First Impressions

View from street en route to work

My first impression of K is that it is dry and dusty. The surrounding mountains blend in with the brown landscape and brownish air. (I’m not sure if the air is brown from pollution or dust, probably both.)  Like so many other parts of the world I’ve been, in traffic is crazy with no obvious rule or reason: cars, trucks, people on foot and on bikes, herds of sheep – all trying to make their way along or across the roads with no signals. Most of the roads are in poor condition. If once asphalted, they now are potholed and dusty. So travel anywhere takes a lot longer than it would at home. 

View from my roof

Of course, as a woman, I immediately noticed all of the women in blue burqas or long black coats, some completely covered except for their eyes, others wearing scarves that show their faces. Even the young school girls have long black robes and white head coverings. Though I’ve seen plenty of pictures and knew what to expect, it is different to experience it in real life.  I have not yet gotten used to wearing a scarf over my head, and still haven’t figured out how to keep it from slipping off. Fortunately, there are places I can take it off - inside the guesthouse or in the female residents’ room at the hospital. It is nice to see my colleagues face to face, though it is amazing how much personality can be expressed with just the eyes. In some ways, I appreciate the safety of anonymity that comes with covering up; in fact, I wish I could wear a burqa just so I wouldn’t stand out as a foreigner.  On the street, even wearing my black coat and scarf, keeping my head down and avoiding eye contact, I feel vulnerable. 

View from my roof

In general, I still feel very uncertain about how to act and interact here. As a western female, I am considered a “third gender.” Supposedly I have more freedom to interact with both western and local men than the local women do. With my fellow expatriots, I can relate more or less as I would to men back home.  And I should be able to talk to my local male colleagues at the hospital more or less as equals. But I don’t quite feel comfortable yet. It is hard to be constantly aware of my expressions, gestures, tone of voice, eye contact, body language, head covering, etc. Do I greet everyone I pass in the hospital? How friendly should I be? Since I don’t speak the language, it’s hard to do much more than say hello anyway. At least with the women, I know I can be more relaxed, so I’m focusing on that for now.