Happy Birthday Rob! I wish I could be with you but we will have to celebrate in a few months.
For three weeks now, the power in Khujand has been sporadic. I was told that we would not have power in the whole city in the next two days as they will be working on the dam down south. Then power will go back to sporadic until past the New Year. I’m not holding my breath that I will get power 24 hours a day but will be more happy once I get power during the times I need it (like from 6pm onwards). Living here has gotten significantly tougher but it is still possible comfortable with a bit of flexibility and adjustment in how you do things. The MEDA office is now my part-time home: I take my hot showers (still sporadic), eat my dinners and wash my laundry there. I have to admit that I am lucky considering the office is warm and I am there majority of my time. When I think about how I just have to manage for myself, I can’t imagine what it is like for a Tajik family to survive in these circumstances. Yet it is the large family support networks here that they rely on to get through these times. A few of us were discussing whether living here is more difficult than in Africa. I think that our surroundings here is livable and ok but what Africa has which is missing here in Tajikistan is the warmth of the Southern Hemisphere and the ability to escape to resorts, expat establishments to get away from it all. What we have here is what we live with, no other choice.
I have been busy in the past few weeks with prepping for a training workshop for MEDA staff and we finally conducted it this week. The training was on effective writing and reporting to help our staff write better reports. I now understand why trainers get paid lots of money for their services…it is a lot of work and it is very tiring! Especially working in a different culture, the training is even more difficult. Imagine also that power cuts happened throughout our whole training! I have a new understanding and experience of being a trainer and have received some valuable feedback from colleagues which will help me improve for next time.
It has also been interesting for me to get involved in the selection process of the small matching grant program. We are in the mist of developing evaluation material and will be visiting the applicants this week in order to determine who will be eligible for funding.
In Tajikistan, New Years is a pretty large celebration here. There is a large ‘New Years’ tree in the center of the city and the whole country gets power the whole day! (WOW!) Unfortunately, it is painful to see that the lovely tree is lit up at night when many in the city are without electricity. MEDA is having a New Years party on Christmas Day which will be nice. I will be taking some vacation and traveling to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to experience the hospitality of another Central Asian country.
It has been more difficult for me to post blogs these days. I have much to write and reflect on but hopefully power will stabilize to allow me to get more pics and blogs for you all to read. But for now here is a photo of Cole and I at a Tajik wedding. No it's not weird that we are sitting among a bunch of men wearing furry black hats. Tajikistan (heck all of Central Asia) is full of weirdness and unpredictability. That is what makes it such a cultural experience here. You should try it! If you ever wanted to write a biography, visiting this part of the world will definitely help you fill up your book =)
I ask for your prayers for our MEDA intern in Tanzania, Kelly Johnson, who was diagnosed a week ago with Typhoid and has had to return back to Canada to recuperate.
Kelly: Get better soon. I know you will be back to your old energetic self very soon. Be strong and persevere!
May you have a relaxing and cheerful holiday with family and friends wherever you are. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Tajikistan!
Blessings to all,
Rachel
For three weeks now, the power in Khujand has been sporadic. I was told that we would not have power in the whole city in the next two days as they will be working on the dam down south. Then power will go back to sporadic until past the New Year. I’m not holding my breath that I will get power 24 hours a day but will be more happy once I get power during the times I need it (like from 6pm onwards). Living here has gotten significantly tougher but it is still possible comfortable with a bit of flexibility and adjustment in how you do things. The MEDA office is now my part-time home: I take my hot showers (still sporadic), eat my dinners and wash my laundry there. I have to admit that I am lucky considering the office is warm and I am there majority of my time. When I think about how I just have to manage for myself, I can’t imagine what it is like for a Tajik family to survive in these circumstances. Yet it is the large family support networks here that they rely on to get through these times. A few of us were discussing whether living here is more difficult than in Africa. I think that our surroundings here is livable and ok but what Africa has which is missing here in Tajikistan is the warmth of the Southern Hemisphere and the ability to escape to resorts, expat establishments to get away from it all. What we have here is what we live with, no other choice.
I have been busy in the past few weeks with prepping for a training workshop for MEDA staff and we finally conducted it this week. The training was on effective writing and reporting to help our staff write better reports. I now understand why trainers get paid lots of money for their services…it is a lot of work and it is very tiring! Especially working in a different culture, the training is even more difficult. Imagine also that power cuts happened throughout our whole training! I have a new understanding and experience of being a trainer and have received some valuable feedback from colleagues which will help me improve for next time.
It has also been interesting for me to get involved in the selection process of the small matching grant program. We are in the mist of developing evaluation material and will be visiting the applicants this week in order to determine who will be eligible for funding.
In Tajikistan, New Years is a pretty large celebration here. There is a large ‘New Years’ tree in the center of the city and the whole country gets power the whole day! (WOW!) Unfortunately, it is painful to see that the lovely tree is lit up at night when many in the city are without electricity. MEDA is having a New Years party on Christmas Day which will be nice. I will be taking some vacation and traveling to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan to experience the hospitality of another Central Asian country.
It has been more difficult for me to post blogs these days. I have much to write and reflect on but hopefully power will stabilize to allow me to get more pics and blogs for you all to read. But for now here is a photo of Cole and I at a Tajik wedding. No it's not weird that we are sitting among a bunch of men wearing furry black hats. Tajikistan (heck all of Central Asia) is full of weirdness and unpredictability. That is what makes it such a cultural experience here. You should try it! If you ever wanted to write a biography, visiting this part of the world will definitely help you fill up your book =)
I ask for your prayers for our MEDA intern in Tanzania, Kelly Johnson, who was diagnosed a week ago with Typhoid and has had to return back to Canada to recuperate.
Kelly: Get better soon. I know you will be back to your old energetic self very soon. Be strong and persevere!
May you have a relaxing and cheerful holiday with family and friends wherever you are. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Tajikistan!
Blessings to all,
Rachel
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