Author Archives: WD

Tadpoles and Trams

Quick update. Today we started practicum, so I got to stand in front of some kids and teach. It went quite well, but I can’t fool myself. The students who come for this practicum have voluntarily decided to forgo two lazy summer weeks and take English classes. Though it isn’t as accurate a representation of school life as the UZ practicum (we had practicum during the school year,) it is nonetheless fun. The students in the high school aged group mostly were very good in English. I had them interview each other and present to the class. It was my covert method of finding out what they are interested in. I’ve found that blanket questions addressed to the entire class, such as, “what do you want to study?” tend to produce nothing but blank stares. I’ll also be able to view my new colleagues as they teach, which should be fun – hopefully I’ll pick up some new methods for round 2.

Also, I was able to speak to another transfer volunteer today. His situation was an evac from China because of SARS after 1 year of service. It was so great to finally talk about transfer specific issues and get some support. What’s even nicer is that he decided to come himself, and wasn’t at all prodded by PC. Still it is a bit of a drag, but whatever, I’ve just got to keep going with it. Email updates keep trickling in from other former UZ-18’ers, and though the disappointment is still palpable, it does not seem like anybodies life has come to a screeching halt; in fact most have been re-assigned, are going through PST again, or have moved on with life.

This past weekend I went hiking with some of the other volunteers at my site. It was about a three and a half hour hike (after a 45 minute loop…) to a small resort ski town. It was a perfect day for the hike, cool, with the sun coming in and out of the clouds. The surroundings here are so different than Uzbekistan and are more like back home. The forests are tall and dark and dense, just beautiful. Once we arrived at the town we had some mici (grilled meat) and beer before hiking it back. I can’t wait till the winter because this is a skiing country! Now the problem will be finding the money to do so 😛 Just doing little things like that are proving to be very beneficial. I think we have some in country trips coming up, but I’m not sure. The more to do the better.

A Wave Into the Void

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I’ve been following events in Uzbekistan as best I can via the internet here. Most of the news is, of course, not good. But I just came across this (link) . The gist is that VOA (Voice Of America) is going to resume Uzbek language broadcasts within Uzbekistan. This is potentially huge. A major problem facing regular Uzbeks is lack of access to reliable news. TV is controlled with an iron fist. Most Uzbeks are only able to receive broadcast TV, which consists of two national channels and a Russian station. Of course, I don’t need to comment much about what Uzbek news is like… I think the phrase “droning monologues” sums things up just fine. I remember watching the Uzbek TV stations while the news about Andijon was unfolding all over BBC and CNN only to find the movie Winged Migration being shown. It was funny is a twisted way… talk about having ones head in the clouds…

Uzbeks living in major cities, especially Tashkent, can get cable TV. But again, during the Andijon events, CNN and BBC were blanketly dropped from the lineup. This leaves only satellite TV. The problem is, though, that satellite TV is expensive, in fact prohibitively so for most Uzbeks. Furthermore, since the current generation of youth no longer speaks Russian, to fully comprehend news received, it must be in Uzbek. Thus, the almost complete lack of non-governmentally regulated Uzbek language news has been a major barrier to progress in the region.

Although news does travel in Uzbekistan – make no mistake, most everyone knows what went down in Andijon – one has got to remember the game “telephone. ” I was reminded of this today during Romanian language class. Telephone is a simple game about verbal communication. It starts with one person telling another some phrase. That person then turns to his or her neighbor and passes it along. 9 times out of 10, of course, the resulting phrase is far different from what the initial person said. This is a simple, albeit accurate, representation of the danger of communications systems spread solely via word of mouth.

Now, I consider myself to be pretty aware of the global media situation, and will be the first to concede that news delivered by ANY government is suspect. VOA is an US Governmental organization, and thus to imply that VOA is gospel or completely unbiased would be foolhardy. Looking at the VOA news about the United States, there emerges a picture of an organization that is willing to entertain reasoned critiques of America and American society, but not so much in an overtly political or partisan way. For a good example, read (this article.) So, all said and done, I am satisfied with VOA considering it for what it is.

Now, back to Uzbekistan. Although satellite TV may be a dream but for the country’s more financially successful families, almost every family can afford a shortwave radio (albeit it’ll likely be a piece of junk from China, but nonetheless it should work.) Some of my former colleagues in country were able to purchace, for about $10, such radios. Now, although TV is by far the dominant means of entertainment and news gathering in Uzbekistan, almost every Uzbek can afford and has the ability to receive shortwave radio broadcasts. During my Peace Corps service in that country, I enjoyed listening to, among others, BBC World Service via shortwave. Now although listening to BBC World was a godsend to me, it meant nothing to most Uzbeks, who are unfamiliar with the English language.

VOA in English already makes it to Uzbekistan. With the resumption of Uzbek language broadcasts, however, the potential audience for such information expands exponentially. VOA’s director claims: “The Uzbek people deserve to have access to uncensored news and information about what’s happening in their own country, their region, and the world.” And with that, I can not agree more wholeheartedly. Also stated are future plans to expand the service to the MW and FM bands – further increasing its reach. Though I have reservations about the McDonalds and KFC located here in Brashov, Romania, if our government can subsidize bringing real news to a country lacking it, in that country’s local language, then I’m all for it.

My only hope is that word gets out, somehow, about these broadcasts. Perhaps I’m doing my small part by writing about them here, and perhaps someone will benefit from this. Although I’m no longer able to serve in Uzbekistan, maybe I can continue to do a little good, WD style.

Links:

Voice Of America News

Amerika Ovozi – O’zbekcha

Tuna Salad

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The previous entry was a little morose and confused. Although I certainly do not want to back away from that… it was genuine, I think it time to post an update. The past few days here have seen things get better. There is one story in particular that I’d like to share.

I brought a lawn chair outside to read a book. As I was sitting there I hear a scratching noise by the main gate to my host (gazda) family’s house. I didn’t think much of it, and ended up going to the store and buying a few things. Well later in the day I’m back to the book and again I hear the noise, scratch scratch on metal. This time I want to get to the bottom of it so I head over to the gate and locate the source. From what I can tell, some kind of animal had become trapped in the gutter pipe. So I bring my flashlight down from my room and prop the ladder up to the roof. I shine the light in the pipe and… nothing! The animal had obviously retreated in fear of my presence. But I knew it was in there and trapped. So, luckily without my gazda family seeing, I dissasemble the pipe. I give it a little shake, and out from the bottom comes a little bird. It flew away chirping.

This little incident had a great impact on me. If I had not been there, that little bird would most likely have died in the pipe.

That and the fact that things have been improving on other fronts. I feel like I’m more part of the group – if not the entire group than at least those individuals in my satelite town. Language is difficult, but conceptualy it makes perfect sense. It’s finaly becoming sunny and the weather is delighful for a beer or two in a nearby outside cafe with some of the group. In a week, I’ll again start teaching (the practicum,) so perhaps with that I’ll feel even more like I’m doing something positive.

So all in all, I think I’ll stick it out. Don’t be fooled, though, it’s not yet completely right and I’m not here 100%. But, I’m here more than I was a few days ago, and I think I’ve reached a level at which I can continue throughout PST #2. This is a big step forward, and I can only hope that things continue on track. Thanks you all,

And it rains…

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It has been a strange week. For our last few days in Uzbekistan, Peace Corps (perhaps out of pitty,) put us up in a 4 star hotel in Tashkent. I was able to re-connect with my friends from PST and spend some quality time over good food food and good beer. Although we were in the big city, something I had been looking forward to, the whole event was tinged with a mixture of sadness, anger, and confusion. What to do when you you’ve spent three months learning a very foreign culture and then another two actualy working within it? How to say good bye to those people who had taken you in as family and welcomed you as friends? What to make of your experience? Success, failure – Interruped Service – who’s to blame?

So I check the news today and the future seems dire for Uzbekistan. Experts say that further destabilization is likeley and words such as: bloody, rebellion, unrest, civil war and others are thrown into the mix. What to think about the families who are just trying to get by and get ahead? Who will have to pay and will there be any winners or will everyone lose at least in the short term? All unanswerable, only conjecture.

So these thoughts race through my head as I’m trying to process yet another new culture, yet another new language, yet another group of 60 plus Americans. It’s too much but there is no turning back. I’m coming to the realization that I can only talk about Uzbekistan here for so long before I become just another PC Romania volunteer. Not that that is a bad thing, but it just leaves me thinking about what exactaly those last five months were. I wouldn’t give them away for anything but what do I take from it?

Its raining today in Transylvania, and I went out for a beer with a few of the boys from my language class this afternoon. So far another very smart group. I’m Matt number 3. My host mother is a kindly woman, poor but talking to me nonstop in Romanian. Maybe I’ll understand one day. Tomorrow I go see the rest of the group again at hub. It will be all right.

Safe Arrival

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Dear Friends – I’ve now made it to Romania! After an emotional few days of goodbyes in Tashkent, we all boarded our seperate planes and went our seperate ways. It has worked out that 4 Uzbekistan volunteers have been able to transfer here. We stayed at a hotes in Bucharest last night, and today we will be meeting the other volunteers who arrived here about a week ago. In general, this is all simply overwhelming. Already I can tell that this country will be very different than Uzbekistan; the flavor, archicecture, dress and people are all different. And Bucharest has McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut, something lacking (though not perhaps lacking) in Tashkent. I mention that in particular because before I left Uzbekistan, I read a great book, “Fast Food Nation,” certainly a good read about the contempoarty fast food industry and its impact on American life. Okay well the new Country Director just called me up to go meet with my new program manager. More soon!

Thanks for the support,