's amazing to see that in 5 years almost nothing has changed! I loved and hated my two years there, and I experienced every single one of the frustrations and triumphs you mention. It's incredible. I'm eager for more news -- is Faina still head of the English Department? I have lots of questions.
I've stayed over in the region after my service working for American Councils in Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Russia. If you want to drop me a line please do at raynayler at gmail.com
And in the meantime, keep up the good work! The frustrations will fade, but the triumphant moments stay with you forever, as I'm sure you know!
Hey, Cousin! I was in DC when you were bed-bound. I found out the morning that I had to leave town that you were there... tried to fit in time to drop by with some flowers, but it's a good thing I didn't. Traffic got me to the airport with only a few minutes to spare. I was hoping that I could "next time" (beginning of February) but Mom (Great-Aunt Ann) told me you are already gone. {sigh} I am proud of the work that you are doing! Take care! Scott S.
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