I’ve been keeping busy here in Tajikistan! The program is still amazing and my language proficiency is improving every week. Although I haven’t been able to explore the city that much since my last post, I have been able to take a few trips around the country. Even though I don’t have a lot of free time, I’ve had the chance to make plenty of acquaintances and friends throughout the city.
The academic program has been excellent. Most of my classes focus on conversation and the homework usually comes in the form of presentations. Every day there is a new topic to cover, which usually means that I have to do a fair bit of research even before starting to put the presentation together. Not a bad thing at all, as I’ve actually learned quite a bit in addition to everything that’s language-related. This month, we’ve covered topics such as the challenges of having a limited income in the United States, the relationship between science and humanity, and more. Needless to say, my vocabulary has grown as a result of covering this wide breadth of topics.
The classes that are not conversation-based are great too. I have a grammar class and Tajik language class once a week. I have been learning new grammatical structures that are helping my language reach a more academic and professional register. The new structures and verb tenses also allow me to express myself in different ways and add layers of emphasis to my meaning. I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made on that front. My Tajik language class is incredibly useful and I get to apply what I learn in class every time I talk with a person on the street, in the gym, or anywhere around the city. It’s especially useful when leaving Dushanbe and going to smaller towns and villages, which I’ve had the chance to do lately.
Over the past few weeks, I have gone to Khujand and Gharm. Khujand is a quiet city that lies on the banks of the Amu Darya River. It has gorgeous parks and monuments. My favorite is the Kamoli Khujandi Park. Not only does it have massive busts of historical figures from Khujand, but it also has beautiful pavilion with traditional Tajik wood carvings, gardens, fountains, and a shrine built in traditional Islamic architecture. One of the most interesting parts of my trip to Khujand was the Panjshanbe market. It sits on the edge of a big town square with historical buildings at the edge. Everything was sold there: fruits, meats, baked goods, handicrafts, and so much more. I took this opportunity to buy the delicious Tajik honey that people keep talking about here. Actually, the five-hour trip was worth it for the honey and the autumn mountain vistas alone.
As I’m writing this blog post, I am in a Botanical Garden in the village of Jafr, a little over five hours away from Dushanbe. This site is called the agro-eco center "Kukhsori Ajam". Here, the founder of the garden and a world-renowned eco-agrarian, Mirzoshoh Akobirov, has a greenhouse, museum, cabin, and an orchard which houses some 64 different varieties of endangered apples from across the region. The garden is surrounded by breathtaking views of snow-covered mountains and the Surkhob river. I recommend it if you can make it out here.
It’s only a month and a few weeks until the end of the semester. There’s still a lot of work to do, but hopefully there will be a few more opportunities to explore Tajikistan before I leave.
By Joseph Acevedo
Title VIII Fellowship Recipient
AC Alumni Scholarship Recipient
Eurasian Regional Language Program (ERLP)
Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Fall 2023