Today was another busy day in this part of our world. I started the day trying to complete a task related to the Shriner's Newsletter that I edit. All the reviewer comments were received and I summarized them before sending onto our graphic artist in Indiana. When I left home on the 15th, I wasn't sure if I would be able to pull this issue off from this part of the world. But at this point, it looks as though the issue will get out on time without my physical presence in Colorado Springs.
Yesterday, was spent at the office working on finalizing the project's Voucher Program document, the Demonstration Plot document and the Training Program document. I also worked with the project's Team Leader to pull together the information needed for a letter that needs to be sent to USAID for a waiver that would allow our project to locally source the pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizer we need this spring for the Voucher Program and our Demonstration Plots. We finished working on that task today and the letter was sent to the Chief of Party for ACDI-VOCA to review and forward onto USAID. We are told the process may take approximately 30-days to get final approval.
Yesterday, John and I were driven around the city to see some sites and also to visit some shops for souvenirs. I am an impulse buyer, so now is too early for shopping. But I did buy a few handmade items that can go on future Christmas Trees as a way to remember the time I spent here in Dushanbe. You can view some photos of the various items that were in the one store we visited - just copy and paste the link found in the header above this posting. Last night Will, John and I went out to dinner at a very nice Ukrainian restaurant. The atmosphere, the food and the commaradier were second to none and the meal very inexpensive for what we received. In this part of the world BBQ is called Shaslik - I had Pork Shaslik with a very nice salad, John had Chicken Shaslik with rice and Will had a very nice looking Pork Chop with an assortment of picked items (cabbage, tomato, peppers). This was an excellent opportunity to get to know the Chief of Party for whom I will be working with while here in Tajikistan.
While waiting at the hotel for Will to come pick us up, a young man that works here, came up to John and I and said you do not have the required documents you need. If only staying in Tajikistan for 2-days you don't need it but if you are staying longer you must have this document to leave the country. Well that caught John's attention as he has to leave for the airport at 2:30 in the morning. We waited for the Manager of the hotel to show up, so we both could get the document, but had to leave for the restaurant. When we returned the Manager was gone. So this morning we were supposed to meet him at 8 a.m., well after 9 a.m., I decided to head to the office and left my Passport with John to get the required document. When John showed up at the office he was laughing. He said let me tell you about my experience this morning. "There was no clue when this Manager was going to show up. So I told the young guy at he hotel, why don't you learn how to issue this document, it would be a good learning opportunity for you to possess. The guy said, I know how to do it. Why then, did you not do it for us this morning. His response "Because You Didn't Ask Me, I thought you wanted the Manager to do it". So I guess the lesson learned is that you must always ask the right question.
For lunch today we walked down to a smal Tajik restaurant. I am a soup lover, so I ordered a bowl of vegetable beef soup and a salad. When the salad arrived, it was a bowl of stewed tomatoes. Glad I like stewed tomatoes! In the late afternoon, John and I met one of the Peace Corps Volunteers that I interacted with in Armenia in 94 and 1999-2000 when I was over there with USDA. Chuck in now here in Tajikistan with USAID working as a Project Manager overseeing some of their agricultural funded projects. It sure is a small world. When I arrived, I also learned that another person I knew from my past just recently left Tajikistan, after being here four year. Wish we could have broken some bread together. For dinner, I munched on some of the leftovers that were given to us on Friday night from the dinner we had at the home of our project's Team Leader. Was good that night and also tonight.
So another good day. More later. To view photos from over here go to my photo site:
http://www.zenfolio.com/farmeray/p828498799
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