So we've got our own little Dead Sea right here in Balkanabat. There is a lake that literally has so much salt that you can't hit the bottom. There are feet sticking up here and there, some log rolling and a lot of slow floating. If you get water in your eye, you're screwed. I've been there twice and I love it. If you get out of the water for a few minutes, your skin literally looks white with dried salt. It makes your skin soooo soft, though. After paddling around for a while we always head over to a mud-pit area to put black mud all over you. It's healthy they say. I did learn the word cork in Russian, however, which makes it kindof an educational trip. I even tried some floating-yoga, which seems to have some potential! Last time we were there, we decided to camp out on the other side of the lake, where naked children were not pooping in the sand and wild cows weren't rummaging through the trash for watermelon rinds. So we just wrapped up our clothes in the absolutely-necessary packette (plastic bag carried by every human at all times here) and caravanned slowly over like camels. I floated along with bags held high above my head and only broke down in laugter watching Pavel try to get a watermelon across. Watermelons are heavy evidently.
I highly recommend it. The park costs 4 cents to get in.
Aug 15, 2005
Hirings and Firings
This personal, artistic essay does not represent the opinions of Peace Corps in any way.
The p_____ came to B------- last week and was met with hundreds of chanting children and jolly musicians. Every time it's the same welcome. He gets out of his private helicopter, accepts a ceremonial piece of bread (which is sacred here), does a prayer with several old, traditionally-costumed, turkmen men. Then he listens to people perform selections from 'his' books and hands the performers a white envelope of more American dollars than one makes in a year here. (Showing, of course, his trust for his own economy). This trip to B-------, however, has more impact on my family that just a pleasant visit.
The purpose of his visit was to fire the Minister of ---- for Balkan velayat (the gas-producing velayat). He was accused without any basic rights to representation, on TV for his country to see. They said he personally stole several million dollars. He read his 'guilty' plea with his head hanging while the president pointed at him and yelled "Why have you stoled from your people, why have you lied to your great leader and to all of Tu------?" Then the kicker for us. He told the authorites to find all this man's relatives and chick if they should 'remain'. My father's closest family friend is the minister's only nephew. As I'm writing this now, I've learned that his daughter's husband has been taken somewhere, so nephew is not too far removed.
We all got together to watch the p________'s presetation, while two "FBI" cars watched us from outside. Our friend is evidently guilty by proxy.
"There are no laws here."
None. Some people I talk to here believe this man stole and tell me that his neqhew definetly get some of teh money, of course, to hide it from the gvnmt. I also hear that the big man promised him that he wouldn't put him in jail for this deal before it ever happened. Who really knows what happened. Certainly not us watching the news at home.
"Every rich person got that way illegally. They all steal".
"How do you think your fmaily got so much money."
Great, guys. It's back to the first years of communism. You're guilty by who you associate with. The rich, of course, are all guilty.
We have a 20 day wait period before the verdict. Here they call that the buying time. Who of his connections can pay the most to stay out of jail. They need some time to price-shop before turning in the results of the "investigation."
My real complaints are thus:
A g------- worker shouldn't be put on trail without representation.
In a system where everyone gives and takes bribes, one person can't be called out on it while everyone else stands and points. In a place where the president knows every dollar goes (or I suppose, every 25,000 manat) he has little right to suddenly 'reveal' a theft as if he 1) doesn't do the same thing on a bigger scale and 2) didn't know all along and allw the thefts to continually occur in order to have a great reason to send away the next rising power.
Relatives shouldn't be held accountable for the accused acts of their uncles.
And my mom, a housewife, shouldn't have to live in fear.
People deserve to know the possible consequences of their actions (Could we get an offical 'bribe menu?' A diploma without actual study costs 6,000$, a last minute plane ticket goes up from 1 to 4 dollars. . . ) Will this land me in a work camp out west or will I have to pay half of what I've stolen to be free?
People gamble with their lives here. Those who don't steal back from the g---------live each day trying to get enough to eat. Those who steal back count their days.
The p_____ came to B------- last week and was met with hundreds of chanting children and jolly musicians. Every time it's the same welcome. He gets out of his private helicopter, accepts a ceremonial piece of bread (which is sacred here), does a prayer with several old, traditionally-costumed, turkmen men. Then he listens to people perform selections from 'his' books and hands the performers a white envelope of more American dollars than one makes in a year here. (Showing, of course, his trust for his own economy). This trip to B-------, however, has more impact on my family that just a pleasant visit.
The purpose of his visit was to fire the Minister of ---- for Balkan velayat (the gas-producing velayat). He was accused without any basic rights to representation, on TV for his country to see. They said he personally stole several million dollars. He read his 'guilty' plea with his head hanging while the president pointed at him and yelled "Why have you stoled from your people, why have you lied to your great leader and to all of Tu------?" Then the kicker for us. He told the authorites to find all this man's relatives and chick if they should 'remain'. My father's closest family friend is the minister's only nephew. As I'm writing this now, I've learned that his daughter's husband has been taken somewhere, so nephew is not too far removed.
We all got together to watch the p________'s presetation, while two "FBI" cars watched us from outside. Our friend is evidently guilty by proxy.
"There are no laws here."
None. Some people I talk to here believe this man stole and tell me that his neqhew definetly get some of teh money, of course, to hide it from the gvnmt. I also hear that the big man promised him that he wouldn't put him in jail for this deal before it ever happened. Who really knows what happened. Certainly not us watching the news at home.
"Every rich person got that way illegally. They all steal".
"How do you think your fmaily got so much money."
Great, guys. It's back to the first years of communism. You're guilty by who you associate with. The rich, of course, are all guilty.
We have a 20 day wait period before the verdict. Here they call that the buying time. Who of his connections can pay the most to stay out of jail. They need some time to price-shop before turning in the results of the "investigation."
My real complaints are thus:
A g------- worker shouldn't be put on trail without representation.
In a system where everyone gives and takes bribes, one person can't be called out on it while everyone else stands and points. In a place where the president knows every dollar goes (or I suppose, every 25,000 manat) he has little right to suddenly 'reveal' a theft as if he 1) doesn't do the same thing on a bigger scale and 2) didn't know all along and allw the thefts to continually occur in order to have a great reason to send away the next rising power.
Relatives shouldn't be held accountable for the accused acts of their uncles.
And my mom, a housewife, shouldn't have to live in fear.
People deserve to know the possible consequences of their actions (Could we get an offical 'bribe menu?' A diploma without actual study costs 6,000$, a last minute plane ticket goes up from 1 to 4 dollars. . . ) Will this land me in a work camp out west or will I have to pay half of what I've stolen to be free?
People gamble with their lives here. Those who don't steal back from the g---------live each day trying to get enough to eat. Those who steal back count their days.
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