Homecoming

Last Wednesday I lied. The box on the US immigration form was too small to 'list all countries visited on this trip'. I stopped to count. 17 countries. Instead, I simply wrote Spain and Turkey. When I handed the stiff form and my dog-eared trail-battered passport to the officer he said 'Wow, Spain AND Turkey!' Yep. Wow.

I am settling into my sisters apartment in New York. I've spent the past week wandering around Brooklyn and sampling all the foods that I couldn't wait to have once I got back to the states, root beer floats and bagels with lox and cream cheese...

Thankfully the park is nearby to counteract these caloric reunions. Today I went for my first bike ride since I hurt my shoulder. It went well until we hit some cobblestones. Then I had to walk home. But it felt good to be back in motion.

True to form I am still behind in blogging and am just now posting some photos from Turkey. Check back soon for more posts to keep you busy over the Thanksgiving holiday.

My Students

Unable to cycle, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. So I volunteered to teach English at the local high school in Ishkashim.
It was easy. They were the most eager to learn and well behaved teenagers Ive ever seen. Every hand in the class shot up in the air whenever I asked a question or needed a volunteer. They almost convinced me to stay. Instead I promised to send them a box with English books.

Afgan Market

Ishkashim is right on the boarder with Afganistan. Every Saturday police line the bridge and let Tajiks and tourists cross the river to the Afgan market. They sell all sorts of things, fabric, clothes, blankets, spices, dyes, medicines, cookies, fruit, and toys.
I hesitated to post this photo but we were all laughing when I took it. This man was selling toy guns. I pointed to the guns and said ´Afganinstan´in a voice full of false fear. He laughed and pointed one at me. Its red lights lit up and made a whirring sound. We laughed even harder.

Gulmama

Gulmama is the man who put my shoulder back together. He thinks I am a big baby. Everytime he sees me with my arm in a sling hequestiones his eyebrows together, tsks his tongue and waives his had dismissively. I dont understand what he says but I imagine it translates something along the lines of ´What the hell is this for?´or ´Get back on your bicycle already!´

September 9

September 9, 1991 is the day Tajikistan formally declared independence from the Soviet Union. To celebrate school children lined the streets waiving flags and singing songs. Then processed to the local soccer stadium for more songs, traditional dances and arm wrestling. Like in other towns throughout the country, here in Ishkashim it is a big deal!

Therapy

In this photo my shoulder is still dislocated although I have been diagnosed with arthritis. Im no medical expert but Im pretty sure you cant fall off your bike and get arthritis. Everyone I meet is sure that I will be fine after a thereputic visit to Garm Chashma, a local hotspring. Needless to say it didnt work.

A Change of Transport

This was the day I fell. Despite the dislocated shoulder I had to get back on the bike and try to ride to find help. I hadn´t seen a vehicle all day long. It was no small miracle that after a painful 5km there was a house with a jeep!
The next day they would drive me two days til we found a doctor.

The man in the yellow hat has rubies in his pocket.