A Trip to the Village

Let's take a trip to the village- the countryside of our area, waiting to explored and discovered. There are some interesting things to contemplate, both delightful and detestable. One of the most detestable is the road that leads there. Can you imagine the main highway across a country looking like this?! There are no painted lines down the middle, and about as many potholes as there are mosquitoes in the evening air around here. Once we get there, we can show up to just about any neighbor's house and know we are going to get some amazing hospitality. First, they might offer you some fermented mare's milk, called "kumiss". People all over Central Asia drink this beery tasting, slightly alcoholic milk product. Before the Soviets came to this area, anything stronger was unknown. Here is how they collect the mare's milk. Serving an entire meal is certainly not uncommon, and if needed a place to sleep is offered as well.

Speaking of sleeping, here is how the littlest ones sleep. They love to bind up the babies in a cradle and rock them- a lot. See that little "pipe"?? Those are the ancient predecessor to Pampers!!! The pee goes through the little pipe, and down into a jar that is attached under the bottom. That gets emptied occasionally. Most villagers are very fond of their animals and most would have at least some of kind. Sheep and goats are the most popular, but the more wealthy ones would have a herd of camels or cows or horses. These baby camels will, one day, provide milk for the other fermented drink they love so much around here called shobat.

Life takes on a slower pace around here, there isn't much to do, and that breeds boredom and hopelessness. Those in turn breed alcoholism, which runs rampant in the villages. Some see moving to the city as a way to find work, and a change. The village, which could really use MORE work, not less, is losing people and work, which makes the problems worse.

Back from the village,

Your SteppeSister