I am not in Turkmenistan right now, but my thoughts continually drift to my students and my community on the other side of the world. So far my time in America has consisted of lots of lounging around and spending time with various family members, especially my mom. I expected to be hit by a big wave of culture shock, but my reaction has been very different than I had imagined. For the first week I felt like my brain was on standby. When in an overwhelming situation, I remained silent and just took everything in. The only situation when I felt like I needed to take a step back was at the supermarket. It was just so big, and there was such a selection! I experienced an “Ah” reaction and turned to my mom and said, “I don’t think my Turkmen friends would believe me when I told them how many kinds of shampoo there are!” It is hard not to constantly compare America to Turkmenistan, but I am trying to separate them and see them as my two different lives.
I am returning to Turkmenistan on March 1st and my plan is to land in Ashgabat and hit the ground running. I am really excited about a new project that I am designing to keep me busy when I get back. I am collaborating with a British photographer to design a photography project that is inspired by the documentary Born Into Brothels in which a professional photographer worked with children in the red light district and teaches them to look at the world with new eyes. My vision is to teach my students about the art of photography, to give them cameras, and to have them create a self-portrait in several assignments focusing on self, family, community and dreams. I love photography and Turkmen love photos even more than me. I constantly see my students snapping photos on their cell phones, and I am inspired to teach them about how to take photography from snapshots to artwork—developing creative powers and providing a catalyst for written word. This project is still in the developmental stages, but I believe that it could really engage my students and give them an opportunity to document their lives in a new and innovative way. Like I said before, my mind keeps wandering to my students and now, being removed from my work and life in Turkmenistan, can I truly see how deeply I care about everyone with whom I live and work. I am glad that I got a taste of how it is going to feel when I finish service in December because I will definitely go back to Turkmenistan and fully appreciate my experience there and the friends that I have made.I will keep you posted on anything exciting to come!!
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