One of these days--this Friday, in fact--I will land in a faraway city that sounds like a place hobbits live and that some doubt even exists. Before then, however, many many things have happened. I sold my car (miraculous! hail damage!). I packed my stuff (equally miraculous! I hate packing! could not have been accomplished without sister!). I said good-bye to many people I love (did not melt into a tear puddle!). And, most stunning of all, I obtained my visa. The process of acquiring a Tajikistan visa has been the most eye-opening of my heretofore quite limited Tajikistan experiences. Many phone calls to the embassy in Washington, D.C., which seems to consist of one overworked man in a tiny row house off of K Street. Many of those phone calls ignored. One ended abruptly when ... read more