Topics to be considered: BP oil slicks from all sides, indoor whistling and other malingering oddities of my T-stan days, my love affair with kitchen appliances, people I know doing things cooler than me, the gym, the bars, the food, the friends, and all that jazz (probably literally as I am in New Orleans.)
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
I Fought the Law
I'm resurrecting the blog...and it now becomes the life and times of the law school student by day and New Orleans explorer by night. (But not too late at night. This law school thing is kind of intense.)
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Front Foot leads the back one
I know I've been a bad blogger these past few months, and I really have no excuse for it other than laziness. Sorry. But, my days in the stan of Turkmen are ending tomorrow. I board a plane for India and points unknown. I'll be travelling with a giant backpack for the next three months, and I am super excited about that. I want to thank all of the people who read this, the family, the friends, and the strangers. I could not have stayed here without the support.
There will be a longer blog later about the last days in country and the last months really, but until then I hope to sagaman git!
There will be a longer blog later about the last days in country and the last months really, but until then I hope to sagaman git!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Dancing on the casket, written September 17, 2009
Dancing on the Casket
Written September 17, 2009
This has not been a good week for small creatures of the earth. I have killed two of them, more or less accidentally. The first was a lizard. I stepped on it as I made my way to the outhouse. I was really lost in thought because I didn’t even notice it until there was a weird cracking sound underfoot. I glanced back, saw a writhing thing and quickly walked by. I have a full-blown lizard phobia, and apparently it doesn’t matter if its dead or alive. Its still sends adrenaline flooding my system and freaks me out. I walked all the way around my host family’s central yard so I wouldn’t have to pass it on my way back to my room. When I went out to cook dinner later that day, the lizard was being consumed by a flock of carnivorous wasps. It was a very creepy image.
Today, I killed a mouse. I didn’t intend to kill it, but I did need it out of my room. I was on a quest for my ATM card, which has vanished. The last time I remember having it was in January, coming back from vacation. I thought maybe I left it in the pocket of a winter coat, so I pulled out my winter clothes. I’ve been keeping them in a suitcase under the floorboards of my room. In hindsight, perhaps that wasn’t the best location. The first thing I pulled out was a very nice cashmere turtleneck sweater that was riddled with holes. My first thought was, “how did moths get in here?” My second thought was “MOUSE!” as it scurried from my suitcase into a corner of my room. I checked the rest of my clothes for little mouse babies, but thank god I didn’t have to deal with that too. Then, I set about trying to get my furry invader out of my bedroom. Initially I just left the door open and tried to be quiet. This was not successful. Then I tried to scare it to the door, but the door was apparently less attractive to the mouse than under my desk. It hid under my medical kit, which was precariously balanced on a stack of old Emergency Action Plans. During my shooing with a plastic bottle, I knocked the kit onto the mouse. It died, and then I had a fun two hours of gathering my courage to lift the kit and remove the body.
Number of dead mice in my room: 0
Number of mice corpses in the burn pile: 1
Number of slightly queasy but proud Americans: 1
Written September 17, 2009
This has not been a good week for small creatures of the earth. I have killed two of them, more or less accidentally. The first was a lizard. I stepped on it as I made my way to the outhouse. I was really lost in thought because I didn’t even notice it until there was a weird cracking sound underfoot. I glanced back, saw a writhing thing and quickly walked by. I have a full-blown lizard phobia, and apparently it doesn’t matter if its dead or alive. Its still sends adrenaline flooding my system and freaks me out. I walked all the way around my host family’s central yard so I wouldn’t have to pass it on my way back to my room. When I went out to cook dinner later that day, the lizard was being consumed by a flock of carnivorous wasps. It was a very creepy image.
Today, I killed a mouse. I didn’t intend to kill it, but I did need it out of my room. I was on a quest for my ATM card, which has vanished. The last time I remember having it was in January, coming back from vacation. I thought maybe I left it in the pocket of a winter coat, so I pulled out my winter clothes. I’ve been keeping them in a suitcase under the floorboards of my room. In hindsight, perhaps that wasn’t the best location. The first thing I pulled out was a very nice cashmere turtleneck sweater that was riddled with holes. My first thought was, “how did moths get in here?” My second thought was “MOUSE!” as it scurried from my suitcase into a corner of my room. I checked the rest of my clothes for little mouse babies, but thank god I didn’t have to deal with that too. Then, I set about trying to get my furry invader out of my bedroom. Initially I just left the door open and tried to be quiet. This was not successful. Then I tried to scare it to the door, but the door was apparently less attractive to the mouse than under my desk. It hid under my medical kit, which was precariously balanced on a stack of old Emergency Action Plans. During my shooing with a plastic bottle, I knocked the kit onto the mouse. It died, and then I had a fun two hours of gathering my courage to lift the kit and remove the body.
Number of dead mice in my room: 0
Number of mice corpses in the burn pile: 1
Number of slightly queasy but proud Americans: 1
16 tons and what do you get? Written September 24
16 Tons and What Do You Get?
Written September 24
Turkmenistan’s economy is driven by two very different factors. Internationally, there is the natural gas. With pipelines planned to Iran, Europe, and China, Turkmenistan pumps out a lot of it. Proceeds from this provide the service net around which all Turkmen survive. Without it, there would not be free electricity, salt, flour, and, well, gas, at least until 2020. However, most Turkmen do not see actual money from this part of the economy. They survive on cotton.
During the Soviet era, cotton was brought to Turkmenistan as a cash crop. I am not quite sure I grasp the logic of developing a desert for agriculture, but its here, and it remains. In my welyat, much like the in the old South, cotton is king. Until fairly recently, students were required to pick cotton as part of the curriculum. Now, while it isn’t mandatory, many children still go picking instead of school because they can earn valuable cash income. From a privately owned cotton field, a kilo of cotton earns 1,000 manat; from a government one, 500. If anyone is more math oriented than I am, 14,215 manats equals a dollar.
I went cotton picking last week. It just seemed like one of those things that I probably should do before I leave, and I’m leaving fairly soon. (I am out of Turkmenistan and on to other grand adventures on December 16). I went to Momotay village, where another Peace Corps volunteer resides. I expected it to be difficult, but it was harder than I thought. First of all, it was hot and sunny. Then, the cotton plants are short. It made my back ache. Additionally, cotton isn’t exactly heavy. It takes a lot of blossoms to get a kilo, far more than I was willing to pick. Mostly it was a photo opportunity. So, there they are, above!
Written September 24
Turkmenistan’s economy is driven by two very different factors. Internationally, there is the natural gas. With pipelines planned to Iran, Europe, and China, Turkmenistan pumps out a lot of it. Proceeds from this provide the service net around which all Turkmen survive. Without it, there would not be free electricity, salt, flour, and, well, gas, at least until 2020. However, most Turkmen do not see actual money from this part of the economy. They survive on cotton.
During the Soviet era, cotton was brought to Turkmenistan as a cash crop. I am not quite sure I grasp the logic of developing a desert for agriculture, but its here, and it remains. In my welyat, much like the in the old South, cotton is king. Until fairly recently, students were required to pick cotton as part of the curriculum. Now, while it isn’t mandatory, many children still go picking instead of school because they can earn valuable cash income. From a privately owned cotton field, a kilo of cotton earns 1,000 manat; from a government one, 500. If anyone is more math oriented than I am, 14,215 manats equals a dollar.
I went cotton picking last week. It just seemed like one of those things that I probably should do before I leave, and I’m leaving fairly soon. (I am out of Turkmenistan and on to other grand adventures on December 16). I went to Momotay village, where another Peace Corps volunteer resides. I expected it to be difficult, but it was harder than I thought. First of all, it was hot and sunny. Then, the cotton plants are short. It made my back ache. Additionally, cotton isn’t exactly heavy. It takes a lot of blossoms to get a kilo, far more than I was willing to pick. Mostly it was a photo opportunity. So, there they are, above!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Here Comes The Bride
One of my really good Turkmen friends got married right before my vacation. this is a picture of us with her traditional bridal finery. Its quite beautiful!
Midnight Train
Phonetic spelling is an amazing thing. A casino in Tbilisi hasn't grasped the 'ph' concept quite yet
At the old fort in Tbilisi with the city in the background
the highest point of the fort
View of the biggest cathedral in Tbilisi
The most delicious Georgia peach at Pheasant's Tears vineyard.
Giant amphoras at the vineyard. To make the wine, these jars are sealed with beeswax, filled with wine and buried in the ground. The end result is delicious. Anyone in the greater DC area should got to Potomac Wines and Spirits and buy a bottle or two. Its pretty bombdiggity.
The vineyard through the vines.
Special and delicious grapes at the vineyard
More views of Tbilisi
wine amphoras at the Christian cave city outside of Gori
St. George's Church at the cave city
Some of the rocks around the cave cities
Me at the cave city!
St. George's church at the cave city
St. Georges at the cave cathedral underneath
views of the river by the cave city with mountains in the background
Me at Gori fortress with the Georgia flag in the background
Views of Gori from the fortress.
The Gori fortress.
Strange statue at the foot of the Gori fortress
Stalin's train car. he rode it to Potsdam!
Me and Stalin in front of the Stalin Museum
Rachel and Noah in Batumi
Me at Gonio near Batumi. WooHoo for Roman ruins
More of the Ruins
Pretty flowers and more ruins with the dramatic mountains in the background
More ruins!
Me at the ruins
The harbor in Batumi
Batumi from my hotel room!
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