15-07-10
on Pam Kerruish (Tajikistan), 15/Jul/2010 16:34, 34 days ago
Hello again. I think its 35degrees at the moment and its after 9.30pm. It is in the 40s this week -43 predicted for tomorrow. Today was mercifully cloudy and overcast which made it OK. I hope tomorrow will be the same.Anyway, now I've got the heat off my mind , I can tell you a bit more about how the playground is progressing. We got some paddling pools during our "big shop" on Saturday and Shane brought them our to Degmai on his way back to Dushanbe on Monday morning.We got straight into using them and the kids loved the water - I hope the clip will give you a flavour of the joy.2ndThere was no water on Wednesday and some kids were bitterly disappointed but there was nothing we could do but make the paddling pools ball pools for the day.( In respect of drinking water I was mad as I have been saying over and over that the children need plenty to drink in this heat and they had no boiled water at all. We had given the staff 5 litre containers to keep boiled water available for the children and bought biggish buckets in our "big shop" at the weekend to have plenty of back up , but no there was none ready- it was shocking really .They could have got water out of the streams but there was no electricity to boil it. ( dont know why we had no water or electric in July , but still)By the way non of the children below are less than seven years old.They are the "lying down children" who , as you can see, are not lying down at all. Carly and I are trying to think of another name to try to undermine the " they cant do anything" mindset. Maybe " special " children .And the second picture was supposed to be of "Me and My Boys " Islom and Rachmon, but as always others got into the picture , In this case Farangis and Abdulmalik.Although Islom isundoubtedly very special , so is Rachmon. We have a special bedtime ( afternoon nap ) routine . He is always very clear about what he wants -clapping my hands , holding his hands etc but gets a bit miffed when other boys ( 6 in his room-5 beds. ) try to join in our private time ( which they inevitably do .) This picture is of a typical bedroom - tho the ones in the new house are nicer.And these have been much worse -this is the painted up summer version.Anyway,although our "official " paddling pool water play was cancelled "due to circumstances beyond our control," Boorhonjon and Farouk were not to be deterred. They played in the drains which run around Degmai - as all kids outside of the Internat do here . It was great watching them. Off goes Farouk - proudly wearing his new underpants which double as a swimming costume plus his everyday flipflops .I lovethis photo.And here he comes - aided by Boorhonjon ,wearing nothing.It was his idea to play in the drain . He hasn't been in the Internat long and found it really hard at first ,but he is settling and evidently seeing some possibilities now. He probably stripped off and jumped in the drain as thats what he would have done at home-the others have been in the outside world so little they wouldnt have thought of it.And I saw these two in training for marriage and motherhood on my way back home today .They will have very little choice as its the only thing expected of girls hereUnless you are very lucky "marriage and motherhood equals being a skivvy for your family.Your own, and the big extended family you marry into.Washing your dishes in the drains is the usual thing.2nd August! and I am ashamed of being so behind. I had intended to complete this blog after I had attended a wedding on the 16th July ,but for some reason ( forgotten )I didn't do it then and since then I have been incommunicado by being in remote places and by the computer playing up . Anyway I will now , finally, tell you about the wedding I went to - between a Russian bride and a Tajik groom. It was different because it was a Christian wedding . There were Tajik ,rather than Islamic influences , which made some things familiar ( like the food),but the big difference was in Happiness. The Bride and Groom smiled , danced and looked at each other- all forbidden in a Tajik/Islamic wedding.There were games which I thought was great and lots of inclusive dancing. I went with Regina ( German ) who introduced me to Tajikistan when I first arrived and her British husband Fred. + their little boy Daniel ,and Mark. ( Mark and Regina both work for Operation Mercy.)Regina and Fred haven't had their visas renewed so they are having to go back home and try again.- they want to come back.Anyway after the wedding I went to Dushanbe and met up with Julia and Frank and began a great adventure with them . I will save the details as it deserves a blog to itself. Suffice to say that when I looked back on this I was suprised at the similarities in my trends of thought. I am still bothered by the temperature -30degrees tonight at 9.30(-at least it is going down -)and by the fact that electricity and water cuts are still quite frequent. There was an electricity cut in Degmai today and both the water and electricity were off here this evening.My other preoccupation is with flies, midgies etc etc. I have two mosquito nets pinned to the window - a double layer , and a mosquito net over the door . I have sprays - which I hate , fly papers , an anti mosquito burning thing and, last but not least, An Electronic Mosquito Bat .and my room is still full of the damned things. In fact its a wonder this computer works at all as when they land on the screen I try to squash them as quickly as I can.And for a little entertainment - what do you think this is a photo of ? ( answer next blog. )Pamx