First Impressions

When I first arrived in Dushanbe I had no idea what to expect with the people, culture or the difference in dialect. I had received many mixed reactions about the country and the dialect, so I figured the only way and the best way to judge the country was based on my own experiences. So far I love my experiences and the people I have met so far. I have only been here for about a month and it has flown by so quickly. I fear that I won’t want to leave when May rolls around. My host family is warm and accepts me as one of their own. I enjoy coming home to them. At first communication was difficult but they were very patient and understanding and every day we run into less and less problems. My Persian has improved greatly and the dialect here, though different in some aspects has been really helpful. My host brothers and sister often share differences between the Tajik dialect and the Farsi dialect, which is really helpful.

My favorite part of Dushanbe is looking at the mountains. For the first week it was so overcast and cloudy that I couldn’t see them. I knew that this area was mountainous, but never saw the mountains. After one week the weather cleared and I was walking home from a day of classes and looked up and saw them. They were so beautiful. I quickly went home grabbed my host brother and we walked around and took pictures of them and he showed me other pretty areas such as Rudaki Park, Botanical Gardens and more. The most surprising thing about this country is that the most interesting things are hidden -- like the music museum we went to. It didn’t look like anything more than a rundown house but inside were the coolest instruments and some really cool musicians and the same went for the art museum. There are many hidden gems in the city and it is always fun to find that they exist.

The Tajik people are very friendly, warm-hearted people. I enjoy meeting new people and talking to them. This program has definitely helped me to take risks in the language even If I don’t know how to express something, I try. This is something in the states that I stayed away from. The people here don’t make me feel bad if I make a mistake, they are happy that I can take the chance and speak with them and they often enjoy helping me in learning the language.

Tomorrow we have an excursion to the Talco Aluminum Factory, which is a main industry in Tajikistan. I am really excited to see different parts of Tajikistan. Also on Sunday I have been invited to my host family’s aunt’s house just outside of the city. I get to meet more the family and enjoy good home cooking. I can’t get enough of the homemade food here. It is refreshing and I can’t stop eating the fruits they are always sweet.

Shaharazad Purvis is studying Farsi in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.