1.11.10

HALLOWEEN

Tajikistan is great! Mikey and I had a very fun and funny Halloween, celebrated on Saturday the 3oth. Mikey started his holiday as he does every Saturday morning at 7am playing futbol with his team. I spent my morning cooking two large and delicious apple pies for the party we would attend later in the day. The next part of our day was to finalize our costumes. Mikey was a Tajik Sportsman, complete with a gold medal and the Tajikistan Olympic team warm ups, and non-traditional short shorts. I was an ambiguous American Super Hero... a blue towel as my cape, a blue, circular tupperware top as a shield and an aluminum foil sword. See photo below:
Halloween was an interesting holiday to spend in Tajikistan, because not everyone knows about it. So a Tajik Sportsman and Superhero walking down the street isn't easily explainable. Similar to our day with Baby Harbooza, we made a lot of people smile and laugh. In the back of a Marshuka (Mini bus) I announced in English as we were getting out, after receiving a lot of weird looks, "Happy Halloween"! Much to my surprise a man in the front seat responded, "Is Halloween today?... I understand." This made me feel better knowing that this man knew what Halloween was and might explain to everyone else in the bus why we were dressed up.

The highlight of Halloween was attending a University of Central Asia Halloween Dance Party. Let me tell you, Tajik people can dance exceptionally well. I cannot say the same for Mikey and I. Many of the students were very excited that we were in costume attending their party and frequently made us the center of their dance circles. In our not so rhythmic way we danced our hearts out.
From this party we migrated to another Halloween party hosted by the US Marine Corp. At this location we continued to dance and be merry. The international community went all out in being inventive with their costume creations, it was a lot of fun.

The US Marines who are stationed at the US Embassy in Dushanbe are a lot of fun. They host basketball games on Saturdays, volleyball games on Wednesdays, and are among the boisterous members of the Dushanbe Hash House Harriers. Mikey and I have been committed attendants every Saturday afternoon to the local Hash. This week Mikey won the "Hash Shit." This is an award that is won by being the Hash member who does the stupidest thing during the week. I nominated Mikey, and he won, for packing a glass bottle of BBQ sauce in one of our boxes to be sent to Dushanbe. When the box arrived all the contents smelled delicious, as they were marinated in BBQ sauce, as the glass bottle had smashed. Included in the marinated contents were: a years worth of feminine products, batteries, stationary, gifts to be given during our year abroad.
We hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween!!! We would love to hear about your costumes and celebrations :)

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