Experiencing a Persian Heritage, Culture, and in a Muslim-Majority Country: Tajikistan by Mayesha Awal

In the summer of 2016, I embraced the opportunity to participate in a language-immersion program in Tajikistan through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). NSLI-Y is one of the U.S. Department of State’s government initiatives to foster international cooperation by ensuring that Americans have the linguistic skills and cultural knowledge necessary to effectively communicate with non-Americans. NSLI-Y sends American high school students to specific countries that are of critical importance to the U.S. foreign policy to study their language and culture for year-long or summer durations. This experience stands out as one of the most impactful moments of my life, allowing me to delve into a language and culture about which I had previously known little.

Tajikistan captivated me due to its striking mountainous landscapes (around 93 percent) with the Pamir Mountains, rich cultural heritage, and status as a predominantly Muslim country. Ramadan overlapping with my program played a significant role in my decision to pursue this opportunity.

The first two weeks of the program, we stayed in a camp called Camp Umeda, and then the last four weeks, our group members stayed in host family accommodations. Throughout the program, I dedicated four hours daily to learning Persian (Tajiki), with weekends reserved for engaging excursions. Tajiki, a dialect of the Persian language, closely aligns with other Persian dialects such as Farsi and Dari. However, the Soviet Union’s past occupation of Tajikistan left evident marks language-wise as the language was changed to Cyrillic script, reflected in instances where I noticed that high school students were more fluent in Russian than in colloquial Tajiki. This was also evident in the names of locals, Russian language signs throughout the city, and Russian chocolate and other goods. This historical influence was personal for me, as my host grandmother, having lived through the era, also spoke Russian.

I was able to explore Tajikistan’s culture beyond the classroom, as we visited key landmarks, cultural sites, and different masjids. We visited a few masjids during my stay in Tajikistan. One of these visits included an Ismaili prayer house (Jama’at Khana) that I had never been to before. In addition, we visited the Haji Yaqub Mosque of Dushanbe, one of the main masjids in the city, It had an expansive courtyard and beautiful arches with intricate Arabic calligraphy. A sweet memory I have is that after one of the masjid visits, we visited a bazaar, and the shop owner gifted me with a portable prayer rug, as he was delighted to meet an American Muslim. I was also able to meet locals who were so kind to me. I visited one of my neighbors a few times and learned about her family’s background. At night, we would walk with the kids in the neighborhood and go to the central gathering place, where many of the families would congregate. There would be live music, fountains that change lights, and children would dance. I also recall another memory where my host aunt took us all to a green landscape in front of a national bank, and we all played a Tajik childhood game with the entire family and neighbors. My two-year-old host brother and host aunt had such a special bond with each other. There was one night where we were walking, and my host aunt stubbed her toe suddenly, and it would not stop bleeding. My host brother cried profusely because he saw his aunt in pain.

I also befriended one of our neighbors, and I would go to her house. She told me about her family’s unfavorable past. Her father was a prominent businessman in Dushanbe, but he had lost all of his money. “It is during the toughest times when you learn who your true friends are,” she recalled. One by one, their “friends” dropped out of contact. Thankfully, they had a friend and business partner who helped her family during that time, and now her father had restored some of his wealth, and their family was doing well. Her mother wore a black abaya, which was rare because the government had permitted only colorful hijabs and abayas, any color besides black, due to their secularization.

I was the only Muslim participant in the program that year and that shaped my personal experiences greatly. For example, during my time in Tajikistan, I had the opportunity to observe Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr. I would eat Suhoor and break my fast/Iftar with my school teachers. We would wake up in the early hours of the morning before Fajr (early morning prayer) time and eat dinner together as a group at the sunset. There were a few days we did have to walk for a few hours while fasting, but I was able to adapt to the physical exercise and the hot weather. Celebrating Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr with the community created close bonds, which enabled me to grow ties with Muslims in another country.

Participating in the NSLI-Y language-immersion program in Tajikistan in 2016 was a transformative experience. Immersed in Tajik culture and intensive language, I explored the breathtaking landscapes, Islamic traditions, and the remnants from the Soviet era. Spending time with NSLI-Y group, living with host families and engaging with locals revealed deep insights, from the resilience of families during hardships to the complexities of government regulations on religious practices. This journey expanded my understanding of history, culture, and human connection, leaving an indelible mark on my perspective, emphasizing empathy, and highlighting the rich environment of Tajikistan.

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Mayesha Awal received her B.A. in both Psychology and Government from Georgetown University, and her M.S. in Healthcare Management from Indiana University-Bloomington. Prior to working as an Analyst, Mayesha has contributed extensively to international and domestic experiential-learning trips related to public health. She has also worked in a large hospital system, in its continuous improvement department. Overall, Mayesha has developed skills in research, data analysis, project management, and field experience, in her experiences as an intern.

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