Central Asia vs. Afghanistan
A former colleague called me recently to say he was in town. He wanted to arrange to meet up sometime before he went back to Afghanistan, so we set a date. I asked him if he had enjoyed his time so far, and he said he hadn’t been here for long but that he was really enjoying the city. “It’s really nice to see trees and women,” he said. He’s not a sex addict: women make the exact same comment when they come up. It’s the first thing I used to notice as well.
When I came to Tajikistan on my first assignment as an “aid worker”, my main aim was to work on something meaningful in the former U.S.S.R. I enjoy travelling and I love the culture of many of the countries in the former U.S.S.R. I didn’t come to find excitement or save the world. My motives were fairly common among my foreign colleagues, many of whom also just enjoyed travelling and at the same time who did not want to spend their time working for a multinational corporation. Though there were some of the typical missionary/mercenary types, they usually left pretty quickly as it’s much harder to take advantage of the population or pretend that you are someone special here.
Unlike, say, in Afghanistan. People go to Afghanistan for a variety of reasons, but it’s rarely just to see the country and make a living at the same time. People who go there are often trying to save the world, or make a huge amount of money on a consultancy which is almost certainly going to leave the country exactly $60,000.00 poorer than before with little to show for it, or possibly to achieve something vaguely political in nature. I went there- I admit it- because I hoped it would advance my and my husbands’ careers to work there together (I was right). In that sense, it was totally different from all my other trips abroad.
The whole time I was there, I was fully aware that Afghanistan is, unfortunately, not a normal country. I am not talking about traditional Afghan society, many aspects of which have all but disappeared, along with the trees, and much wildlife, as well as a normal economy. I mean Afghanistan, as it stands now, with all the poverty, post-traumatic stress syndrome afflicted people, psycho drug economy, and violence. Perhaps this is not the “true Afghanistan”, and it’s definitely not the Afghanistan of Nancy Dupre, but it’s the only Afghanistan I know.
Now, when I was there, I couldn’t help comparing it to the countries I’d been in before, in particular, Tajikistan. The level of education, and depth of understanding of such things as human rights, supply-and-demand, personal responsibility, and Islam, are light years above those in Afghanistan. This is thanks not only to positive progress but also to the fact that the entire population has not suffered the equivalent of being hit over the head with a iron rod a hundred times, which is the impression that many poor Afghans give off. Who can blame them? But it’s still not so interesting.
But when foreign aid workers come to Tajikistan, the human factor is usually not the first thing they comment on. Although it is probably the most important, the first things people usually notice are:
Flowers and trees along the streets. This is luxurious Dushanbe, but there are few district capitals that don’t at least make the effort. “I feel like I haven’t seen green in years…” Well, it’s only been months, but I know how they feel.
And then there are the people. Women wearing modern clothes, Islamist dress, traditional Tajik dress- you’ll find it all. The guy in the picture above is Tajik chav… there’s no other word for it. More men prefer plain white or blue collar shirts, black pants, and black moccasins, but unfortunately the sugar-daddy as shown above is not as uncommon as many would hope. Well, anyway, he’s not wearing a turban. (Though if you had to choose between a turban-cum-pirhan-tumban, and this, I think you’d agree with me that Tajik men could take some advice from the Taliban…)
Best of all, there are people having fun. People swimming in canals is much rarer in Afghanistan, though occasionally you’ll catch someone having a bath. Here, you will see several multi-story buildings standing in rows; children playing in the river; and water flowing abundantly through the city. Ah, the joys of normal life.
- Afghanistan, Aid and Development, The CIS | Time: 09.1.24 (UTC+8)
Hello Candide!
Nice story! I am very fond of Tajikistan, though I havent been to there. Would you tell me please how can I get higher resolutions from your Dushanbe pictures?
Many thanks and good luck!
Cheers,
Alex.
Comment by alex — 13.07.2006 @ 12.1.27
Alex- Thanks for your comment. These pictures were taken with a Nokia 1.3 megapixel camera-phone. I forgot to add my usual caveat- that I don’t own a proper camera. There is no way to get these in higher resolution, because they are crap. Sorry about that. Please stop by again, though.
Comment by Administrator — 13.07.2006 @ 13.1.41
Afghanistan has some real beautiful green places. Usually way the heck back in the mountains along the rivers. Even places where there were trees, Bagram Airbase for example, they were so torn and dusty that they never really looked good.
I would not be excited about swiming (or bathing) in the canals I saw if Afghanistan becasue the locals tended to use them as toilets.
Comment by exmi — 13.07.2006 @ 13.1.03
That’s funny, I can’t find the post soliciting suggestions for your blog list
Comment by Fred — 13.07.2006 @ 19.1.29
So, I was just told this morning that I should NOT go walking around by myself in Shar-e-naw (Kabul). I’d like y’all to weigh in. I’ve been here for about a month now and this is the first Friday I have to myself (until 5 pm that is, when I have to work)…why can’t I go to chicken st, by myself?
Comment by Asiyah — 14.07.2006 @ 05.1.20
Exmi- of course, all of Central Asia, including Afghanistan, has gorgeous wild parks, mountain peaks, etc. This post refers only to the cities…
Fred- oops, sorry, will bump that back up.
Asiyah- Because you will (not could, but almost certainly will) get harassed by beggars, teenage boys, and grown men. If you’re lucky, nobody will say anything disgusting. Because most kidnappings have been of foreigners around that area, and because many kidnappings have been of people in modern dress (foreigners, though you can’t always tell by their faces) walking or driving by themselves. Women generally don’t walk alone in Afghanistan, especially not around there… however, if you want to take the risks, go for it. The country needs native pioneers.
Comment by Administrator — 14.07.2006 @ 07.1.40
Yeah, I went and it was fine. Men actually stared less this time and harassed me less than 3 years ago when walking outside was a real trial. I actually dropped some money and this man hollered, “Khala, Khala.” and returned it.
I think I blended in b/c except for walking around by myself (afghan women travel in pairs). I’m going to continue going for walks - it’s too hard to live here otherwise…
Comment by Asiyah — 14.07.2006 @ 11.1.35
Oh, and nice post btw. I haven’t been to Tajikistan but I had the same reaction when I left Afg for the u.s. in 2003, after 6 months here - I loved seeing laughing women and green, green trees. But sad that there weren’t that many people sitting on the side of the street and drinking tea.
Comment by Asiyah — 14.07.2006 @ 11.1.21
Asiyah- the lack of neighbourhood and cafe/teahouse culture is sure to hit me when I get to the United States as well. Of course coming to Tajikistan one doesn’t miss it as much.
Congratulations on your walk and way to go!!!
Comment by Administrator — 15.07.2006 @ 06.1.54
good post. the place is getting worse for fieldwork as well. it’s increasingly difficult to operate outside of Kabul, i’m finding, and that’s increasingly in the north and previously fine areas as well.
Asiyah: I reckon there’s little real danger, walking around Kabul, just minor irritations. Of course, girls have it worse that boys.
Comment by Whisky — 16.07.2006 @ 09.1.35
I haven’t commented ‘cause I felt I had nothing to add- never having been either place, but I really liked this post. It was pretty insightful to someone very removed from life on that side of the world.
Comment by Shannon — 16.07.2006 @ 18.1.29
Nice post, it’s always interesting to compare different locations. The question remains:
What can be done for Afghanistan?
Here is a link to a BBC article about afghanistan, which you may find interesting:
Comment by Michael — 17.07.2006 @ 10.1.23
Excellent post. Sorry I’m a bit late to respond. But yeah, I can’t believe how people are clothed in Dushanbe. I’m wondering what Afghanistan would be like if some things were different. Eg., if it were not a Cold War proxy. *sigh*.
Comment by Vasco Pyjama — 20.07.2006 @ 16.1.48
Although Afghanistan and Saudi are different in many ways, one sentiment certainly rings true - the joys of normal life. I miss the sound of men and women laughing together more than anything else. It’s odd, really, because the sound isn’t something you normally even remember, much less crave. Until, of course, it is not there.
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