There was plov. I was in heaven. My sister came to visit for a couple of days before moving to Vladikavkaz to finish her senior year of high school and get a 'real' diploma. As usual there was a lot of gossiping and reporting on what's happening with all of our mutual friends. It doesn't seem like much, but there are so many people I can't keep in contact with there. The news wasn't bad this time--everyone is in the same place. No good news either, though. They love hearing the updates of all the volunteers who they knew for two years and then all ran off to the far corners of the earth. All of our plans are such surprises to them. We seemed so stable to them when we were there. Never moving, not going anywhere and suddenly we're all going to school and working and travelling and earning!
Of course, there was carpet talk too. But that's a given in really any guesting situation I'm involved in. They always love the joke about how I'll make a great Turkmen bride with my giant carpet collection as a dowry. Though they mostly laugh because they and I think it's funny to imagine me ever marrying a Turkmen. . . or any of them doing the same either :)
And in fine tstan tradition I showed them all the pictures I'd taken in the past six months. I gave myself a headache but they seemed to enjoy it.
I have to say, though, I missed plov. We make it sometimes but it's never as good as the real thing. And eating plov always brings up the never ending questions about what I eat and how do I survive since I can't cook to save my life. They don't look convinced when I say I eat salads. Hot dogs doesn't go over well either since for them that's a breakfast food. We finally agree that I go to restaurants and starve the rest of the time. I'll take a hit on that topic. But I should have brought up how I ironed a shirt last week! That would raise my status.
I gifted them an In Style magazine that Courtnee brought me from America. They gifted me a t-shirt that says California on it in honor of Aziza hopefully moving there someday and a set of sheets that I desperately needed. And of course pajama pants made in Turkmenistan. Feel the love.
