Bill's Blog

It was a typical engaging week at school as I returned from my visit to Turkey. So nice to be back with Ocean, Obi, and Nadia at home.

Last Sunday Nadia and I visited the new GalMart, a supermarket chain from Kazakhstan that recently opened in the Tashkent City Mall. It is a step up from the Uzbek chains in regards to level of finishing, interior design, and spacing. I’ve noticed several international chains such as Big Chef (Turkish burger joint – think TGIF) that are renting space in the mall. The rapid development of the city continues.

A highlight was attending the National Day of Oman reception at the Hyatt hosted by the ambassador. I met many ambassadors from the Gulf Region and Arab world . There were few European and Asian missions attending. I like Middle Eastern food and the delicious sweetened milk drink. It was strange to see people dressed in the robes of the Gulf Region in Tashkent. The Oman government was an early investor in Uzbekistan. The ambassador announced Omani Air will be opening direct flights between Tashkent and Oman in 2025. I’ve always been interested in traveling there so hopefully Nadia and I can find the time to visit.

Friday afternoon I went straight from the school to the airport to catch my 8:00 PM flight from Izmir, Turkey. I connected through Istanbul to Tashkent and had a 4-hour layover there. Tashkent always has arriving and departing flights in the middle of the night. They do not have any zoning laws here from the neighborhood, and being so far away from other major hubs, I speculate that it allows more airlines to use Tashkent as a destination. I still enjoy flying because it gives me quiet time to read, write, and think. After a beautiful sunny day in Izmir, there was a cold, pouring rain as we went from the plane to the bus to the terminal I had a nice burger at the Turkish celebrity chef Salt Bae’s restaurant. He was an internet meme in 2017 for his flare in flavoring meat on the grill. The internet creates these global “celebrities” for such simple actions. We live in strange times… I arrived the next morning in Tashkent and the flights were generally smooth and comfortable. I was annoyed at how Uzbeks don’t know how to respect rules when it comes to waiting in lines to board the flight and crowding the baggage claim conveyor belt so everyone struggles to retrieve their luggage. It is kind of endearing, this unruly but friendly mob that frustrates Turkish Airlines personnel.

My dog Obi really missed me and I took him out for a long walk along the canal while waiting for Nadia to finish swimming. There are still leaves on the trees and in the sunshine, it was a refreshing time. Obi was off leash and he is such a well-behaved little guy. I took a long afternoon nap to shake off the flights and prepare to go out.

Nadia and I went to the Marine Ball at the InterContinental Hotel. The marine contingent that protects the US Embassy here in Tashkent celebrated 249 years since the founding of the Corps. Nadia looked gorgeous and it was nice to support the US military, especially with our son Oliver taking military science this year at his university.

We had a really nice last weekend with Uncle Jack in Tashkent. On Saturday we spent the day at the Amirsoy Ski Resort, taking the gondola up to the top to take in the stunning views. We stopped for lunch at one of the restaurants lower on the mountain near the intermediate ski runs. I had a delicious Uzbek mastava, which is basically a beef stew. The food was gourmet level which was surprising for a ski resort restaurant. We were so enchanted by the resort that we booked a chalet for two nights over Christmas break when the boys are visiting. We are hoping for lots of snow to enjoy a traditional white Christmas on the mountain!

There was a light dusting of snow above the mid-station so we are hoping the slopes open soon. On Saturday we went to Pro Khinkali Restaurant to give Jack the experience of Georgian food. Nadia was beautiful and I learned Georgian dumplings are the eponymous dish of the restaurant. We followed the dinner with a rooftop drink at the Hyatt.

On Sunday Jack and I went for a walk in the Milly Bog (National Park) in Tashkent. It was an absolutely beautiful day and so refreshing to be walking with Obi. It is so nice to have family come and visit and Jack is my connection to my DNA. He is like a father/grandfather to me and our children. Hopefully he will come and visit again in the spring.

Note: I wrote the first part of this blog post before the election and the second part after the election.

I am not looking forward to Tuesday’s 2024 presidential election. As the director of an international school, I am careful not to express political opinions or address controversial topics in public. I do want to leave for posterity, however, my views on the state of American democracy in general.

I think the 2010 US Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United versus the Federal Election Commission has greatly harmed democracy in the USA. By deciding 5-4 in favor of the conservative non-profit, Citizens United, the 2010 Supreme Court allowed unlimited money to be poured into election campaigns at all levels of the federal government. Literally, billions of dollars now are used by candidates to win elections. As the Brennon Center article states, many Americans have turned away from politics because power has been increased in a select group of wealthy donors, leaving people like me to feel that most politicians in Washington are controlled by monied interests.

I read the October 28 New Yorker Magazine article, “How Republican Billionaires Learned to Love Trump Again with disappointment to hear about the donations that go to both Republican and Democratic candidates. When a donor gives you millions of dollars, there must be expectations of the donor besides just agreeing with the politicians’ views. The author of the article, Susan Glasser, writes that donors used to think that donations gave them access to candidates, but in this election, Republican donors are treating it like investments, and expecting returns in the form of favorable legislation or executive actions. I don’t think this is the end of American democracy (ie Roman Republic), but it looks to be heading toward a plutocracy with wealthy individuals and corporations being able to control politicians at the expense of the vast majority of citizens. Income inequality has skyrocketed in my lifetime and I don’t see the trend slowing down. Allowing unlimited money to be “donated” to politicians does not support American democracy.

Nadia and I hosted a Presidential Election Watch Party. While watching the early election returns from Tashkent (11 hours ahead of Chicago) with Nadia before school on Wednesday morning, I found myself grappling with the results. Though I had anticipated a Trump victory, the margin exceeded my expectations. As a politically independent voter who leans center-left, I’m deeply concerned about the prospect of having someone like Trump represent our nation. His persistent denial of the 2020 election results, documented history of questionable business practices, and apparent lack of empathy run counter to the values I believe should define presidential leadership. What also troubles me is his continued strong support within the Republican Party, despite these characteristics. I know many people justify voting for him because they agree with what he will do in while in office. We’ll see what happens in his second term which is starting with Senate and House of Representatives and Supreme Court controlled by the Republicans. The American people have voted and it is nice we will have a peaceful transfer of power this time and our democracy works. I’ve lived in several countries where the outcome of the elections are known before they start.

Ocean’s high school varsity soccer team is hosting the Central Asian Soccer Classic, the culminating tournament of the Central Asia Federation of Athletics and Activities (CAFAA). This group of international schools in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, competes in cross country, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and track & field. My school, Tashkent International School is hosting the championship. My daughter Ocean is an excellent athlete and starts for the team. I got to watch her first game yesterday against the QSI Astana International School and they tied 2-2. Ocean played excellent defense and I thought the Owls were lucky to get the victory. They played better in the second half after falling behind 0-2 in the first half. They improved by kicking the ball harder and from further out at the goal.

In Ocean’s second game, they defeated the Bishkek International School 2-0. Ocean scored a goal!!!! They finished out the round-robin soccer today drawing with QSI Almaty International School 0-0 in a hard-fought game. Their quarterfinal game starts at 4:00 PM, but I will miss the next three games because I am on my way to Turkey. 😦

It has been so nice to have my Uncle Jack visiting us this week. He is an excellent chef and we’ve had many gourmet meals during his time here. Nadia and I often do not have the time to cook with our busy jobs. Spending time with family is always rewarding and I love his impact on Ocean, Nadia, and me. He is also an inspiration to me because he is still traveling and active at age 76. We even played tennis on Sunday with him. It gives me hope and a role model that I can continue to have a healthy lifestyle into my 70s.

On Sunday we visited the big Chorsu Market and the Yangiabad Flea Market. I don’t like shopping but it was fun to spend time with Jack and Nadia and the people watching is great. Always lots of colorful characters and faces and interesting items for sale. The amount of junk or stuff at the flea market is remarkable.

We had our first spell of cold weather with temperatures hitting freezing on Tuesday and grey skies. It is warming up and will be sunny for the rest of this week.

Autumn is in full swing as we hit November on the calendar. Nadia, Uncle Jack, and I really had fun at our traditional Scary Night Festival at the school. Faculty set up ‘trick-or-treat” booths, dress up, and pass out candy to kids. Students and parents alike enjoy the American Halloween festivities. Seeing the delight in the kids’ faces brought us great joy. It is a great addition to the culture that the USA has given the world and citizens from everywhere love it. Nadia and I went as “RayGun and RoyGun” an homage to our beloved Aussie breakdancer, Raygun. We had fun entertaining the community with our silly break-dancing moves. Uncle Jack went as a “dog-walker” and was a great support to setting up and taking down our decorations. Nadia’s eye for interior design always elicits a lot of photography!

It was a full week at school with a board meeting on Wednesday evening and all that goes into the planning of it. I did find time to show my uncle around the school on Thursday. Our dog Obi was a hit with the kids and it made me really want to have a full-time therapy dog on campus. Dogs calm students and adults alike, bringing improved well being to all. The campus was looking beautiful with the color of the trees reaching peak hues.

Nadia made some nice autumn displays in the garden. With the colder weather approaching and the summer basil withering out, we switched to colder-weather plants, including ornamental kale, hardy chrysanthemums, and pumpkins. Nadia loves the seasons with few hay bales and lanterns, has turned our patio into a fall garden. Chrysanthemums originated in China and have become garden favorites all over the world because they bloom in November.

My Uncle Jack is visiting from the USA. He is 76 years old and still able to travel and is very young at heart. He is an inspiration for me as I get older, I hope I can stay as active and healthy as him. It is nice to have another person in the house. He is an excellent cook and we’ve had some good meals while he is here. I snapped this photo of Ocean and Jack taking Obi out for his nightly walk in the mahalla.

I also got a cool fall jacket from the Bershka store the Tashkent City Mall. Nadia and Ocean love having a proper shopping mall in the city. I am not a big shopper and it is good that Jack and Nadia found it for me.

It is the last weekend of Fall Break and I’ll do my best to stretch it out before we head back to school on Monday.

Autumn has definitely arrived in Uzbekistan with temperatures in the 50s and overcast days. In a dry, sunny climate, these cool, cloudy days are refreshing. I was inspired to go for a 10-kilometer run along the Ankhor Canal yesterday. The Ankhor Canal’s water comes from the Chirchiq River and city officials improved the promenades along the canal in 2014 near the Minor Mosque. The older part of the canal goes by Pakhtakor Stadium and is my favorite place in Tashkent. I love looking at the Doma Specialistov, the apartments were built in the Stalin era for specialists and intelligentsia. The canal runs 23.5 kilometers through the city and ends in the lake at Milly Bog National Park. The canal was built in the mid-1800s and divided Old Town, or the original part of Tashkent, from the new, European-style city constructed by the Russians.

My uncle Jack arrived in the morning. It was a cold wait as airports in Central Asia make families to wait outside the terminal. Officials built an indoor waiting area but it looked a bit too crowded and full of people coughing for me to go in. Many Uzbeks wear robes instead of jackets in winter. An exotic look!

Ocean and Nadia went shopping earlier this week at the Tashkent City Mall. Fortunately, I didn’t have to go with them as I cannot tolerate long sessions of trying on clothes in a mall.

One of the grocery stores we frequent is Magnit a Russian chain headquartered in Krasnodar, in southern Russia near Sochi. They have a pretty good range of products including fruits and vegetables. Sometimes I tire of hassling for prices at the markets and paying several individuals. In a supermarket, the prices are set and it is one payment at the end making it a more convenient experience. If I am in the mood, say a Saturday morning, going to the market (bozori in Uzbek) is fun to interact with people and see what unusual items they sell. We regularly get charged more because we are foreign. The only bad part of shopping at Magnit is the parking. It is located on a busy intersection and cars are always double-parked and lots of pedestrians that make it tricky to find parking.

I am working this week, so I spent most of the morning in school. We also went shopping and prepared for the arrival of my Uncle Jack, who is visiting us this week. That included changing the gas canister on our grill, grocery shopping, etc. I did a gentle yoga workout and took a long afternoon nap, so relaxing and needed.