Kites

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Walking home from the university today, I ran across these boys flying kites off of the bridge I cross daily. I envied them; all it took were twigs, their mothers' sewing thread, and plastic trash bags to make their kites. I've only ever flown storebought ones, and now I think I'd feel silly waltzing into a store buying a kite. What 30+-year-old lady buys kites? They're getting ready for the spring holiday, Navruz, a tradition that encompasses Iran, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan, just like kite flying.

When I was a kid, I loved flying kites. It just seemed so miraculous: how could that thing, many colors, way up in the sky where I wanted to be, fly the way it did but still be connected to me? How was this little string in my hand doing anything important?

I've spent 6 months away from the people I love more than any in the world, and in 4 more months I'll again be away from people I love, and they'll be many-colored specks in a sky flanked by a multitude of 'stans. And what a wonderful miracle it will be to be connected.

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Photos

He saw me take a picture of his friend...
...and then I had no choice!

Comments

[TravelToTajikistan]

TravelToTajikistan
You can find more information about Khujand with photos here. http://traveltotajikistan.org/cities-of-tajikistan/khujand

[Alison C]

This is so beautiful, Sarah. It is crazy that the time to go back to the states is almost here. I can\'t really wrap my head around it.