Well I have been following things closely as much as I can via TV and internet. What I’m enjoying most, (indeed the vague news reports are difficult to read again and again,) is the comments posted by people responding to these stories. The topic, implicitly, always seems to be, “what’s next?” This one I liked the best:

People in Uzbekistan are very simple people and it is most likely that these Andijan protests won’t affect the entire country because we know how tough our government is. This Andijan problem will not spread. It will be contained and people in Uzbekistan will continue to live as they are.

– Ahmedov

I’m starting to think that this in indeed the case. Although what happened may indeed be the latest and greatest outburst, life does seem to be normal. People are buying things in the bazaars and students are preparing for their summer holidays.

On that note, I am currently in the process of working out my summer plans as well. I will be participating in a few camps, if all goes well, all aimed at intensively training the best and the brightest this country has to offer. I’ll let you know more as soon as I know myself.

So checking my inbox today I received a note from one of the PC admin people in Tashkent. It was not directed at me specifically, but since so many of us are keeping blogs, it does apply to me. Basically she doesn’t want us to blab to the media, which has apparently attempted to contact some PCVs for information:

Volunteers / Trainees must avoid becoming involved in the political affairs of their host country. Any public statement or action which potentially may involve a V/T with host country political issues or other controversial issues within the host country, or which are otherwise matters of official concern to Peace Corps, must be first discussed and reviewed with the Country Director. “Matters of official concern” are those that are related to Peace Corps or U.S. foreign policy, or matters that can reasonably be expected to affect the foreign relations of the United States. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action, up to and including, administrative separation.

…

V/Ts should be aware, however, that public political expression overseas may raise issues of V/T safety and security if the issues could provoke hostility locally. V/Ts should also be aware that, particularly in the area of foreign affairs, some policies or actions of the United States or other countries may relate to political issues or other controversial issues within the host country. A V/T’s statements or actions concerning such issues that may, in the opinion of the Country Director, endanger the safety and security of the individual V/T or the post, or impair the effectiveness of the Peace Corps or the individual V/T, may be grounds for administrative separation or other disciplinary action.

So, since I don’t wish to be separated from my service this early into it, I am going to keep my analysis about the current situation to the previous post for now.

But, this does not mean I am going to be mute about things here in UZ. Those who know me personally know that I certainly don’t roll over in the face of a rulebook. Though in this case I do agree that some comments could endanger the program or other volunteers, I will certainly continue to keep people abreast on the pulse of life here.

Oh and did I mention that school ends in one week?!?!

Funny Uzbekistan Anecdote:

Since the educational system here is pretty patriarchal, at the beginning of each class, students stand up and shout some greeting in unison to the teacher. In English classes, the standard practice is for the students to go, “Good Morning Teacher!” at which point I’m supposed to reply, “Good Morning Pupils.” Sometimes I initiate, sometimes the students do. But, since I soon tired of this shouting, I decided to teach my students about a little known American custom.

The system I invented entails that I first whistle a difficult and discordant little number, after which the students must whistle it back to me. So, if you can picture it, I have about 20 young Uzbek students in front of me, standing at attention, and we whistle to each other. They think it’s funny, but they do it.

Now, in case you are starting to worry, I am teaching them English, not Unamunda or anything like that. But these little things do help…