Home » Uzbekistan » bulk thoughts: ode to anwar (11)

From: Anna Kirtiklis
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 05:49:26 -0700 (PDT)

bulk thoughts: ode to anwar (11)

Anastasia Kirtiklis
2006-06-29 10:38:45

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After waiting through a minor delay, when Valery's colleague careened over a huge fender in the road and punctured the gas tank, I had a good idea of the new group. After Valery patched up the tank with some chewing gum and a stick, we continued over the mountain pass into the Ferghana Valley. It wasn't a great way to begin the tour but they became acquainted with each other and the merciless Uzbek sun.

On our way into the valley, we stopped for tea at a Chaikhana (teahouse) on the side of the road. As we refreshed, a lovely young man came by and greeted us.

"Hello Dear Guests, I am Anwar, your guide to Ferghana Valley."

He and I were extremely suspicious of one another at first. I don't book a local guide for that day of the tour, and I wanted to know what he was doing there—and would I be expected to pay him. I suppose that he was suspicious of me only because I was so quizzical and unimpressed.

Not because Anwar Khairullin isn't impressive. He works hard, dresses well (a real achievement when Ferghana City is home) and is delightfully charismatic.

He started coming around to me when we were at a potter's home, about the third hour into his impromptu tour. I asked Rustam, the potter, why he and Anwar spoke to each other in Russian, rather than in Uzbek. Rustam explained that it's because he is a Tatar and Uzbek is not his first language. Anwar overheard and seemed charmed that I'd bothered to attempt conversation with Rustam in my shockingly poor Russian. Since that moment, Anwar grew increasingly affectionate.

I warmed up to Anwar and his not-quite-fluent English skills about an hour later, when he told me how he taught himself English. He started in the tourist business as a porter in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. He spoke no English, but taught himself by immersion, by spending months at a time having ...