Am I there yet...?

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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 he hung up on me.

Finally, last Thursday, with the clock ticking and my future employers wondering via frequent emails when I would arrive, I completed leg 1 of my journey when I and my future co-teacher were admitted to the Tajikistan embassy (after banging on the door repeatedly--yes, banging) to get our visas. After some back-and-forth and the sudden declaration of Embassy Employee 1 that he had a meeting he must go to, we left with a modicum of success. As we shook his hand and headed out of the little row-house-embassy, he said to us quite unexpectedly, "You know, in the life, all you can do is the good to the people. And try to help the people whenever you can. This is all you can do."

"Sure, man," said my co-teacher. "Sounds good." After which he turned to me and whispered, "I think that's what we should be saying to him, man. He needs to do the good to us and get us our freaking visas on time."

Well, all said and done, visa is in hand, and the next time I write something it will be from Tajikistan. Or, as my dad calls it, Middle Earth.

I leave you with a potentially meaningful photo taken on the mean streets of Washington, D.C.

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Comments

[Frank Daddy]

The adventure continues
Well here you go...the grand scale of your adventures seems to grow exponentially with each departure. And I've gone thru the 7 stages of parental hand-wringing and finally arrived at the place where I'm excited and happy for you. Somehow I find comfort in the words of your visa opponent. So....go forth and do the good for the peoples.

[Adam Bennett]

I'm incredibly excited for you and your endeavor. I'll definitely be staying up to speed. I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to get together with you before you left Nashville but it doesn't mean I love you any less, haha. I want to be one of the first beers you share with someone back in the states.

[Mary]

"You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you'll be swept off to." (In keeping with the Middle Earth theme...) I miss you already.