Dushanbe

A usual sort of carrot seller for Tajikistan. He later received this picture of himself and was very happy.

I'm back in Dushanbe for the first time since August. I'm en route to Cairo via Dushanbe and Moscow. A lot has changed since I was here last. I now know enough of the language simple every day things like ordering at a restaurant or taking a taxi no longer present problems for me. Right now I'm updating this blog from my hotel room. I'm staying in a very nice hotel room here per the embassy's recommendation. I flew to Dushanbe this morning on a 737 and it took 40 minutes. (this info. is for my dad) I imediately noticed that it is a lot warmer here. In Khujand I wear a stocking cap, gloves with the fingers cut off, long underwear, a heavy coat, and very warm smartwool socks and it is still cold for me sometimes. Here I was walking around today with a shirt and light jacket with no stocking cap and no longunderwear and I was fine and warm. I also went to a restaurant tonight that had fajitas it was great. I went with the other Eng. Lang. Fellow here. You can't get Mexican food in Khujand but all the same I LOVE Khujand it is the right place for me. Dushanbe is much less conservative socially than Khujand. I was comparing notes with the other ELF here today realized just how conservative everything really is in Khujand compared to here in Dushanbe. We both agreed that the trend is towards conservatism based on Islamic values. Things aren't getting more liberal here. Hope all is well with you. I'm doing fine. Trying to take my dad's advice and live one day at a time.