2002-12-28 - 12:57 p.m.
Christmas. My schedule is such that I have Wednesdays and Saturdays off from teaching, so I was free on Christmas day. I went in to work anyways, as I do most days off, and was greeted with a short school assembly ceremony. Five Specialized School Parkent gave me a chompon (robe), dopi (hat), and belt (scarf)for christmas. It was awesome, and was expensive gift. Afterwards we headed to the local government building where seven local schools were competing in a academic challange type program. My school was not included, because we entered some other competion at a different time. After making our way into the auditorium, and socializing, which I now know means walk around a large room while many eyes stare directly at you as if you are from another planet and meet some important local personalities-this time it was a journalist and deputy regional governor for women affairs (a woman), we were shuffled up front to the first two seats. As the stage was prepared and blaring music rang from the woofers and tweeters, I was given a form to complete. I soon realized that I was included among the local personalities and was one of the seven judges for the event. So my counterpart and I sat and watched a five hour performance, including quizzes, english round (they sang "My bonnie lies over the ocean")a skit about the evils of drugs, a speed quiz round and and introduction. We scored on a level of one to ten for each of five rounds. After the event, I was quite thankful it had ended, the judges retired to a private conference room to tally the points. A calculator was used to average the scores. In the end, one school defeated the second place school by only a one point average. I began to gather my things and head out the door. However, the Uzbeks remained, led by the Deputy Governor and journalist, chatting. I did not follow everything that was happening, so i inquired to my counterpart. He said they were discussing the results, and that the winners had received most of their points due to drama and theatrics and had trailed in the quiz rounds. Plus, the second place school was located in Parkent town center, closer to the Government building and in easier reach for preparations (because the winner moved on to the regional round, sort of like state playoffs in America). In addition, the first place school was from a village on the outskirts of the district. Before I had a grasp on what was happening, we judges were ushered out onto stage. The annoucement of the winner was made. The second place team was made the winner. As I saw, and realized, albeit tiny, I was an accomplice to outright corruption. And disturbed. And still confused. I I leaned to my counterpart to question the ordeal (my counterpart is an awesome man who has made my transition amazingly easy and who I consider my best friend in Uzbekistan) his reply, "we did our part, now it is in their hands. Plus, the second place team was also very good. In this way it is almost just." Almost just. He just didn't get it, nor did any of them. It was as if nothing wrong had taken place. We left, and nothing was ever mentioned again. It still bothers me and civic education is now on my radar.
Later, in the evening, Kasimjon and I were returning to our homes from his parents -where we ate Christmas dinner. A light snow was falling and Kasim and I were discussing the crisp clear sky, the stars, the milky way, and its uzbek name which translated means "skyroad." A car pulled up to us. In Uzbekistan, transportation is by taxi, but really hitchhiking with payment. This time though, as is almost always the case in a village where everyone know everyone,the driver was Kasim's aquaintance and recognized him. Kasim opened the front door and looked in, then using his left hand opened the back door for me to get in. I was behind him and needed to step around him to get to the door. As I did, I noticed a car coming down the road, directly at us. I stepped back, swinging my arm to push Kasim away from the car, but missed him. A rear end collision occurred, knocking the car from Kasim's grip of the front passenger door handle. Niether of us were hurt, or even touched, but what ensued was hilarious, dangerous, and disturbing. The car that hit the taxi was driven by a drunk Uzbek, along with four of his pals. The taxi driver got out, they inspected the damage, everyone was okay, except for a cut lip on the drunk driver, and they began to argue. In addition, about one hundred on lookers coming from their homes and off the street gathered. Meanwhile cars continued to speed down the hill, only stopping at the last second to slowly move by the accident, or get out and look. No one even thought of creating a flare or signal or anything to alert coming drivers. At first the taxi driver said that if the man agreed to pay for the damage, they could go on their ways. But he was the other man was drunk, so he refused. Then someone went to call the police, first taking some fifteen minutes to find someone with a phone at their home. Then we waited while people arrived, the story of Kasim and the American and the accident was retold, and no policemen came. Then I explained to Kasim that although it was cold and late, it was our civic duty to stay because we were the only witnesses. About an hour and one half later, a policeman arrived, via personal automobile (i thought he was on his way home) He lit a cigarette, borrowed a local's tape measure, measured stuff like the width of the road from someone's front gate to the cars, etc..., then took then men in his car and drove off. All the while, every step he took was followed by a tightened circle of on-lookers in the middle of the road- and still no flares. Anyway, it was eventful. Yesterday I saw the taxi driver in town and he told me he would have his car in two days, so it looks like he won.
Nevertheless, the Uzbekistan people were very kind to me on Christmas, but I saw both sides of the country's coin, and we have some work to do.
