Noruz and Newspaper

Last week was Noruz. This holiday, as some of you may know, originated in ancient Persia with the Zorastrians or fire worshipers to celebrate the coming of spring. Turkmenistan has embraced this holiday wholeheartedly. As a result, I had two full glorious days off of work. I found myself on a bus to Gokje, a small village outside of Ashgabat where my new extended host family resides.

I arrived in Gokje just in time for a nap. Almost my entire family, Dad, Uncle, Mom, and four sisters were curled up on the carpeted floors comfortably passing the holiday hours. This is my kind of family!! I joined right in.

After our nap, we planted corn! After a long week of projects and planning and preparing and teaching and worrying and thinking it was just what I needed.

The garden area was already divided into 10 by 10 foot sections by low walkways of packed earth. We took on this grid one square at a time. First, Dad broke up the large chunks. Then we sprinkled the loosened earth with corn kernels. We then used spades to turn over the top layer including the tiny yellow kernels. With all the kernels hidden, we then flooded the square with water using an ingenious apparatus constructed from hose, scrap metal, and paint cans. After finishing one square, the girls and I would toss around the frisbee and American football I had brought with me to the village at the request of one of my dress clad sisters while dad tackled the next square.

Notably lacking was the clash that is expected when two very different cultures collide. My sisters and my host mom dressed in floor length, home-made, floral patterned dresses squatted in traditionally Turkmen socks and sandals to turn the earth. Then, without any hesitation or reservations they stood on the packed walkways to throw around a football. They are not at all afraid of me, my culture, my differences, or my football. I wonder if this is because I have learned how to present myself and culture within acceptable limits since coming or if they are truly exceptional. I think probably a lot a bit of both.

As further proof that I have learned to function within acceptable norms, I had an interview of mine printed in the newspaper! One of my colleagues at the institute decided to interview me. This interview was printed in both English and Turkmen. Below I have included the English version for your reading pleasure. Please excuse my overuse of adjectives.

Interview:
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Rebecca Ann Tess Elmore. I am from the United States of America. I graduated from William Marsh Rice University in Houston, Texas with a degree in English Literature and a teaching certificate. My passion in life is teaching. I am currently living and working here at Azady Institute of World Languages. I came with an organization called Peace Corps. Peace Corps currently has 36 English and health teachers working in Turkmenistan.

Did you know anything about Turkmenistan before coming here?
Before I came to Turkmenistan, I knew very little about this wonderful country. I had seen pictures online of beautiful Ashgabat and of traditional Turkmen koineks. I was excited and eager to come learn about an entirely new country in a part of the world I had never visited before.

A few words about your activities at Dovletmamet Azady Turkmen National Institute of World Languages, please.
The part of my service that I value most highly is working with my esteemed colleagues. I really enjoy sharing ideas with them and working to create innovative lessons. I am thankful to them for sharing their knowledge and experience with me. To be honest, they feel like my family. We drink tea together, go to weddings, and celebrate birthdays. They have made me feel so very welcome here.

What do you think of the Turkmen students?
As for the students, they keep my life interesting. They are open and willing to learn. They are eager to speak even though speaking is perhaps the most difficult part of learning English as a foreign language. They always greet me with a warm hello and smile. I enjoy working with them. It is wonderful for me to watch as their knowledge grows.

Any differences between American and Turkmen students?
One of the biggest differences between students here and students in the United States is their dress. Turkmen students always look neat and professional in their uniforms. They look focused and serious. This uniform is very good practice for the working world where young graduates will be expected to look competent and capable. Students in the United States could use such practice!

Please, your wishes to your colleagues and students here.
To all my fellow teachers, thank you so very much for sharing your institute with me, for letting me teach alongside you and learn with you. In the following ten months, I hope we will continue to get to know one another and to work successfully together. Remember that teaching requires constant learning. This is perhaps the best part of our job!

To all my students, I both hope and expect that you will work had and do your best for the remainder of your studies while I am here and when I am gone. It has been and will continue to be a joy to be your teacher. Be brave in your language learning. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes because mistakes are merely opportunities to learn.

Thanks!