http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/JenHill/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from JenHill en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:47:04 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:47:04 +0000 1100 p.m. Wednesday night. Last night in SavHos.I'm sadder than I thought I would be. Or rather I have tried not to give it too much thought. So Im really just rolling with it today. I just got my marching orders Visa in hand. Tomorrow 9 am report to the main PC office and by 1 pm we will have you on your way to Jizzakh. First thought 'wow Im really going.' second thought 'shit gott http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-7009.html Last weeks adventure. We to the bazar that is in the closest town which is 10 minutes down the main road after we got finished an observation at a local school. On one side of the street is the food bazar and on the other is textiles. This bazar is where my host mother and father have a magazine storeshop. They sell jeans. Designer jeans. My host mom who is a pediatrician and my host dad who http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-4369.html And by this I mean... There is this weed that is some what sacred here in Uzbekistan. The name of it escapes me but people burn it for numerous reasons. Or hang it outside of doorways which I would much rather prefer because this stuff has a horrible horrible smell. I really like all these folksy ways the people here live by. I get a kick out of it and some of it I honestly buy into there was m http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-8471.html Ive been putting off writing this blog and up until this evening and I wasn't sure why. I think it may be because the roles that both women and men play in this country are well heady. Maybe Im naive. Maybe its just a matter of being overly dramatic. But I think that this topic by far is the most tragic yet absolutely fascinating thing that I have observed in this country. Is it religion Is it http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-9180.html My counterpartTeaching is going really well. My counterpart has continued to prove herself to be not only one of the best teachers in the school but has really made my time here so far a bit more comfortable. Probably since she has had two other volunteers and they have helped her understand the little things that we do say and feel that seem so odd to most Uzbeks. But beyond that she is an awe http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-8473.html How much is four weeks out of two yearsNo need to do the math. The answer isn't really important nor is the question. Though the thought floats in and out of my head quite frequently. Im sure thoughts like that will fade as I continue to settle in to what I how call life as I know it. I think its all just part of dun dun dun... the adjustment period. Not my favorite part of this whole journey b http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-8472.html Project Village Life Parts I II IIIOk so I said check back with me later to see if I was as strong as I thought I was. Well lets make sure I was clear on what defines Strong. Then you decide. Im on the edge not quite sure.If crying on my first night at my new home places me in the Not So Strong column than mark in down in ink Jen not so strong. What can I say its 'weird' enough to be w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-7329.html before I embark on my trip lets test the blog waters... http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-2766.html My head is full of lists in order by importance yet the order of importance is constantly changing. Errands order by route. Damn forgot one. Add reroute reorder. People to say goodbye to order by importance. Another call another must see. Add reorder reschedule. Dear God packing. Canrsquot fittoo heavyforgotten item. Unpack reprioritize repack. All the while Irsquom in this http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-3179.html January 20 955 p.m.If there was ever an appropriate time to quote Jerry Garcia what a long strange trip it's been. And this trip is just starting to roll. 130 p.m. Sunday arrive Philadelphia USAWe spent two days in Philly for our Staging. There are 65 atypical very large group for reasons I'll explain later of us. So many names and faces all of which were going through the same exa http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-3691.html January 22 2005Not even two days since I've written last and it seems like a week has gone bye. Our days have been jammed packed. Full of info sessions about Health and Safety about Language and Cross Culture Policy and Procedures AND full of food which is where I will begin...Diet Every meal is served with nan bread. It is a round bread that is put in the center of the table. The first pe http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-3692.html January 27 2005Me Assalomu alaykum hello peace be upon youYou Va Akaykum assolom I also wish you peace Me Yahshimisiz how are youAnd You Yahshi Siz Chi Good And you...is what I hope you can sayMe unfortunately Kasilmen. Im sick.You Afsus. sorry to hear that.Sorry to throw a curve ball in there like that but it is the truth and its all apart of playi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-3693.html January 30 1200amI have so much to say and I don't know if I can stay up to tell you all I want to tell. I will try.Yesterday our host families came to pick us up and bring us back to their homes to live with them for the next 10 weeks while we are in pc training. This is how it went down. We gathered in groups by what towns we were going to which was determined by what language we were learnin http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-3694.html Let me explain how the outskirts of Tashkent are laid out. At least in my direction. I am about 20 minutes out side of Tashkent center. So even though what I describe sounds very village like and that it is keep in mind that really I haven't seen anything yet. The rural villages are miles and miles away from the next village over or closest town. But now I'm in a suburb. I live in a village http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-3983.html Im still having a great time though the novelty is starting to wear off. Yes Im American. Yes I like Uzbekistan. Yes I like Osh not really I can only take so much. Osh or Plov the national rice dish that has a little bit of carrots yellow peppers sometimes chickpeas and is cooked in TONs of oil. Then some kind of meet is put on top. Everyone eats a TON of it. Every Friday we go to group http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-4618.html To many silly crazy things have been talked about amongst my American friends and I lately. So all day today I have thought God everyone at home would get a kick outa all this. This led to me feeling a tinge homesick tonight I refuse to let myself truly indulge on homesickness. A I'm too busy and B It's only been 5 weeks lets pace ourselves Jen. I think you all may get a kick of of some o http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-4619.html I'm finally writing about my trip to Samarkand three weeks later. I think that I've hesitated because the cities attraction it's spectacular architecture rich with history and legend is hard to capture in a photograph especially in the dead of winter when the grandiose domes are half covered with snow and the sky is grey and no sun is shining on the bright blue and green mosaic tiles. I tried http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-4984.html Mening Kun My DayI know I said that I would tell you about what my days have been full of but Im sitting here and really it wouldn't be all that interesting to write about. But for the fam's sake Ma Im sure you want to know it all and thats because your my mom and moms are like that and thats why I love you Ill sum it up for you. We have language class which includes some time spent on cros http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-5274.html So everyone knows that what I am doing in Uz for two years is teaching English right If not now you do. Or at least that is my main project. That and to promote world peace and friendship right on. So now I'll will give you a little peak into what the educational system and what an average classroom is like here. NOTE There will be plenty more of this once I get to site Im sure so I will http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-5275.html So this past Sunday I had a fantastic day. I made dinner for my family. But first few of us played basketball in the A.M. against a local high school girls team. Man that was quite a site. Poor Miquela who played in high school herself and was damn good had told her school that she and some other volunteers would play and on Friday a bunch of volunteers said the couldn't make it for sundays ga http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Uzbekistan/blog-5276.html