tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-760833746996776852024-03-13T03:26:01.271-07:00Camel Spit: The BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-20607625015345604012011-06-26T08:30:00.000-07:002011-06-26T08:30:10.744-07:00Turkmenistan/Iran relations to improveThe always cosy ties between the neighbors are doing as well as always:<br />
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http://www.presstv.ir/detail/186269.htmlUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-88939770605723046282011-06-01T05:59:00.000-07:002011-06-01T05:59:17.832-07:00Sweden Deports Son of Turkmen Activist<a href="http://www.rferl.org/content/sweden_deports_son_of_turkmen_opposition_activist/24182522.html">RFE/RL reports</a> that Sweden has deported Keymir Berdiev. Berdiev is the son of a Turkmen opposition figure. However, Swedish authorities found insufficient proof that he would face danger if he returned to Turkmenistan.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-6452410301179225822011-05-31T14:10:00.000-07:002011-05-31T14:14:33.852-07:00Smithsonian Folk Life Festival Celebrates Peace CorpsFor those of you who will be in the DC area in early July, check out the Smithsonian's Folk Life Festival. One of the themes will be the Peace Corps' 50th Anniversary. The other two themes will be Colombia and Rhythm & Blues.<br />
<a href="http://www.festival.si.edu/2011/PeaceCorps/">http://www.festival.si.edu/2011/PeaceCorps/ </a><br />
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The Peace Corps section will apparently feature an exhibit by a Guatemala RPCV who <a href="http://www.festival.si.edu/2011/peace-corps-project-in-guatemala/%20">built a school house in her village out of plastic drink bottles she found littered around the community</a>. Thus ends my long insistence that the Balkanabat Bi-Monthly Frisbee Club was the GREATEST PEACE CORPS PROJECT EVER.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-56158556540643504712011-05-31T05:38:00.000-07:002011-05-31T05:38:43.892-07:00US sends Ambassador to Turkmenistan... finallyCamel Spit may not be in a good position right now to chide lateness, but after 5 years the US Embassy in Ashgabat finally has a full-fledged ambassador: Robert E. Patterson, Jr. Ambassador Patterson is a career Foreign Service Officer. <br />
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http://turkmenistan.usembassy.gov/bio.html<br />
<br />
Watch the Turkmen TV coverage of Ambassador Patterson presenting his credentials to President Berdymukhamedov. The report highlights commercial and energy cooperation between Turkmenistan and the US. <br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THoEv-X_5t4Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-91680299747760927102011-05-31T05:31:00.000-07:002011-05-31T05:31:11.500-07:00Turkmens in SpaceAfter a hiatus for finishing law school, your friendly Camel Spit Blogger is back.<br />
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What better way to get back into the swing of things than... TURKMENS IN SPACE!<br />
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http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=241815Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-54718458103018719022010-06-03T06:23:00.000-07:002010-06-03T07:20:21.113-07:00Turkmenistan NewsThe IMF predicts a robust year of economic growth for Central Asia, particularly Turkmenistan, which could see a <a href="http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10209.htm">12% increase in real GDP</a>.<br />
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Ashgabat hosted an international carpet fest the last weekend of May, apparently to the delight of the previously unknown pro-Turkmen faction at <a href="http://www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk/news/turkmen-carpet-fans-gather-for-celebration%7E19814184.htm">ukflooringdirect.com</a>.<br />
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France's human rights ambassador, Francois <a href="http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/french-news/turkmenistan-must-do-more-on-human-rights-french-envoy_71998.html">Zimeray, visited Ashgabat</a> in late May and noted the progress the country has made in human rights while insisting "there is more left to do." However, Mr. Zimeray was clear that human rights concerns would be considered separately from the two nations' economic relationship. Currently the French construction firm Bouygues has contracts worth 2 billion Euros with the Turkmen government.<br />
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A Russian businessman was<a href="http://www.rferl.org/content/Russian_Businessman_Jailed_For_Stealing_From_Turkmen_Bank/2057961.html"> sentenced to six years imprisonment</a> by a Russian court for electronically stealing $20 million dollars from the Central Bank of Turkmenistan in 2002. <br />
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Turkmenistan deployed its first batch of <a href="http://en.trend.az/print/1401745.html">Russian-made</a> drones to border guard units, with the <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=17058&type=event&sort=date_desc">aim of curtailing illegal border crossing and drug smuggling.</a><br />
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In other border issues, the <a href="http://en.trend.az/news/politics/foreign/1696104.html">Turkmen-Iranian Commission</a> met on May 29th to discuss consular, custom and border issues and increase trade cooperation.<br />
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<br />
Eurasianet offers some <a href="http://www.eurasianet.org/node/61045">suggestions </a>for reading the Turkmenistan.ru website. <br />
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President Berdimuhamedov <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=17037&type=event&sort=date_desc">visited India May 24 - 27</a> to visit culturally important monuments and shore up bilateral ties. <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Day-of-chaos-on-air-land-/articleshow/5979196.cms"> Some Indian travelers faced delays</a> as New Delhi airspace was shut down for 30 minutes while <br />
Berdimuhamedov and Indian President Partibha Patil waited to begin their voyage to see the Taj Mahal in Agra. <br />
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Moscow celebrated Turkmen Cultural Days last week, culminating in the <a href="http://turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=17042&type=event&sort=date_desc">May 25th Turkmen folk music concert at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-27075669076231281242010-04-21T10:00:00.000-07:002010-04-21T10:04:45.938-07:00Turkmenistan News on the 'NetSorry, thrill seekers - after attracting the notice of a small number of tourists and a large number of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEjoga1yrn0">YouTube armchair adventurers</a>, the "hells gate" gas fire has attracted the attention of Presdient <span id="articleText">Berdymukhamedov. He has <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63J4H120100420">ordered the fire extinguished</a> to facilitate the exploitation of the nearby gas fields.<br />
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Turkmenistan continues to strengthen its cross-border ties with Iran. <a href="http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=123531&sectionid=351020101">A high level delegation attended the April 17th summit, "Nuclear Energy for All, Nuclear Weapons for None"</a> convened in Tehran by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who praised the "unbreakable ties" between the two nations.</span><br />
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Turkmenistan.ru reports that the "<a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16817&type=event&sort=date_desc">Altyn Asyr" cellular telephone network now has 500,000 subscribers</a>. The semi-official news outlet also reports that the Russian MTS cellular service boasts another 1.82 million subscribers.<br />
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In a visit to a Ruhabat farm, the President<a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16809&type=event&sort=date_desc"> Berdymukhamedov urged Turkmen parliamentarians</a> to remember the needs of villagers.<br />
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<a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/conocophilliops-eyes-caspian-sea-off-turkmenistan-2010-04-13">ConocoPhillips may be coming to (or at least near) Turkmenistan</a>. After losing a bid with Lukoil to drill for oil in a Russian sector of the Caspian sea, the energy company teamed with Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development Co. to develop Turkmenistan's seabed reserve. In other hydrocarbon news, the Turkmen government <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-14/turkmenistan-says-south-yolotan-may-hold-more-gas-update1-.html">increased its estimate</a> of the South Yolotan gas reserves.<br />
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<span id="articleText">Doctors Without Borders published a <a href="http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/publications/article.cfm?id=4363&cat=special-report&ref=home-center-relatedlink">report on April 12th</a> which is critical of the Turkmen health system. However, an online <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/search/results?searchTerm=turkmenistan&fieldName=AllFields&journalFromWhichSearchStarted=lancet">Lancet </a>report dated April 12th indicated that <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2810%2960518-1/fulltext">Turkmenistan has made marked improvement in maternal mortality</a>. The rate fell from 77 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1980 to 22 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2008, a decrease that puts Turkmenistan in the category of highest improvement.</span><br />
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Turkmenistan has yet to <a href="http://eng.24.kg/politic/2010/04/20/11134.html">publicly respond</a> to the developments in the Kyrgyz Republic.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-57369838535230017482010-04-02T13:32:00.000-07:002010-04-02T13:32:22.145-07:00Turkmenistan News Round-upUN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon arrived in Turkmenistan on April 1 to start a tour of the ex-Soviet Central Asian nations. While in Ashgabat, he called on <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/04/02/world/international-uk-centralasia-un-ban.html">greater engagement by Turkmenistan</a> on human rights issues.<br />
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Turkmenistan is a <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16643&type=event&sort=date_desc">key transit point in the Europe-Caucasus-Asia transit rout</a>e, as Turkmenbashi city handles 90% of the goods in transit. <br />
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In the wake of the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/world/europe/30mood.html?scp=5&sq=moscow%20subway%20attack&st=cse">Moscow subway attacks</a>, Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov <a href="http://turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16631&type=event&sort=date_desc">expressed condolences</a> to the Russian government.<br />
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A <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/127094/Ukrainians-Likely-Support-Move-Away-NATO.aspx">survey conducted by Gallup</a> from April to August 2009 determined that 36% of Turkmen viewed NATO as protection, 7% a threat, 25% niether, and 32% didn't know or refused to answerUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-40025925508438046162010-03-24T11:47:00.000-07:002010-03-24T12:14:05.464-07:00Turkmenistan News on The 'Net<b>From the United States, With Love</b><br />
Secretary of State Clinton released a <a href="http://turkmenistan.usembassy.gov/statement20100319.html">Nowruz greeting</a> to Turkmen media on March 19th. Secretary Clinton expressed her desire to continue preserving Turkmenistan's historical heritage sites and offered continuing US support for the "process of reform and development" in the country. <br />
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<b>From Turkmenistan, With Love</b><br />
The Turkmen government has <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16578&type=event&sort=date_desc">given clothes and books to members of the Turkmen diaspora in Tajikistan</a>. There are 25,000 ethnic Turkmen in Tajikistan.<br />
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<b>From Germany, With Love</b><br />
Someone in Turkmenistan is cruising in style. Daimler recently agreed to a $185 million settlement with the US Department of Justice for paying foreign bribes, including the<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN238501720100323"> gift of an armored Mercedes</a> to an unnamed<br />
Turkmenistan government official. <br />
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<b>From Russia, With Love</b> (surely you saw that one coming?) <br />
There may be no competing with the Germans for luxury cars, but Russia produces quality military equipment. This year, Turkmen government has beefed up its military with purchases of 10 tanks, 2 fast attack boats, and 6 rocket launchers. Turkmenistan's military purchases are actually fairly modest compared to the build up by other nations in the <a href="http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/business/articles/eav032410.shtml">budding arms race</a> developing in the Caucuses and Central Asia.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-27552333743018392762010-03-22T12:01:00.000-07:002010-03-23T20:22:43.189-07:00Sorry I Cannot Hear You, I'm Kind of Busy<b> by Steve Lynch, T-13 (Dashoguz City)</b><br />
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Former Peace Corps Volunteers do not call home. They do not buy phone cards. They do not page through scuffed <i>tetrads </i>(notebooks) filled with lists of digits from their village, calling codes cramped into the corners, hunting for their favorite <i>dukançy</i>'s number. We return home, shake out the rug we bought from someone in the capital, and make a few drunken speeches to whomever will listen here about how this experience <b>changed us</b><i> </i>and how we learned more from them than we think they learned from us and that's <b>crazy, man</b>. But we do not call home. <br />
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Almost every conversation between RPCVs (former Volunteers) will loop back through the same doorways of the same circular home of conversation: it's insane how it feels like forever ago; yeah, I was thinking about that, too; and then, finally, have you talked to your host family at all, like called them or something? There is the same look of guilt shading all of our eyes--<b>no, I didn't but no one does and the land lines are terrible, right?</b><i> </i>There is comfort in knowing we are a type, that we have self-similar habits here. Because that guilt always turns to relief when the other person admits to host familial silence. Our communal guilt is a comfort. <br />
<i><br />
</i>I am the ugly duckling, for I have called my host family almost without fail once a month, almost every month, since I returned here in October 2006. I am a rarity. For almost three and a half years, I spend an hour on the phone with a family that suffered, stuffed, angered, adored, and amused me for two years and we, like Volunteers, cycle through the same conversations every single time. It goes like this.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
1. They will always express relief that I <b>finally </b>called. I will apologize a lot and say I think of them all of the time (this is true, this is honest.) They will tell me which family member is at the neighbor's. I will say that I just woke up. They will call me lazy for waking up so late, I will agree because it's my <i>eje </i>(mother) and you don't disagree with <i>ejes</i>. They will ask if work is busy and yes, yes, like always, I am busy, I say. Too busy to get married? Yes, yes, <i>eje</i>, too busy to get married. <i>Ah, wai ey, bay bo</i>, etc.<br />
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2. And then in the middle of a sentence, they will stop, and declare, "Ok. We are giving the phone to pop now." <br />
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3. Pop will get on the phone, yell a lot about how I am, what I am doing, how my health is, and thank you thank thank you. Because that is how you talk with Turkmen men. After I respond, he will tell me how happy he is that I have not forgotten their language. I will remind him that Turkmen is in my heart, that it is my second language to me. And him, in English: "Ahhhhh yesssss. Velly gooood." And then I am given the list of neighbors who ask about me and I give him the same list of people I say hello to. I am wished good health and as I am mid-sentence to wish the very same, he trails off with a "Sank you."<br />
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4. The phone is suddenly in someone else's hands. Probably my sister, Gozel, whom I am closest to. 75% of my conversation is with her, about her fears of marriage, her exhaustion from working, and the reasons why I cannot/will not find myself a boyfriend. All of this makes both of us upset. <br />
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5. I will talk to another family member and they will remind me of a culturally inappropriate thing I did five years ago that still makes everyone laugh really hard. We all laugh really hard on the phone, as if we were still sitting around the <i>kliyonka</i><i> </i>in our <i>oturlyan jay</i>. <br />
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6. Conversation grows stale, there is a lot of sighing on both end of the phone, many "ey way ey-ey's" and we say goodbye. I promise to call again next month and Gozel and I part with the phrase, "miss you, kiss you, bye."<br />
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This is all comfortable and it is all so well-worn. No matter how fearful I am that we will have nothing to talk about, we talk for an hour in a language I haven't spoken on a daily basis in years. I talk about a life they cannot picture, cannot imagine and they recite the news of neighbors whose faces I have long forgotten. I barely even remember the name of people we were all close to. But despite the enormous disconnect between us, I wake on Saturday evenings and log on to a website to retrieve my electronic phone card number, so that I may continue to love the people who provided the best support and love a Volunteer ever could want. <br />
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The cultural disconnect, though, is growing, sprouting shoots. There are parts about my life that I cannot speak about, sometimes because I lack the language and other times because I lack the courage. I remember how when I first bought my Nintendo Wii, the first thing I did was create Mii's for all of my host family so that I could, while I played the Wii Sports, see my host family's digitized avatars in the background, cheering for me as I bowled in that strange, virtual world. The following weekend on the phone with them, I tried as best as I could to explain the whole concept of a Nintendo Wii, of avatars, of creating something that looks like you; I became frustrated and disheartened while I tried to explain the process. They listened, confused and bewildered by my Turkmen spiraling outward in larger, more erratic circles, having no idea what I was talking about. I stopped and instead just had to ask about the neighbors. <br />
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The most concerning issue for me is regarding my marriage and sexuality.Where I could think of my two years when I was in my early twenties as a test of endurance and excuse-making about why I wasn't married, the exercise is stretching longer than I anticipated and will happen this way for decades. I could very easily tell locals that I was focused on creating a strong career so that I could support a family later and they would nod, yes, yes, so smart, American boys are so smart when it comes to marriage. But what is that excuse now? I am 27, at the edge of acceptable marriage age in Turkmenistan and I have no prospects, no interest in their eyes. How long can I tell them that I am building a life, a career, a home? How much money must I claim I have to save before marriage is an option for me? <br />
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I cannot tell them of the times my heart has been broken. I cannot tell them of how my inability to sustain a relationship has caused me depression. I cannot tell them that I am not certain how fit I am for a long term relationship with anyone. That is too personal, that is too uncomfortable to talk about. So instead, I feed the same lines: oh, <i>eje</i>, not now, later, later when I have a stable life. I want a good career. And I will always hear the same quiet and discontented, "Ay, Stevejan."<br />
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At my wedding, more than anyone, I would want my host family there. More than my real family, more than my friends. They have wanted the best for me more than almost anyone else I have known. I would even pay for the tickets to have them attend. But they cannot, for obvious reasons, attend a wedding between the son that makes them so proud and another man--this is an <i>uzhis</i>, <i>maskara</i>, <i>kochmar</i>. So I must keep my secret to myself on the phone for an hour, for a lifetime. <br />
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But I will always return, I will always call back. Despite the fact that a cultural distance keeps us all at two arms length at all times, I will need the comfort of a foreign family always telling me that it's not the same without me, that they are waiting for me, waiting for me to come back home. And I suppose they are not wrong at all.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-25479114064839834202010-03-15T13:07:00.000-07:002010-03-15T13:07:05.766-07:00Turkmenistan News on the 'Net<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTPycSzcZWINKOEMiQCWDHEIYl9PdhCKJOpQeA1Wk6N8_U1flYvjLYXg2_C-9eKI2PKE_DntlO28k3tdG11ZIJqnPUor1jEYziFzLgsDfMJDrYAogwCe-VnL2C8DQ9J5_tFHUsnhWjQz4/s1600-h/031110turkm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTPycSzcZWINKOEMiQCWDHEIYl9PdhCKJOpQeA1Wk6N8_U1flYvjLYXg2_C-9eKI2PKE_DntlO28k3tdG11ZIJqnPUor1jEYziFzLgsDfMJDrYAogwCe-VnL2C8DQ9J5_tFHUsnhWjQz4/s320/031110turkm.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Congratulations to recently Returned Volunteers Gary Goodson and Robin Wilson, who got the picture above, labeled, "An assemblage of Turkmen" into the Turkmenistan newstream. The picture accompanied an <a href="http://www.newstreamz.com/2010/03/12/peace-corps-workers-will-lecture-on-turkemenistan/">article promoting their upcoming talk about their Peace Corps experience</a>. If you're near San Marcos, Texas, swing by the public library tomorrow (March 16th) at 7 pm to hear the talk. Remember - just because Peace Corps week is over for 2010 doesn't mean that the window for Third Goal activities has closed. <br />
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei<a href="http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14917592&PageNum=0"> Lavrov is in Turkmenistan</a> for an official visit. According to Russia's ITAR-TASS news agency, the visit will discuss ways to strengthen economic relations, especially in the gas sector.<br />
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President Berdimuhammedov announced plans to <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=ru&elem_id=16533&type=event&sort=date_desc">demolish illegally built homes and other buildings in the suburbs of Ashgabat.</a> The goal will be to increase cleanliness and allow construction of orderly roads.<br />
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A recent demographic study by the Turkmen government found that <a href="http://turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16510&type=event&sort=date_desc">women outnumber men</a> in the country.<br />
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Earlier this month, Turkmenistan invited <a href="http://turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16479&type=event&sort=date_desc">Haitian children to enjoy a respite</a> from the problems in their country by vacationing at Avaza, the newly rebuilt resort community on the Caspian Sea.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-44969984092229129602010-03-12T10:57:00.000-08:002010-03-12T10:57:55.424-08:00Turkmenski Shashlyk<b><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">by the Shashlyk Master of Ashgabat</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><i>Camel Spit has published multiple plov recipes, but has yet to provide instructions for that essential Turkmen party staple: shashlyk. Sure, you could translate the dish as "shish kebab," but that does not do justice to the fire charred, fat laden, tangy meat that tastes uniquely of Turkmenistan, and the scarce wood from the desert sacrificed to cook it.</i></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSK7L8qn7zI14nUSy_GQ00S2LvMIWbNnsaZS9DrzvsdaGVwoTOBfG4_AiBQ3A0bADBU2ixA9BP1M7O3ABpmR8fBJ44dwOU5WWlEqhTfZA0FNhfYf86_79NsoINUtoBmIGDaISuM7eEv9K/s1600-h/38189603-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSK7L8qn7zI14nUSy_GQ00S2LvMIWbNnsaZS9DrzvsdaGVwoTOBfG4_AiBQ3A0bADBU2ixA9BP1M7O3ABpmR8fBJ44dwOU5WWlEqhTfZA0FNhfYf86_79NsoINUtoBmIGDaISuM7eEv9K/s320/38189603-M.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Whether you first had it in the shady back alley behind the <i>Presitzhe</i> bar & grill in Abadan (Bizmein) or with the famous shashlyk masters of the Nebit Dag Bazaar, or that special gem in Ashgabat, the <i>Iceberg Café, </i> shashlyk was always a great break from the grechka/chorba/chorek diet of village life. It did not even have to be good shashlyk, just some grilled meats cooked outdoors with a <i>pivo</i> (beer) or three. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Many Volunteers have attempted to recreate various shashlyk recipes, and below I’ll try and recount as many as I can remember from some of the great PCV shashlyk masters of yore, and of course our Turkmen counterparts who actually know what they are doing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Key Ingredients:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u> </u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u>Russian Shashlyk spice packs</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Just like those great Taco Bell or Old El Paso Mexican seasoning packs your mom would send you in care packages, these Russian pre-made spice packs are great for a quick rub or marinade without too much work. Available online from the following shops, they are a cheap and easy. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.thefind.com/appliances/info-kabob-grill" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u>http://www.thefind.com/<wbr></wbr>appliances/info-kabob-grill</u></span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.russiantable.com/store/depts.asp?page=all&dept_id=48" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u>http://www.russiantable.com/<wbr></wbr>store/depts.asp?page=all&dept_<wbr></wbr>id=48</u></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u>The Vinegar</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Its up to you how you want to do this, but arbitrarily spraying the cooking shashlyk with a <i>baklashka </i>(plastic bottle) of vinegar always makes you look like a real shashlyk master. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Put some apple or white vinegar in a Dasani bottle diluted down with water. For full effect, poke a hole in the cap, screw it back on, then squirt the vinegar water through the hole. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u>The Grill</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Finding the secret ingredient of Turkmen shashlyk may be difficult, since the roasted flavor comes from the dangerously endangered desert wood <i>Saxahual</i>. If you can't take a poaching trip to the Kara Kum desert, charcoal seems to be in order, at the very least. Whether you want to actually lay the skewers across the grill or place them on an oiled grate is also up to you and the dimensions of your grill space. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u> </u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u>The Skewers</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">If wooden soak for a few hours prior in water. It metal, handle with care once on the grill</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>Recipe #1 The “Kransnavodsk Special”</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">2lbs of Fish: For authentic flavor, choose the critically endangered Oesetria Sturgeon. To not alienate your friends and/or violate US customs law, </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">any good fresh fish such as Salmon, Halibut or even Swordfish will do.</span><br />
<ul></ul><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Marinade:</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">1/3 cup olive oil</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">3/4 cup of lemon juice</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">1 teaspoon of dill</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">1 tablespoon of vinegar</span></li>
</ul><ul type="DISC"></ul><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Cut fish into 1-2” chunks. Set aside. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Prepare the marinade and pour into ziplock freezer bag. Add fish and shake bag to coat. <b>Refrigerate for 2 hrs prior to cooking. </b>Greatness takes time. Any shashlyk master will advise patience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Brush your grill grate and fish with oil to avoid excess sticking. The hotter your grill i,s the more quickly the fish should “release” from the grate after a few moments of cooking. Lower heat means you’ll lose more fish to the grates. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Fish cooks fast so watch out that you don’t burn one side inadvertently. A single flip is all that should be necessary about 4-6 minutes into a hot grilling. When fish flakes with a fork, its done. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u>Grilled <i>Pomadori </i>(tomatoes)</u></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">As in life, a master will only succeed with big tomatoes and some chopped basil to put them on. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Skewer 3-4 big tomatoes and grill evenly on all sides until tomatoes can be easily pierced and skin is charring.</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Serve alongside fish and top with chopped basil.</span><br />
<ul type="DISC"></ul><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>Recipe #2 Chicken Shashlyk </b></span><br />
<ul><ul><ul><ul type="DISC"><li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">2lbs Chicken, cut into large cubes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Shallots or Whole Onion (a few shallots or one large onion)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">1 Lemon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">A few bay leafs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Mint</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Salt & Pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Mineral water/Seltzer water</span></li>
</ul></ul></ul></ul><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u>Marinade: Place chicken into a pot and add the marinade</u></span><br />
<ul type="DISC"><li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">One lemon, wedged and squeezed into the pot</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Sliced shallots or onion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Shashlyk spice kit (any “flavor” grill pack works to suit taste)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Several bay leafs (just for taste, remove before skewering and grilling)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Salt & Pepper to taste, can disregard if adding a spice kit or your own spice blend</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Mineral/Seltzer water</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Once marinade is prepared, mix up the chicken and marinade in the pot. Now, add several cups of carbonated mineral water or seltzer water to the point that it begins to cover the meat mixture. At this point, place a heavy lid that is a size to small on top and weigh down. Place in refrigerator <b> overnight </b>and remove only the chicken to thread onto skewers before grilling. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><u>Garnish (optional):</u></span><br />
<ul type="DISC"><li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Remaining sliced onion (very thinly sliced)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Chopped fresh mint</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Vinegar (small amount, enough to make the onion “wet”)</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Mix together in bowl and smash/crush with your hands to break the onion slices and release their juices. Mix together vigorously until onion, mint and vinegar are combined. Serve on top of or the side of the chicken shashlyk. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>Recipe #3: Chicken “Mix” Variant</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Follow recipe as above but disregard the garnish. Instead intersperse some veggies on the skewers, and serve together. </span><br />
<ul><ul><ul><ul type="DISC"><li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Large button mushrooms </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Red onion</span></li>
</ul></ul></ul></ul><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Slice the red onion very thick to get chunky wedges (1-2”), place alongside a large mushroom and then 1-2 pieces of chicken, repeat down the skewer with the marinaded meat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><b>Recipe #4: Lula Kebab with a Spicy Twist</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">This is for about 4 people, so just the double the recipe for a larger party. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Take 1lb of 80/20 or 85/20 ground beef and place in a mixing bowl. Take ¼ of a large onion (can use slightly more if desired) and finely chop. Add to mixing bowl. Take a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley and finely chop. Add to the mixing bowl. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Prepare marinade separately. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <u>For the marinade</u>:</span><br />
<ul type="DISC"><li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">2 tablespoons lemon juice, or 1 whole lemon</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">1/2 cup olive oil</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">1 clove garlic, minced</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">1 teaspoon cumin</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">1/2 teaspoon turmeric </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">two good pinches of red pepper flakes</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">one good squirt of Worcestershire sauce</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Whisk together</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Pour marinade into the mixing bowl and hand-mix until everything is incorporated, don’t overmix the meat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Refrigerate covered for at least 2-3 hours. Take out the meat and form good sized hamburger patties with your hands. Take a skewer and place the center of the patty in the middle of the skewer and carefully wrap the patty around the skewer. Massage the meat onto the skewer until you have that classic Lula look. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Grill on high heat evenly for about 7-10 minutes, or until fully cooked. Avoid charring, so watch carefully and turn when necessary to cook evenly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Garnish with the thinly sliced onion/mint mix and some lavash or naan bread. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-29047337310520536992010-03-04T12:12:00.000-08:002010-03-04T12:12:14.386-08:00Turkmenistan NewsIsrael is planning to open an embassy in Turkmenistan. However,<a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1153264.html"> diplomatic relations have hit a snag </a>because Turkmenistan has delayed ratifying the appointment of Israel's ambassador, because they are uncomfortable with an ex-Mossad (Israeli secret service) official serving in the post. <br />
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While Richard Holbrooke was not able to coordinate a meeting in Turkmenistan, another U.S. official, special envoy for Eurasian energy <a href="http://turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16472&type=event&sort=date_desc">Richard Morningstar did meet with President Berdymukhamedov</a>, according to Turkmenistan.ru. <a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLDE62304Z20100304">Reuters analyzed the meeting</a> within the familiar framework of energy diplomacy.<br />
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<span class="fullstory" id="fullstory">According to the Neutral Turkmenistan, as reprinted on Turkmenistan.gov.tm, President Berdymukhamedov </span>has announced a major criminal law liberalization program. <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.gov.tm/_en/?idr=1&id=100302a">The maximum prison sentence in Turkmenistan will be reduced from 25 to 15 years</a> and fines will replace prison sentences for some crimes. This move comes after Turkmenistan faced criticism about its prison system by a number of international non-governmental institutions. <br />
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Sad news for Balkan Welayat soccer fans: Balkanabat's <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16452&type=event&sort=date_desc">Nebitchi lost in the President's Cup finals to Ashgabat's Altyn Asyr</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-44236332391155789252010-03-01T11:58:00.000-08:002010-03-04T12:13:24.036-08:00RPCV Advocacy Efforts on Behalf of Peace CorpsThe National Peace Corps Association will mark the anniversary of the founding of Peace Corps with a <a href="http://peacecorpsconnect.org/node/14348">Day of Action</a> tomorrow (March 2nd). RPCVs will visit Congress to urge continued bipartisan support for the agency. NPCA has an <a href="http://www.morepeacecorps.org/states/states">action page</a> if you would like to help advocate in our home state.<br />
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In a similar vein, <a href="http://pushforpeacecorps.org/">Push of Peace Corps</a> is currently advocating for increased funding of Peace Corps (to $465 million in 2011). If you would like to write your Representative on behalf of the goal, the organization has set a deadline of March 15th. <a href="http://pushforpeacecorps.org/take-action/">More information on getting involved</a> with this campaign is available on their website.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-79269263149084598172010-03-01T11:43:00.000-08:002010-03-04T12:12:28.005-08:00Turkmenistan News on the 'NetTurkmenistan's AFC Challenge Cup run ended with a <a href="http://www.espnstar.com/football/other-football/news/detail/item404806/North-Korea-qualify-for-Asian-Cup/">loss to North Korea</a>, 1-0 in the finals.<br />
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Neil Bush, brother of President George W. Bush and son of President George H.W. Bush, v<a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16432&type=event&sort=date_desc">isited Turkmenistan and passed on the best wishes of his father and to President Berdimuhamedov</a> and conveyed the hopes of the U.S. business community for strengthened relations between the countries. <br />
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Perhaps reflecting warmer relations between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are on the horizon, <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16447&type=event&sort=date_desc">Turkmenistan.ru announced that Dashoguz will host a festival of Turkmen/Uzbek friendship in September 2010</a>. <br />
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<a name='more'></a>Gas consulting services firm Gaffney Cline & Associates believes that <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-24/gaffney-cline-defends-estimates-of-turkmen-natural-gas-reserves.html">Turkmenistan has the fourth-largest natural gas reserves</a> in the world, but Russia isn't so sure. <br />
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President Berdimuhamedov is not pleased with the <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16442&type=event&sort=date_desc">condition of the Asghabat ring road</a>. <br />
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Turkmenistan has given Russia 2 male leopards to help restore the wildlife stock in Sochi. <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hSOKHi0WOmA5TgJ3l5E0KnH7vU4w">Now Iran announced it, too will donate 2 leopards</a>. Russia is hoping to allay environmental concerns stemming from the massive infrastructure construction necessary to prepare for the Olympics.<br />
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Correction from the last blog post: Richard Holbrooke, US Special Representative, did not visit Turkmenistan during his Central Asian swing due to "<a href="http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/LC02Ag01.html">scheduling conflicts</a> ."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-4348141497178796102010-02-25T20:08:00.000-08:002010-03-06T12:00:04.434-08:00FoT President's Update<b>by Thomas 'Skip' Mark, T-8</b><br />
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Dear Friends:<br />
<br />
On behalf of the newly elected Executive Committee and Board of Directors, I would like to thank you for your interest in Friends of Turkmenistan. I am writing this letter to update you on the current state of affairs of the organization, to share with you our strategic plan for 2010, and to describe to you the benefits of becoming a member.<br />
<b><a name='more'></a></b><br />
At the end of 2009, the future of Friends of Turkmenistan looked grim. The Board seeing indications of a lack of interest in the organization began to discuss the possibility of dissolution. The indicators that worried them included a sharp decline in membership, a lack of donations, and a tepid response to announcements for new elections. However, as word spread about dissolution, members and prospective members began engaging in a constructive discussion about the future viability of the organization. <br />
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Three basic conclusions came out of that discussion. First, the organization’s problems were not a result of a lack of need for organizations that promoted Turkmenistan. Second, the organization suffered from a lack of focus, such that prospective members were not aware of the benefits of membership. Third, there was sufficient interest and commitment by members and prospective members to refocus the organization so that it achieved the goals set out in its mission statement. As a result, a decision was made to begin the process of refocusing the organization and to elect new leaders.<br />
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Since that decision was made, I have seen tremendous progress and commitment in a very short period of time. In the last month, we have recruited and elected a new Executive Committee and Board of Directors; have discussed a strategic plan for 2010; have organized a small projects committee to develop a strategy for selecting and funding a small project in Turkmenistan; have redesigned the <a href="http://www.friendsofturkmenistan.org/index.html" style="color: #009900;">website</a> and designed a new blog; and have organized social events in Boston, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C.<br />
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Thanks to the commitment and vision of our Committee and Board, these are just the first steps in establishing Friends of Turkmenistan as an effective, member-driven organization that assists its members in maintaining an active connection to Turkmenistan. We also plan to facilitate that connection in the following ways:<br />
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First, and foremost, our main goal for 2010 is to select and fund a small project in Turkmenistan. As a member-driven organization, all members will have input in project selection, and are free to participate in the project to the extent possible. However, even if you have no time to contribute to the project, your member dues will directly contribute to our ability to achieve this goal. We plan to keep you up to date with the progress of our project through the website and blog, and envision this being an interactive project for members. <br />
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Second, we plan to foster each member’s involvement in a third goal project. Currently, we have the tools to organize and promote third goal projects on our website, blog, and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=289622420578&ref=mf#" style="color: red;">facebook group</a> pages. We also plan to assemble a Turkmenistan cultural box that will be available to our members to utilize in third goal presentations about Turkmenistan. Finally, we plan to serve as a liaison to NPCA so that our members are aware of all opportunities to engage in nationally organized programs like Peace Corps’ 50th anniversary.<br />
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Third, we plan to keep you apprised of current events in Turkmenistan. Currently, you can link to Turkmenistan news directly from our Website. We also plan to keep you informed of any major developments in Turkmenistan, as well as any new sources for news and analysis on Turkmenistan. Further, if you are searching for information of a more local variety, we offer that information on our new Camel Spit Blog.<br />
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Fourth, we plan to connect new Peace Corps volunteers to our current network of RPCVs. As part of this process, we plan to communicate with Peace Corps to host a staging event prior to the new group’s departure in March. We will also continue to use our website and our blog to provide helpful information for new volunteers and their families.<br />
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Finally, we hope to serve as a conduit to meeting and keeping in contact with individuals who share your connection to Turkmenistan, whether they be RPCVs or Turkmen nationals. We hope to accomplish this by keeping our social networking sites active and by organizing occasional social events like those of the past week. As we continue to grow, and as members become more active, we plan to host events in other cities, post pictures on our websites, and plan more wide-ranging programs. <br />
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Thank you for your time in reading this letter. I hope that you will take some additional time to visit our revamped website at www.friendsofturkmenistan.org and <a href="http://www.friendsofturkmenistan.org/Members.html" style="color: #009900;">activate your membership</a>. Friends of Turkmenistan is your organization, and will only achieve its full potential with an active and strong base of dues paying members. I believe that the strengths of a member driven organization is that its leaders ultimately act at the will of its members, and welcome your feedback and input on our strategic plan and any other issues that you feel that we should address.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
<br />
Thomas ‘Skip’ Mark (T-8, Chardjew, 1999-2001)<br />
President, Friends of Turkmenistan<br />
skip@friendsofturkmenistan.orgSkiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14974767901601704716noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-65284260471554306062010-02-25T10:47:00.000-08:002010-03-04T12:12:56.536-08:00Turkmenistan Updates<a href="http://goal.com/en/news/1263/india-south-central-asia/2010/02/25/1806267/afc-challenge-cup-turkmenistan-2-0-tajikistan-turkmen-book-final-">Turkmenistan beat Tajikistan</a> 2-0 to advance to the finals of the AFC Challenge Cup for the first time. The AFC website pointed out that Turkmenistan has done well in the cup despite challenges, including the <a href="http://www.the-afc.com/en/afc-challenge-cup-2010/27316-hot-food-and-weather-spice-up-turkmen-bid">hot weather and spicy Sri Lankan</a> food which does not sit well in Turkmen bellies. <br />
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Turkmen composer Nury Halmamedov, who died in 1983, would have turned 70 this week. <a href="http://www.rferl.org/content/Turkmenistan_Fails_To_Mark_Greatest_Musical_Sons_70th_Birthday/1967310.html">RFE/RL posted a story</a> in honor of the event, including some clips of the music he wrote during the Soviet era. <br />
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The Washington Times published an <a href="http://washingtontimes.com/news/2010/feb/23/energy-geopolitics-deserves-center-stage/">op-ed piece</a> earlier this week urging more US strategic interest in the Eurasia, particularly Central Asian energy market. Outside the hydrocarbon market, <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16421&type=event&sort=date_desc">Turkmenistan has convened a conference on alternative energy in Ashgabat</a>.<br />
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U.S. Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/20/AR2010022000737.html">visited the former Soviet Central Asian republics, including Turkmenistan</a>, to warn of the danger of Al-Qaeda sponsoring activities to destabilize the countries.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-29928740025690396462010-02-22T13:58:00.000-08:002010-02-22T14:12:42.653-08:00Job Resources and Suggestions for T-stan RPCVs<b>by Kelsey Beckner, T-11 (Dashoguz) </b><br />
<b></b><br />
Welcome back to the US! Or if you're just finishing more school, welcome back to the glorious U.S. job market! In this article I will provide a bunch of useful resources for finding a job on your return from Peace Corps.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaceICMz32x0C3Dj6TPiuXHUc5wnZqcIyzNH6PJtHn3zWKP3GWCyfBmi4s3oDM3PDD6IH2i1AqLzCbnKMwYRFnZTb1P-99zDyOb2gc8MTZVugS619-CQKUXM6Jq7TUgLfK3S2uCuhD9Ohe/s1600-h/power+networking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaceICMz32x0C3Dj6TPiuXHUc5wnZqcIyzNH6PJtHn3zWKP3GWCyfBmi4s3oDM3PDD6IH2i1AqLzCbnKMwYRFnZTb1P-99zDyOb2gc8MTZVugS619-CQKUXM6Jq7TUgLfK3S2uCuhD9Ohe/s320/power+networking.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The author power networking herself into the prestigious FoT Vice-President position</i></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>1. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Peace Corps Career Center and other resources. </span>If you're in Washington, DC you might as well head over to the <a href="http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=meet.regrec.washdc.directions">Peace Corps Career Center</a>, located in Rosslyn, Virginia. I found the spreadsheet listings of international development organizations most helpful for learning about the multitude of development organizations that are in DC and around the country. While this is a good place to start and gives you a sense of purpose in your job search, I do not recommend spending too much time there. Try it out for a few days max and then move on to a coffee shop.<br />
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I also found the <a href="http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.returned.hotline">Hotline magazine</a> pretty helpful as a resource for current job listings. It is also a good place to learn about development and other non-profit organizations.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>2. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Idealist.org, Craigslist.org etc etc. </span>There are a lot of great job search sites, like <a href="http://monster.com/">Monster.com</a> and <a href="http://simplyhired.com/">Simplyhired.com</a>, but I think that the best for doing non-profit work is <a href="http://idealist.org/">Idealist.org</a>. There are tens of new job postings every day all around the country. This is a great site for learning about smaller community development organizations in your area.<br />
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If you're doing a more development focused search I recommend <a href="http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc100?OpenForm">ReliefWeb</a> or <a href="http://careers.interaction.org/home/index.cfm?site_id=2159">InterAction </a>(which you can get access to via Peace Corps) or <a href="http://www.devnetjobs.org/">DevNetJobs</a>. These sites will help you learn about organizations that you want to work for, and then you can go to that org's website to check on their job postings. From there you can figure whether your brother's former classmate knows someone who works at the organization that you're interested in so that you can do an informational interview with that person.<br />
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I also like <a href="http://craigslist.org/">Craigslist.org</a> for finding jobs. It is sketchy, yes. But if you approach it knowing that it is sketchy you can weed out the jobs that look like a scam or look like just a position where you're attempting to get money from people on the street. It is a free place to post, so a lot of non-profits or other orgs will post jobs there because it is free. Just use common sense when responding to ads.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Don't be afraid to temp. </span>When I moved to DC after Peace Corps one of the first things I did was sign up with a three or four temp agencies. Not all RPCVs go this route, but I found that it was an easy way to make money while I was looking for a full-time job. Most jobs that RPCVs qualify for are administrative and don't require that much brain power so I found ample time to still apply for positions.<br />
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Here are some of my recommendations for DC temp agencies: <a href="http://www.helpunlimitedtemps.com/main.htm">Help Unlimited Temps</a> is a favorite of RPCVs and they love RPCVs as well. <a href="http://www.careerblazers.com/">Career Blazers</a> has clients like the IMF and the World Bank so if you are interested in those organizations that is a good place to try. <a href="http://www.citystaffdc.com">CityStaff </a>is good, and <a href="http://www.ajilon.com/professional/Pages/index.aspx">Ajilon</a> is a national organization with a lot of legal and other types of temp positions.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">4. If you don't feel like temping, you might as well volunteer. </span>Volunteering or doing an internship is a great way to get your foot in the door. It means you get a chance to get to know people who work there, you get to know their systems, and you're right there when they have a position opening. It doesn't always work out, but at the very least you'll meet people who know people and you can start the networking fun!<br />
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Good luck!Kelseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06994013319285730387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-33254419766043550012010-02-21T13:45:00.000-08:002010-03-04T12:12:56.537-08:00Turkmenistan NewsPresident Berdymukhamedov<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/19/AR2010021901537.html"> announced that Turkmen citizens will be allowed to register new political parties this year</a>. Currently, the only registered political party is the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan.<br />
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Turkmenistan has <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/DPR-Korea-romp-into-AFC-Challenge-Cup-semi-finals/articleshow/5600609.cms">advanced to the semi-finals</a> of the AFC Challenge Cup, the international soccer tournament for asia. If they beat Tajikistan, the Turkmen players will face either North Korea or Myanmar (Burma) in the finals.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-75231340754526070112010-02-19T05:57:00.000-08:002010-03-04T12:15:38.241-08:003rd Goal Presentation Tipsby Charles Gussow, T-11<br />
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<i>After completing their service overseas, Volunteers are considered "Returned Peace Corps Volunteers" rather than "Former Volunteers" to emphasize their continuing duty to educate Americans about their country of service. This responsibility is tied to the 3rd goal of Peace Corps - bringing the experience back home to the United States (the first and second goal are providing technical assistance and sharing American culture with foreign hosts, respectively).</i><br />
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In honor of the upcoming <a href="http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.returned.thirdgoal">Peace Corps week (March 1st - 7th)</a>, Camel Spit is pleased to offer some suggestions for successfully sharing your experience at your local school or community center.<br />
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<b>Don't</b> be afraid! Use the classroom match at the Peace Corps site or just call a school/library near you and set up a talk. At least once during your service, you convinced a room full of children/doctors/ministry officials that you knew something about health/business/the English language that they didn't (okay, you probably didn't need to fake English language knowledge). You actually do more about Turkmenistan than most people in the U.S., so will be able to pass on a ton of information to your audience.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Do</b> bring props. Grab the mini-carpet under your telephone, the <i>cheshkas</i> (slippers) in the back of your sock drawer, the <i>takia </i>(skull cap) in the memento box, the <i>don </i>(robe) in the closet, the stuffed camel from your bed, through them in a bag and bring them in. Put your favorite photos in a PowerPoint, or just print them out if you're not sure about computer access.<br />
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<b>Do </b>speak a little Turkmen.<br />
No longer a Magtymguly when it comes to the language of your service? Fear not! Thanks to the good people on the Internet, you can now find the official Peace Corps intro to Turkmen booklet on line at: <a href="http://multimedia.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/audio/languagelessons/turkmenistan/TK_Turkmen_Language_Lessons.pdf">http://multimedia.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/audio/languagelessons/turkmenistan/TK_Turkmen_Language_Lessons.pdf</a> . Basic introductions and phrases are on pages 4-5. Print out some of the basic phrases, read along with your best impression of your host parent / counterpart / favorite taxi driver and you'll be a multilingual sensation.<br />
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<b>Don't</b> lose touch with reality.<br />
I was a counselor at an English camp during my second summer. I'd like to think that I did more than share American culture and familiarize Turkmen students with English spoken with a Staten Island accent. I'd like to think I gave my students a taste for the dramatic arts through my improv comedy workshops. I'd like to fondly remember the hilarious student-led comedy performance on the last day of camp. I'd like to think I instilled in them new performance skills and mastery of the English language.<br />
Unfortunately for my ego, and fortunately for the cause of accurate memory, another Volunteer brought a video camera to camp and gave me footage from the workshop. What the camera shows is me sweating profusely and failing miserably to convey what "short form improv" was and how, exactly, it related to the good citizens of Turkmenbashi. It turns out that my fondest desires for training the next generation of Turkmen comedians was ill-matched to the 10-12 year old basic English language learners I was assigned.<br />
At Peace Corps week, I could tell American students that I created a burgeoning comedy scene on the Caspian coast. But, that would mean ignoring an important part of Peace Corps life: the error in the trial and error process of grassroots development. We all learned a lot from those parts of our service which didn't go well. Our audiences in America can as well.<br />
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* All rights reserved by author *Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-32607599473805277312010-02-18T09:36:00.000-08:002010-03-04T12:13:45.137-08:00A taste of soccer glory at the AFC challenge cupSports fans! Turkmenistan held South Korea to a <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/South-Korea-held-by-Turkmenistan-in-AFC-Challenge-Cup/articleshow/5585976.cms">1-1 tie in the AFC challenge cup</a> for under-23 teams. The Turkmens only had 10 men on the field for most of the second half. The South Korean team had been World Cup finalists. <a href="http://www.goal.com/en/news/14/asia/2010/02/17/1795574/afc-challenge-cup-turkmenistan-1-1-north-korea-2010-world">More coverage from Goal.com</a>, notes that the South African bound Korean team probably should have easily beaten the young Turkmen team.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-52868141983242075172010-02-16T11:41:00.000-08:002010-02-16T16:59:58.349-08:00Turkmenistan NewsTurkey would like Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to<a href="http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=54161"> join the parliament of Turkish speaking countries</a>. In another forum, the Economic Cooperation Organization, <a href="http://bsanna-news.ukrinform.ua/newsitem.php?id=12366&lang=en">Turkey held itself out as a role model of development for their Central Asian cousins to follow</a>. Perhaps part of that development project is the <a href="http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=54106">new power plant built by Turkey in Ashgabat</a>.<br /><br />Sports fans - check out the <a href="http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/1582/afc-challenge-cup/2010/02/14/1790419/2010-afc-challenge-cup-special-know-your-opponents-team">profile of the Turkmenistan international soccer squad</a>, written by an Indian sports site excited about the upcoming Asian championship.<br /><br />Dashoguz has a <a href="http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=82356">new cotton mill</a>.<br /><br />Cool Things in Random Places posted a story about the perpetual gas fire in Darvaz, called <a href="http://coolthingsinrandomplaces.com/?p=446#more-446">"The Door to Hell."</a> Catchy title.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-12430937143807985772010-02-15T12:36:00.000-08:002010-03-04T12:15:25.835-08:00Peace Corps Week-3rd Goal Activity Suggestions<b>Peace Corps Week 2010 is from March 1 to March 7</b>.<br />
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If you are interested in participating in a Peace Corps activity in your area, the Peace Corps website has a list of events that are taking place all over the country between late February and early March. You can find it at the following link: <a href="http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.returned.pcweek.events">http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.returned.pcweek.events</a>.<br />
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Peace Corps also offers "How To" tool kits for third goal activities. You can find it at the following link: <a href="http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.returned.thirdgoal.getinvolved">http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.returned.thirdgoal.getinvolved</a>.<br />
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Let us know if you participate in any of these activities and we'll post it on the blog.Skiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14974767901601704716noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-57331110431642034832010-02-14T09:13:00.000-08:002010-03-04T12:13:56.703-08:00Education News & A "Great Game" UpdateAccording to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://en.trend.az/news/politics/foreign/1623688.html">Trend News of Azerbaijan</a>, President Berdimuhammedov, who reinstated the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan last year, has named Gurbanmurat Mezilov to be the full-time president of the Academy. <br />
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<a href="http://www.thelocal.se/24496/20100120/">A Swedish newspaper</a> reports on Afghan students studying in Sweden, including a young lady who originally left Afghanistan for Turkmenistan, before migrating north to continue the medical studies she began at Turkmen State University. <br />
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Turkmenistan.ru reports that <a href="http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16314&type=event&sort=date_desc">Turkmenistan's universities are expanding</a>. The government will increase the number of available postgraduate study slots while adding 7 new faculties (roughly equivalent to American university departments) and 48 new positions for university professors. <br />
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If you see a foreign university student studying in Belarus, <a href="http://turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=16241&type=event&sort=date_desc">there's a good chance she or he is Turkmen</a>. <br />
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Central Asian watchers are often fond of describing regional relations as "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Great-Game-Struggle-Central-Kodansha/dp/1568360223">The Great Game</a>," borrowing the term from the 19th century contest between the British and Russian empires in the region. Those commentators usually mention China as a "new player" for the 21st century, since it enjoys new wealth and old geographic and cultural ties to the region. The Diplomat.com analyzes <a href="http://www.the-diplomat.com/001f1281_r.aspx?artid=388">China's recent overtures to Central Asia</a>, concluding that one more major power interested in the region could be a boon to the Central Asian republics by providing more foreign policy options. Meanwhile, the Obama administration's <a href="http://www.eurasiareview.com/2010/02/31748-obama-administration-offers.html">newly proposed aid budget for Central Asia is austere</a>, with levels remaining largely constant and aid to Turkmenistan falling from $12.5 to $10 million dollars. Of course, these figures may change by the time Congress approves them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083374699677685.post-72718353947068272932010-02-12T07:46:00.000-08:002010-02-12T07:53:09.113-08:00Does Peace Corps Help Turkmenistan: No, but...by Maya Saryeva<br />
<i>This essay is part of a<a href="http://friendsofturkmenistan.blogspot.com/search/label/PCT"> continuing Camel Spit conversation</a>.</i> <br />
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I would like to present a subjective account of my experience with Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs), and please note that none of what I say is directed at any PCV personally. These are simply my thoughts, memories and experiences that I gathered over the years. I cannot argue that Peace Corps Volunteers make Turkmenistan a better country. However, I can say that they certainly facilitate a great deal of cultural exchange and touch the lives of different individuals and families in different ways. While there are a few jewels amongst the waves of PCVs that come and go, most are there for the experience of enduring a life outside of United States and coming back to say that they actually made it, and if they are lucky or strong individuals, they were actually able to enjoy it. I found it especially interesting that very few of the Volunteers (most of the ones I became friends with) had a sense of pragmatism and interest in the lives of Turkmen people, while many others didn't. Undoubtedly some PCVs came with the goal of changing Turkmenistan, while others had a strange air of ideological bias that "we are here to show you things that are not necessarily different, but are essentially "better". I believe for most of the latter, the attitudes change in time as they realize that there is much in their way, and that the only difference they can truly make is in their neighborhoods, villages or a group of friends.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>With this said however, prior to visiting United States, when I was nine years old, I used to look upon PCVs as characters from movies that were so distant, different yet so interesting. I used to rehearse English phrases over and over in my head prior to approaching a foreigner, to be able to exchange one sentence with him/her, and felt an enormous sense of fulfillment if that foreigner understood me. I still remember the feeling of anxiousness and excitement that I felt when I exchanged my first English words with a PCV named Matthew. In that sense, I think Peace Corps Volunteers help Turkmen youth the most, in providing them with an opportunity to better their English and offer them a window into a world of real knowledge about United States. Undoubtedly, many PCVs bring a positive contribution to the lives of young student participants who get to enjoy taking part in summer camps or other educational activities organized by PCV. If Peace Corps ceased to exist in Turkmenistan, the majority of the population will probably never notice, however the youth will lack that personal interaction with a person from a different part of the world, and many kids will never get to experience the feelings I felt when I first had to speak to a Peace Corps Volunteer at the age of nine.<br />
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<i>Maya is originally from Turkmenbashy, Turkmenistan. She is currently studying in the United States.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0