It’s 3:00 am on Wednesday, September 6 and I am wide awake. The jet lag has been frustrating and nothing I’ve ever experienced before. For the last two nights, I’ve fallen asleep at 9 pm and then wake up only having 4-5 hours of sleep. I’m wide awake but I know this is not normal. I will try to take some gravol before I sleep tonight.
Yesterday was another ‘not to be forgotten’ day of my only few days in Khujand. I had to register with the Tajik government and was told I needed a certificate to prove I didn’t have HIV/AIDS. Oh no!! I knew about this requirement but after consulting with MEDA staff who said I didn’t need it and not having enough time, I actually didn’t get this done in Canada. So this required a trip to the only certified laboratory in Khujand. The lab was set up by UNDP and the health standards were definitely low compared to labs in Canada. It was here where I met my first Tajik woman with a unibrow. I will never forget the nurse who took my blood sample with the unibrow!
I’ve met many of the staff here in MEDA Tajikistan. They are friendly; hardworking bunches who are always laughing and chattering away using in a mix of Tajik/Russian/English. The office is situated in a huge house with very high ceilings and beautifully-decorated Tajik style. 2-3 staff share a room and what’s amazing is there are wires everywhere to connect each room to the router that’s located on the bottom floor!
It turns out that Khujand is a lot bigger city than what I originally thought. The area where I live is considered pretty central but the oldest part of the city. There are many other areas with newer apartments and shopping districts plus residential areas that I have yet to discover. Can you believe they seven universities here? No wonder the Tajik education level is over 95%! What also is very interesting is there is not a single map of Khujand (except what I have from my lonely planet guidebook) Streets are not named and I can’t figure out how people know where to get places. It is definitely not tourist-friendly. Tajiks also drive and park anywhere they can and want! There are no parking meters that exists here!
I am also pretty sure that every other car that I’ve seen on the roads in Khujand is either Mercedes, BMWs or Daewoos. I was told that it is cheap to import them from Germany and Korea due to close relations with these countries and that they are mostly secondhand vehicles. However I have also heard that the underground drug trade in Tajikistan has fuelled this phenomenon.
Prayer Request:
For my sleeping patterns to regulate and for me to sleep throughout the night. Continued strength and positive attitude towards dealing with a new and difficult living environment. Staying healthy as I do not wish to visit any health institutions in Tajikistan.
Ok I will try to head back to bed since I really can’t survive on just 4 hours of sleep!!
Shab Bakhayr (good night in Tajik)
2 comments:
holy cool.. neato!
you're in our prayers! keep going!
Rob, thanks so much for sending me the link to your blog. Rachel, - when you mentioned where you were going, I really had no idea how far around the world you were going to be. What courage and conviction you have and what an incredible experience you will have through this trip. It is admirable and I can't wait to follow your trip through this blog. I also can't wait to share your travels with Christian - he will really enjoy hearing all about your adventure....all the best and stay well, Victoria.
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