PCV

Since 1993, Turkmenistan receives about 40-50 Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) every year who work in different parts of the country. Based on the impressive stories PCVs tell, it’s safe to say that they all experience a challenging—occasionally not so pleasant—but wonderful, enjoyable, and memorable time while serving in Turkmenistan. They face many problems while adjusting themselves to Turkmen culture but surprisingly they are always eager to meet them. This essay discusses some major problems the PCVs usually have to put up with, and is mainly based on the stories of three PCVs who were friends of mine while serving in Turkmenistan. They are Rachel—worked as an English teacher and lived in a village near Dashoguz (my hometown), Matt—lived in Dashoguz and taught English at the Turkmen-German school, and James—taught business and stayed mainly in Ashgabat with often visits to Dashoguz.

One of the things that my American friends didn’t like was the fact that as Americans they tended to be very conspicuous, especially Matt—he preferred more anonymity, and didn’t like attracting attention when he was walking around. James didn’t like muc

h attention either, but it depended on his mood. He sometimes didn’t mind to represent an unusual person, and Americans are really unusual in Turkmenistan. It was funny for Rachel to become suddenly famous! Everyone, everywhere knew who she was—her name, age, favorite Turkmen meals, etc.—and kids would follow her everywhere yelling “Hello”! However, often it was exhausting and she would just want to be like everyone else. I often walked with my American friends, and can realize what it is to walk on the streets of Dashoguz as an American. Since, I used to wear like my friends and talked to them in English while walking down the streets, I could see people gazing at me, girls waving and sometimes sending me kiss salutes! But unlike Americans, I always loved that!

American Peace Corps Volunteers obviously face various problems in getting used to Turkmen culture, but the fact that they are real adventurers let them to have a wonderful, funny, very interesting, and remarkable life in Turkmenistan. Rachel, Matt, and James are not exceptions.

It was strange for my friends to see that people in Turkmenistan drink quite a lot. In fact, part of their training in Peace Corps was how not to drink, and how to make it look like one was drinking. Rachel told that there had been always a lot of pressure to drink when visiting Turkmen households. That’s why she had to learn different tricks such as sipping from the top of the shot glass, and not drink much because even her hosts would get offended when she refused to drink. There was, of course, more pressure on Matt and James, since they were men. James tried to turn the offered alcohol by saying that it was for religious purposes, but it usually didn’t work because people would say “It’s o

Some topics in this essay:
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