Kurban Bayram and the border trouble

The pain in my stomach started again. I don't need no doctors this time. I know the reason. It is the overwhelmed life that I am living, it is the stress of conflicting ideas in mind. It is me that is creating the pain.

The trip to Turkey was tiring and boring. On the way to the airport I tested my Russian by speaking to the border guards for 2 hours while they checked my things in detail. And after that at the airport they were unhappy since they could not find a reason to take -“ceza” as they say- punishment money from me. On the way back the plane (the new and a little cheaper firm -Siberian Airlines/S7) was delayed for nearly 3 hours and we arrived to Sochi/Adler Airport at 1 o'clock at night and they told us we need “immigrasoniy slujba” at the exit. Than there were two guards and they were saying my papers were missing and I said no they are not. They charged us of course though I rejected to pay my friend did pay it against my rejections. And than they said we can go. And we said no we need the “imigrasoniy slujba”. They said we do not need, we said we do need. Than they said they do not have it! The responsible personnel were not there, sleeping at home!!! We had to wait till morning. But some Abkhazian girls said they will rob us if we stay at the airport which seemed very realistic to me. So she took us under the rain over waters that filled the streets with all our bags and belongings to the airport hotel! We paid 250 rubles to the woman per person and we went to our rooms. In the morning we went down stairs and asked for registration, normally if you stay in a hotel in RF they need to make it for you but they said they do not have it. Besides if we want any papers to show we had been there for the night we need to pay extra 120 rubles per person. Still she was not sure if we paid the rest since the women had taken it all for herself and had not register us to the hotel! So she called her and after a hours discussion she said she will bring the money back. later so we got our papers and went to the airport. After a 30 minutes search I found the little building saying it was the place and ringed the bell a few times. Than a man who has just woke up (at 11 o'clock!) opened the door and looked at me with blurry eyes. He did the necessary procedure and it lasted only 3 minutes and I got my stamp and told him my friend will also come in a minute. Than I went to where we had hour bags and my friend went to take the stamp. His lasted like 20 minutes since he did not speak Russian and he had asked many many questions. Anyway we managed to do that and in the end we took a cab to Psou.

It was so crowded with mandarin traders. We could hardly walk among the huge mud and crowds. We passed the border faster than I accepted, I guess the problems were taking place parallel to the mandarin traders.

They should find a way to these problems at the border, maybe a legal taxation so that all will know what to pay.

Anyway, did you know that Russian Federation passport holders can get a visa to Turkey at the entrance for 20 dolars- 2 months. And since my visa is running out in 2 months I do not know how much I will need to pay. But if you take 1 25 day double entry visa it costs something like 120 dolars for Turkish passport holders.

I hope soon direct transport to Abkhazia will start and than we will not need to spend time on Russian borders.

Anyway, about Abkhazia I did not write much recently. I am currently working on an article on the food culture in Abkhazia. As I said it is the mandarin production that survives many of the families here. It is also the khurma that is very widespread among producers.

We had a Muslim Celebration, Kurban Bayram recently. And it was really stressing and fun at the same time. The stress came from the water problem- the children got diarrhea and it is really widespread. I was woken, on the first day of the Bayram by a repatriate families call saying they need my help to take their son to hospital. I ran to their house and we took a cab to the hospital. Though it was a holiday, there was an ongoing work in the Children's Hospital. They are making renovations at the building. There was a male doctor who did not really looked us in the eye, angry to someone or something running from here to there. A female doctor appeared out of nowhere and she was so kind and helpful. Checking the child for appendices and other things before deciding. Anyway, than they took us to a room and the beds were not clean at all and really cold so we put jackets to the bed and over the child. He did not want to have the serum but the Armenian care taker was talking in Turkish a little and Russian more, to relax him. Anyway, after many arguments and attempts we managed to find his vessel. Than we stayed there for an hour. The lady doctor and the care taker was checking us every now and than. Than they gave 5 different medicine including hydro-support and send us home. I think the taxi, medicine, some diet food and other payments take around 1200 rubles which is really a big sum of money. And all of this, their neighbor was paying since we could not follow it all.

Later that day, I changed and made visits to Gulripsh, where many repatriates live. That part was fun and I enjoyed a good taste of deserts, cakes and chocolates. A friend brought us home late at night. The next day was also same, visiting families and friends. Observing their reunions, chats, gossips, discussions on food and stuff. The stories of the past show that life was not easy years ago but now, life has changed in Abkhazia. Conditions are better, the borders are open, you can find or bring anything you wish. I have visited some really cool houses that you will not even see many places in Turkey. Plasma TV sets, latest design kitchens (metallic or classic wooden but complete white!), very comfortable and puffy cushions and sofas, big dining tables or American kitchens, all best quality. Very beautiful children, talking Abkhazian as their mother tongue but understanding Turkish and Russian as well as the other!

Life will not be the same in a few years. Things will change rapidly and where we will stand in this process of change? I am gonna be here in the Independent Republic of Abkhazia, enjoying the sea and the sun and these beautiful people, but what about you?

Photos of Circassian Academia Conference

The conference Photos available here

So many things to tell...

2 months of without a word!
Sum up:
*University started. Mondays 3 hours Abkhazian, Fridays 3 hours Russian! Does anyone believe I can learn any of these languages in that limited hours of courses. Well I dont! Thats why we have started the necessary procedures to change it! Details, later as progress occurs...
*I am going to (was going to) Dance group Diaskurya- the universities caucasian dance ensemble! Got a hit on my ankle! Got a conference, got another conference, got a disantheria, got a cold, got a neck problem, and now have got new Abkhazian courses at the same time! God I really wanted to make it, but the truth is, I was a disaster.... Many girls came in, be part of the group the next practice... I could never make it...
*Many new repatriat families arrived. Good cases for me as I will study repatriation. More of it the Abkhaz Abaza People's Congress started Abkhazian course for them, which takes place every day of the week, where they learn songs and poems together with the alphabet, writing, reading, grammer- whatever you need for learning a language, which I also now attend!!! Also, they are fun, they are joy and they cook good!!! Well they could only recently find houses for rent (since they have not been provided any accomodation other than the Abkhazia hotel that I had stayed before, by the government) and one family is still in the hotel... but I was their guest today for a late breakfast (where I tested my Russian by speaking with a tenant-neighbour) and for dinner where they cooked traditional Adyg food: Ships. Mmmm delicious....
*We had two conferences- pictures of the later below- first the 1st Conference named after Shalva Inal-ipa (the abkhaz historian-etnograph) and second the Circassian Academia conference- an internet communication group and network, which we realized with a lot of effort! Details later!!! I presented my thesis in the later, and my work published before in Turkish on the "name giving traditions of Adyghe-Abkhaz in Adapazari-Duzce region of Turkey". My presentation was translated from English to Russian simultaneously.
*there was a long lecetric problem due to a trafo crash down in Abkhazia. We had 2 hours of electricity and two hours of darkness for some days and it was everywhere really cold!!!!
*I do not have a heater so my house is still cold though today the problem was fixed!!!
*Atilla Tsugba and Hayri Kutarba become my neighbours: and well they are a lot of help in many things like: I have washed two many clothes and today is a day without a rain so can I hang some clothes to your balcony, or I need help with this gas oven, or they need help with a only russian speaking master who came for fixing something!!! It is great to have so many people around!!!
*Many else to say but I am afraid this problematic blogger will not work! So Thats all for now! And by the way: I have also been part of this FaceBook craziness going around. But that takes too much of my time that I spent on the internet. So maybe it is better for me to forget that there is such a thing- and there I have so many friends that I have not talked for ages, that do not know where I have been, or what I have been doing, and very likely where in the world is Abkhazia... Well I know there are many others too that are interested in Abkhazia and ----I wish internet will be cheaper and faster soon!

26 September 2007- late to post ... internet is so slow these days

I am sitting in my bed, in this -relatively- cold evening thinking of my cousin- in the middle of I do not know where- just far far away... .drinking the strawberry flavored tea that she brought for me from a long distance country that I forgot which... and wonder if she is thinking of me, wherever she is, maybe today she saw a chocolate bar that was strawberry flavored, or oxygen in a can that is strawberry flavored, or maybe some tool with strawberry design on top! She remembers me whenever she sees a strawberry and thinks that I will like and well yes I do like them a lot!! I feel her so close to me all the time. And many times, I think of her in her environment having some fun, or being melancholic- as she likes that too... But now when I think of her there is something missing...

I look at her blog-diary, I read and check the photos, but still I can not think of her in a concrete place! That is not good!!! I am afraid she feels the same way about me... Well I update as many photos as I can and try to write as many detail as possible for the readers of my Abkhazia diary, still it is not easy to dream of something that you have never experienced even a similarity. By the way she is in Japan! So I decided to think of things we lived in the past... and I checked the photos that we took in Germany about two years ago- the best one -that is hanging on my wall- is the one with her and my aunty, in which we- three adult size person- fitted inside a small box, you know those that you throw the money and have to stay still for 4 different shots of portraits. Well, this one is black and white, and we did not sit still. Actually there was not enough place for us to sit at all. In those, we try to fit our heads into the single-portrait size frames!

Anyway, I wonder how it is like to stay in a Japanese temple just to learn a language. Would I ever stay in a Monastery in Abkhazia, just to learn Russian? Would it be fun? Well if it would be the Afon Monastery than it will be great silence, and with those sun sets great enthusiasm for writing!!! And very possibly a lot of touristic polution :(

They are saying this year 2 million toruists came to Abkhazia! 2 million! I only had 5 guests, three from Germany and 2 from Belarus and they would have come even if it were not to me! This is a good number and I wonder if it is better to do trade related to tourism than to be an academician? That was a joke! I like being an academician and by the way I had a conference last week, in Ankara. Well- no comment! And I have another one in Abkhazia next week- I have to get prepared!!!! And I have another one that I am one of the organizers at the end of october and I have to deal with my paper for that too. Well you see, I am back to academic life in full speed.. :D

What else should I say...

About my life in Abkhazia after I returned from the conference: First of all I came very comfortably this time. The “Russian Custom Controllers” that do now have uniforms, have greeted me with laughs, and gave me my passport back in a few seconds with everything complete with small jokes in mixed Turkish and Russian. Than I shared a taxi with an Abkhaz lady and an Abkhaz student from Turkey. Than it was late and there was no minibus to come to Sohum and we bargained with a Gagra minibus driver, the lady giving 1000 rubles and us 900 rubles. Too much! Will never ever come on wednesday if I can... By the way, did I wrote about the happy third ticket!!! Aeroflot don – the only firm that flies to Sochi, the nearest Russian airport to Abkhazia, had a campaign that you can buy the third return ticket (if you gave the first two, to the seller) for 205 Euros instead of 300 Euros or so... It is cheap! I was planing to take the ship from Trabzon but think about it, taking a bus to Trabzon for 15 hours from Istanbul or 10 hours from Ankara that costs around 50 dollars, taking a ship from Trabzon to Sochi for 50 (pulman- open seat) or 75 (shared compartment) dollars and spending at least a day or two in the ship because of weather conditions, and spending another on the way, spending at least 5 hours at Russian customs- because they are really happy to see you- the walking banks according to them- and than you have to take a bus for an hour to come to the Abkhazian border. Does it worth it? No way!!!! Ofcourse I came with the plane...

Anyway, after I came I did not do anyhting for a few days- still it was tiring for me. And the first days had to clean the house- what a mess! Has there been a disaster in the house? - And tidy, and wash things... and rest...and shop... and take photos- for you! (You can check them at the picasa web gallery)

Well, a few days after I came there was a rumor about kidnapped boys from Tkuarchal rayon. So many different things we heard... Now everything is clear- at least more clear... A group of young military soldiers were being trained near to the border in the mountains. They were resting when they were attacked by a group wearing black clothes and masks- georgian army special team they are told to be... killed the two teachers after torturing them, took 6 of the soldiers that were not wounded during their shooting show and went... It created the fear in the people- you may think. But not really. People are not aware at all, still the funeral of the two Russian soldiers/teachers attracted about a thousand people to Sohum. They were taken within Abkhazian flags and with hundreds of red roses carried by soldiers at the front...

Well that is a sad story... that is why I will cut it short...

Other than that I have received a piece of land from the Gudauta rayon administration! Well, we just wrote an application about a month ago and it was accepted. It is a land in a village near to the main road, 10 minutes from the Gudauta center, but a small village very near to the historical Lihni village. I can even start farming- but really it is not my but my mothers field of interest. She is a farmer in our village in Sakarya doing organic farming... Maybe she will come to suggest me what to do with the land!

Oh I was nearly forgetting!!!! I have started to attend the university caucasian dances group- Dioskuri- and it is going... lets say fine. Being a late new comer, who does not have any knowledge of the main steps, or any coreography, and does not know anyone who can teach her at extra hours, I am exiled to stay at a corner and follow whatever I can with my own ambition. Every monday, tuesday and thursday I will be there from now on. And next week my school is starting. Woah ;,(( I have not yet finished my homework... I have to study harder but I have pain in my eye and I think I should not even be here, infront of the computer. Maybe I should drink another tea to feel better....

All for now. Next time to write more about everything. (Ps: to see interesting fruits from the market- check the market gallery)

Photo Albums Available

Many photo albums are available now at:

http://picasaweb.google.com.tr/abkhaziadiary
or click here

Selected available titles:

Abkhazian Women Clothing
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The white-Abkhazian-cat:going to give birth soon!

This is the national Abkhaz cat- I was told so-... it is completely white- single color eyes (not like van cats of Turkey), not deaf (as the Ankara cat is), needs to be protected!

the green eyed cat

Information for future visitors of Abkhazia!!!!

Information for future visitors of Abkhazia!!!!

1- You must understand that although Abkhazia seems in any international map you have, as part of Georgia, de facto it is not! It is an independent country with her own official institutions, own constitution and own regulations.

2- Please check if a visa to enter Abkhazia is required for you according to the passport you have at the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia's official website at :

www.mfaabkhazia.org

3- If you require a visa than please fill in the form at that page and send it to the ministry before your trip. Please consider you will have to pay 10 dolars for your visa at your arrival to Sohum otherwise you can not get your printed visa which is your ticket out! If you do not require a visa than enjoy your journey directly.

4- Please consider that Abkhazia's status is not recognized by any country officially (but people from all over the world recognize its independence-such as the UNPO members) and there is an ongoing embargo (still you can find anything you need). The borders are open but it is not very easy to pass because of the regulations and restrictions on both Georgian and Russian side.

5- If you will come from Adler-Psou, the Russian Border you can not leave the country from the Georgian border since you will be arrested by the Georgians and be charged 900 Euros and there is nothing we can do about that. If you require a visa for Russia than you MUST have a double entry visa to go back. The border is a little crowded in summer and autumn - since many people wants to come here for a cheap holiday and in autumn there is a trade of mandarin going on.Usually, Russians take their time in document checking since they want it to be as problematic as possible for the visitors so that they will not come again... Still last year, people from Germany, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, England, France and some other parts of the world came to Abkhazia.

6- If you will come from Georgia they say that you may have to wait for 2 weeks to get a permission which you may not receive at all. This is usually the answer when you ask if you can. I think the best way is to just go and pass the border but I do not want to be the one to suggest. The information I got is not trustable. But if you manage to get it than you may go back from the same border or through Psou to Russia if you have a suitable Russian visa. Sorry but Russians do not issue a visa at the border and there is no consulate in Abkhazia. If you go back to Georgia, it is possible that you may be questioned informally on your purposes of visit but it is not usually very problematic as far as I heard!

7- I know it seems too much trouble to take. But I think it will worth it!!!! Ask the people who have already come!!! We have the greatest nature, best sea, interesting traditional cousine, the Ritza lake region for mountaineers and people who love trekking and camping in the mountains (snowboarders came to Abkhazia just recently), religious monuments such as the 300 year old church, or the monastry, a great history that we know little about- the dolmens that belongs to an old past, the castles of hundreds of years, the exiled Abkhazians of the Tsarist period and their distinct Caucasian culture still living in the modern world, the Soviet heritage- we are all one and equal- you can still see the same piece of Muhina glass in every house, the Abkhazian-Goergian war of the 1990s- with its monuments and loss in every family and its remains in every corner, the transition period with its "capitals"- the market that has it all....

8- One last thing you should remember, when Abkhazia will be recognized officially you will have a chance to say: I was there before it was even recognized! I felt their belief in independence! I lived their independence within their borders! I knew it! And I supported it!!!!

And this is the end of the 14th August Memorial Day...

With three Abkhazian friends under the map they made with cloth pieces!

And we were on TV in the evening...

The youth organization was invited to the official National Abkhazian TV and so we were... I made a short speech in Abkhazian, having a look at a paper for the things I forget but it was all in Abkhazian and I thinked much better than talking in Turkish and having it translated. Now all will remember- she knew little but she talked big! Not something like - you do not speak my language, who are you to talk here- or worse, you tell us to not to speak in Russian and bossing us, and now you come on tv and talk in Turkish, puh! That was a little quarrel with the other girls from Turkey. I mean they knew much better Abkhazian than me, but since Abkhaz youth preferred to talk in Russian they preferred to talk in Turkish! Which I a little hardly and bossy rejected! I sometimes behave too much- but only for things I believe!!! And I believed it was worth reading or making mistakes in Abkhazian!!! They say I was fine... Which is good!!! And these are the youth watching the alive show- afterwards!

And than flags met at the red bridge...

And than flags met at the red bridge...Half coming from the Georgian border, the others from the Russian border...
There were Abkhaz from Abkhazia, Turkey, Moscow and other parts of Russia, an Adyg, a Migrelian (Megrel), Armenian... in the group and among the flag holders!!!

And the next morning we marched to the red bridge where the war started!!!

And the next morning we marched to the red bridge where the war started!!! And we three young girls from Turkey, one Adyg and two Abkhazian, carried an Abkhazia flag at the front...

And than a car came by...

With a special plaka written Apsyni. And one Abkhazian and one Adygeyan flag hanged on it!!!Ah my Adyg blood boiled up ofcourse! I ran and meet them but they were Abkhazians who had Adyg friends...

From the camp... at Machara

And came the 14th of August! The Memorial Day of the War!!!

And came the 14th of August! The Memorial Day of the War!!!
It is the starting day of the war... And this is at the camp by the Abkhazian youth at the entrance of Sohum city, where the war started, and they marched from both borders to Sohum with flags and flowers for as much graveyard of war martyr...

Gypsies!!!

There are many of them in Abkazia... but this is my first eye contact with one... She holds a bird in the hand that takes out your fortune from the bottle!!! Wanna try???

When the group from Turkey came...

We saw how an average income buffet owner can give away what she has to her guests without a second thought!!! She cut the melons she should be selling when she learned we were Adyg and Abkhaz from Turkey!!!!

This is really Abkhazia!!!

You see we even have sea parachute! Or whatever it is called!!!!

A long late post....

It has been so long... It feels like months... Do not know where to start... Maybe from the last thing: I got my first HC visitors and it was great! Except that I somehow got ill and was in bed for two days. But I am recovering...

And thanks to a friend coming from Turkey I did not get too bored during this period. Because she brought the book I had ordered months ago! The 7th book of Harry Potter! It was hard to leave it when I had to run to the bathroom, or when I could not read because of the pain in my stomach, or when I had to sleep because of my fever but still I managed to finish it in these two days... It was great...

Well, it has been holiday for nearly two months and I spend about a month of this period in Turkey. The first was just after the first year exams- from Russian I got a 4 and from Abkhazian a 5 out of 5- and I went there basically for the wedding of my old friend from the university preparation course, a soul twin. Maybe I already wrote about that... And the second time I went just after 3 weeks for the wedding of my cousin, which was cute, and a circassian family friend's, which I could catch only the last dance to close it up since they were the same day; and the wedding of my Circassian friends from London- which I missed due to a hurt ankle. And, I voted at the national elections in Turkey, for the independent politician- I mean who would support a party if each is worse than the other....

Fortunately, my aunt was there too and it was great to see her sometimes I feel we have so much in common, and she really knows to listen to others- though only if she wants. Well, I should learn a little from her!!!

Before I leave friends came from Turkey. A group of young people, as part of an exchange program, and I had a friend among them. We hanged around with them for some time and I hosted the young girls one night. What a crowded house it has been...

When I arrived there was another group- the Circassian Friendship Club from Turkey. More than a month I did not talk in Abkhazian at all. And I forget it all! In a month! How can this be? Well how did I forget my Adygeyan? Though I hope it will come back when I improve my Abkhazian to a better level, it is gone for now... Russian? It survives somehow, but I did not study at all... I did not do any of my summer homeworks. Well I started but not at a good point to complete them in due time. On the first of September the university opens- and I am a bad student! I should be studying now!!!!

About my house a little, it turned out to be too noisy: with the butka next door that plays music till late night, and cars and trucks going crazily fast all day and night, and drunks singing in the streets till morning... I can not have a rest in this house! I still do not have an oven- can not cook but make tea with a spiral water heater... And it is good to eat fruits and salad and yogurt in summer....The house is not just noisy but it is also getting dirty very easily because of all these cars... I sometimes feel the things I wash up do not smell clean just because I have to hang them on the balcony which looks to the road. I clean, I wash, I wash the dishes-that I do not understand how I make so many dirty things in such a short time; I tidy- I mean one room house is a trouble. You do not have a space to be untidy!!!!

What else about me? I went to a repatriants house the weekend before. It was good talking and good experience and good study. I have to start doing something about my phd... At least to form a proposal...

And my young repatriant friend, Yeliz who have graduated from the Abkhazian Language and Literature Department here, turned out to be a better teacher than my writer friend Hayri since she can concentrate on the thing we do and she forced me to study a little more when I wanted to run away.

And we spend some time talking with another friend Shaika who has a possibility to go to my university this year... Otherwise she will be in Istanbul for her education!

Well, well... A lot has happened and have to choose the things that come to my mind... I made some interviews and wrote some pieces to the Jineps newspaper in Turkey.

I already wrote my article for the ESCAS conference to be held in Ankara next month. We have a panel there... About the Caucasus.... Come along if you will be around. 15th September, afternoon section...

I am working on another for the Abhaz-Adyg institutes' international ethnography conference in October about the Naming traditions among the Adyg-Abhaz diaspora in Turkey.

And we have organized a workshop as the Circassian Academia, our group for so long, that will take at the end of October in Abkhazia!!! Well, i am happy that I suggested it should be here since it will be great experience for all young academicians and a good support for Abkhazia, and I think I love to host people!!!!

By the way another group came from Turkey which is young and dynamic and I have some friends among them but I do not feel like talking in Turkish anymore. So I little avoided them- and I was ill... So maybe I should go and see what they are up to now. Oh and I need to take the books for the library that they brought...

I will try to keep up-to-date as I have been trying for so long....

Today I wrote a letter to the friend that wrote me 2,5 months ago to learn about my life in Abkhazia- who I had responded as, I will write you back in a few days!!! So I am better in updating my blog!!!

And, last minute news:

*Met my friend Saide from Maykop. A good talk about Adyg-Abkhaz life in the Caucasus!!! Should write that article soon!!!

**my idil- cousin- went to Japan for a summer school!!!! Cool. I misss her....

I admire:

I admire people who have time to do all the things they wish to do!
I admire people who travel when they wish to!
I admire people who take lots of pictures and find time to take a good look in all!
I admire people who update their blogs everyday or very frequently!
I admire the ones who can write all their ideas in a short time!
I admire those who turn their writings into some kind of sharable text!
I admire those, more, who publish their writings!
I admire journalists who can create news everyday!
I admire writers who write all ideas and dreams on their minds!
I admire those, more, who can edit the photos they took!
I admire all anthropologists who observe and write notes to not to forget!
I admire those anthropologists who make academic publications even more!
I admire those, who spend each day more time, to love those that they love!
I admire those who read lots of books!
I admire the readers who can buy first copies of the books they wish to read!
I admire people who watch all new movies of their interests!
I really very much admire people, who can do all these and still find time to sleep, to swim or do other sports, go to purposeless walks, watch documentary films on tv, eat good food, cook good food.... Who can live as they wish are the ones I really admire!!!

Market place-2

The cheese court! Does not seem very hygienic, though, really delicious!!!

The market place....

My flat!!!

The first pics from my flat! Now looks more like a place to live. Pics soon to come!!!

I had guests from Adygeya last month!
The two interesting people I know from Maikop!
The first is Beroko Memet- repatriant from Adapazari, living in Maikop for over 15 years. He is a driever and he is an interesting fellaw!
Sabahat, is originally living in Lozan. Aged 74- living her early youth as a character. She travels around the world, but every year once or twice stays in her appartment in Maikop. This time she came to Abkhazia with Beroko for a day, to see me and other young friends she had during the Abaza Congress....

Some people do not need to share a full talk to communicate! Asta is one of those! She is also writing a phd dissertation. She is a geographer! She is a researcher. She is someone that I will share a lot more in time!!! She is the future leading social scientist in Abkhazia!!!

Me, Selin and Yeliz... The day before Yeliz graduated from the Abkhazian Literature department!!! She is a repatriat that will have a great role at her homelands future formations!!!

My Russian language teacher, Vasili Ivanovich, and my only classmate at prep school- Selin!
Mr. Vasili Ivanovich is a great example of how ethnicly non-Abkhazians can be Abkhazian nationalists!!! Like me as an Adyg being one :D

Taking a passport (renewing) is a lot of bureacracy in Abkhazia. Most of the population did not yet received a passport. After a long waiting, and receiveng the information that her passport is ready, Lisa and I went to Ochamchira to take her passport. Altough, her aunt was working at the office, and she had submitted full documents for sure, she had to arrange some photocopy that was missing from his file.... However, as we went out for xerox, electric cut off and we had to wait for about an hour for a single copy.
In the end when she got it, she was so happy that she was the first to receive her passport among her sisters...

Kecba Alhas! The young dancer of the Aphaz Dance school! He is a real talent! and always fun...

My frend Max, his little Bagrat and wife. The future faces of Abkhazia.
Max is the Vice Minister of Foriegn Affairs of Abkhazia...
Bagrat will be the open-minded generation grown up under a democratic rule thanks to people like his father...

The language

Abkhazians in Abkhazia use as their daily language, Abkhazian. The girls that I stay with talk - esp. when I am not around asking questions- in abkhazian. They make jokes, gossip, argue and even see their dreams in abkhazian. I am sure of that because they can not find in Russian dreams dictionaries what they have seen or talked or done....
This is really important since Abkhazian is one of those languages that has come to distinction....
In the outside world I try to catch pieces of conversations. In the bazaar (market) for ex. if both sides of a conversation are Abkhaz they ussually greet in Russian and continue with Abkhazian. Ofcourse the numbers come in Russian since most take basic mathematics in school- in Russian language.
In the university, my lectures go fine since our teachers try hard to not to mix our minds. I have started to respond many questions asked to me in Abkhazian besides I am even capable of giving a toast speech in Russian and reading a poem or singing a song in Abkhazian...
The arguments about the alphabet, whether it should be kept cyrillic or changed to latin is also in question here too. (It is argued in the diaspora too!!!)
By the way, there is a funny Abkhazian rap song!!! Abkhazians do not only make classical or ethnic music in Abkhazian but also pop, rap and children songs....That is another hope for the language...
All about the language issue for now. I still could not find a place so it is boring to write in corners of internet cafes... I hope to add more titles on religion, the city of sokhum, the market and bagrat sinkuba- the famous writer who is jubilee for the 90th birthday is currently taking place... as soon as possible...

It should have been a diary!!!

Who said it is not??? I just do not write everyday. I had one of those periods of wishing to do nothing!!! I just feel not like writing...
The basic reason for this is the overload of information. Everything new... everyone new... a completely new life... If I wanna be a good anthropologist than I should be writing more and more each day... But I just do not feel like doing that... What do other ant.s do at such times???

Hotel/Guesthouse or as the title says: Holiday Home Abkhazia

Sohum Basketball Girls Team at practice

An average table for the `guest`

With neighbors at the appartment of Liza Kutarba... (Second from left)

Day6-27.03.2007

Today at last I managed to take the helath report from the policlinic. Well we woke up hard this morning since we sat late at night looking at photos at my computer with the girls and after we talked (do not ask how) with Liza. Sometimes girls do not need same words to communciate- I really can understand her. This is also due to her character- she finds a way to explains herself.
In the morning it was so cold that we were freezing and it was very hard to get up. Anyway we went to the policlinic about 9:30 and we waited for her friend and after she decided not to anymore and applied officially. 150 Rubles for the report. Waited for the signs and that is all, nobody take a look at me. I have not seen "a" doctor. Just as it would be in Turkey.
After I thought I was lae for class and went to demographia. Erkan was not there and I sat and studied Abkhazian. Than Selin called me to say that the teacher decided to make an extra hour so I should come to the university. I hardly found a marshrutka (minibus) to go.
The teacher was kind and she made me read the alphabet and find some sounds such as the "p" and "p," sounds problematic. She made me read many things and told me to write somethings and study well for the things.
We had some kind of "milfoy acapuri" (bцrek) at the corner of telecom. 3 acapuri, pepsi for Selin and juice (sok) for me for 80 Rubles. Also we had some kind of desert that I liked from Adygeya called Kartoska. Selin bought them since I wanted but she could not eat.
Than I went to the hotel and had a bath. After I went to Demographia and met with Selin and Yeliz for a few minutes. (Yeliz- sister of Erdoрan that I had met before). Than went to the university with Erkan and did my registration by giving my papers to Tamara. Tomorrow, Erkan will call the rector and it will be complete. Than we met Sinejan and went to Selin's house to study English. She is really ambitious to learn English. Than we came back home with Liza at 7:30. We had Abista and Akut and ofcourse Cheese!.. I ate so much!!! And after Saide (Saya), the updoor neighbour called us and it appeared that she asked us for dinner. Oh, I had never eaten so much and she made me drink Champein. It was a nice one but half a bottle is too much with all that food!!! At least we could understand each other much more. Vadik- another neigbour and his father was also there. I slept feeling a little dizzy....

Day 5-26.03.2007

I waited for Liza to wake up and get ready since she did not let me to leave alone and I was late to go with other girls. Anyway, she came to the city with me and I went to hotel and take a shower and came back for the Policlinic at 12:00 and when we went there they told us to come the other day!!! Зerkes saati= Circassian timing....
Than I met with Selin to take her Abkhazian notebook but since we decided to study English with Sinejan in her house, I left my bag there and went to the ministry. Timur had dropped by the internet cafe and asked for me. I went there and thanked him for the phone he borrowed me and returned it. Than had a walk araound the city under the rain. It was great. That green sea, and the clean air... I did not have my camera with me since I had left my bag at Selin's. Than I had Achapuri and tea at Narther- where we had been before... Well since it is an open air restaurant with small bugonvilles it was a little cold.
At Selin's ofcourse we chatted rather than study. Than I had to leave to the internet cafe to go to Liza's.
In the evening we had akut and looked at the photos with their neigbour Saida.

Day 4

I love Sundays! Because the next day is Monday which is when all will get solved- all will be working and I will be a student at the university!!! (I hope) Today I came to Kutarba's since I had promised. All morning I was at the hotel dancing and thinking. The weather was not so good so I did not go out. Ate my bananas and a little piece of cheese I could break since I did not have a knife and the dentist has forbidden to bite hard things because of my bracelets. Met with Liza about midday.
She was at a relatives house (Manana Kutarba-Khasba's) and was baking a tort. I sat and drank coffee, juice and ate pieces of her tort. The view from the balcony was incredible. It is a really old appartment with all those details and beatiful style. Just at the centre of the city. Milada and Davur the children were so lovely, smiling to me all the time...
After we took a marsrutka to Liza's house. It is a 5 room house. The room at the enterance is not included- that is the living room that opens to three places- one kitchen, one to the hall that has the bathroom, toilet and a room; and the dining room that opens to three rooms.
Their father was very angry to me when he learned that I will rent a place. He hold my ear, showed me a fist, told me I was his 8th daughter, told her girls to take my passport and than I would have to stay here, told it was too expensive to pay 80 dolars for a house where there is only a single room and no hot water.... They sincerely asked me to stay in their place.
Than their neighbour Saida, who is married to a returnee and who lived in Turkey for some years came. She spoke Turkish and she was so kind and so close- asked me to come to stay at their place (upstairs). She said I could never earn 80 dolars a month to give to a house- that it was too expensive... What will I do????...

Day 3-24.03.2007

I again woke up early. Had the courage to have a shower this morning. Walk around the halls for the showers. Find it at the other corridor. Seemed clean. Had place to hang clothes and towels. Had a lock both at the main door and inside door. Took my things and went there. The water was cold for ten minutes and I was nearly going to cry but than first drops of hot water made the freezing water warmer. Than warmer and really hot. I had to wash my head with the soap I brought from Turkey since I had forgotten to take a shampoo with me. Still I feel like I need to scratch my head.
Anyway, after the shower I felt better but I still had those question marks going around my head. Should I take the flat for 2000 Rubles. Does it worth? What if two days later they tell me a better place for the same prize. Mixed up... Thinking about the facilities I may need. Internet will be a problem with a shared phone. I asked about the satellite net to Tugcan. He told me it cost 500 Dollars to build and have to pay 50 dollars every month. No thanks man! It is too much!!!
Later today Sinejan told me it is even slower than internet cafe connection which is dial up and really slow. Well, have to consider this detail deeply. Maybe would be best to connect from an internet cafe and I may have a separate line that I will not need to wait in the row and I may connect from my own computer. Should talk to Liza with the help of someone. Of course this means no internet after 5 o'clock in winter since there is no transportation and there is no single person in the streets after dark.
I dropped by to see Liza and tried to update the blog my diary. www.abkhaziadiary.blogspot.com. I copied the file maybe a hundred times but when I published it, it disappeared. I could not understand really why. I should write to my brother about that...
Than we met with Sinem and went to the sport centre where they played basketball with Sinejan and others. I realized I did not played basketball for 7 years. The ball seemed so strange and heavy and when I could not stop myself from playing without warm up I felt incredible pain in my arm and back. Still had some at the evening.
After we walked and Sinem went to an internet cafe and we talked with Sinejan about the English exam she will have next week and I promised to help her study. We went to a small market and I bought banana (kg-50 rubles) and smoked cheese (kg 170 rubles).
We met some returnees on the way and we sat with them. Everybody told the stories of a haunted house that one returnee owns. During the war the night they got back Sohum they get to this house where a Georgian woman whose son had died was living. The next morning the Georgians left Sohum and the house was left to them. As days passed interesting and unexplainable things had started to happen to each of them. They felt there was someone at the house. Fighting with them at their sleeping, woke them up, walk or run at the upstairs or all through the house when they were all downstairs together. I first thought it was the psychology of the war but they said they showed a video recording of something white and really fast moving in the house to all their friends that did not believed them back than... However, the recording was lost a week later... Interesting.... Was a good start for my research on Witch and Haunted believes of Abkhaz groups. However, it was getting dark and cold so we had to change our place to a closed restaurant.
We went to Pitztza and ate pizza. The talk started to turn on me after a while. They asked me if I was an agent- I said it would have been fun but no I am not. I think this is our destiny- I mean the academicians. And I think it is because all those academicians who play on both sides and do not do something because they wonder but because they have to.
By the way, though I had all the time rejected to be action oriented in field research I feel like my perception on this issue is starting to change. Will it be a problem? Will that effect my perception and approach to the issue. I feel the work I may do could do some real help to the people and Abkhazia...

Day 2-23.03.2007

I woke up at 8:00 though I slept late. It is interesting to see how places change habits. In Istanbul I had lost controll of my life and would sleep in the morning and could not wake up before somebody woke me up. Here, I cannot sleep till midnight, but i wake up early in the morning. I hope this will not change after Sunday when they will arrange the hours according to the summertime.
Last night I misunderstood Liza when she called me by the phone at the hotel. I thought she asked me if I would like to go totheir village Kutol till Sunday this evening but she had said "utra" which i realised was "morning". I also had promised to be in Demographia for registration to the university at 10. Liza arrived at 8:30, and I had to say her I cannot come. Than she left, and I left for Demographia, again having a coffee with Maxim at the Ministry before that. They wrote me a paper saying I am the guest of Demographia and that they will pay for my stay at the hotel. I took back my passport from the hotel and took it to Demographia. They told me I should go to check up at the hospital at 2:30.
Erkan showed me the way to the restaurant opened by returnees from Turkey- called Antalya. I had Turkish Pide with Cheese and Sok (Juice) for 140 Rubles. The Juice is half a litre- not only a single glass.
Just as I was leaving I heard some guys talking in Turkish. Met Erdoрan and Turgut. They deal with some construction works. Erdoрan is living with his family and they returned a while ago. He has 2 girl sisters- Yeliz, an English Teacher and Filiz is a student of Abhaz language. Turgut is a new returnee- originally from Bilecik and he does not want to return back to Turkey. He said he wants to die here...
Than I met Okan, from Hendek. Came here during the war, saw his two borthers die, left Abkhazia for 6 years; but returned recently back to Abkhazia. Also I met Kavkaz, who blaimed his granny for giving him such a name that he has to carry so much responsibility. (Considering the paper I wrote about name giving traditions in Abkhaz and Adyge communities in Adpazarэ-Dьzce region he would have been a good example.)
I left for the hospital but when I arrived to Demographia I learned that the hospital was off on Friday afternoon. Registration was left to Monday... Wished I had gone to Kutol. However Liza had also returned from Kutol because she had to do somethings. She asked me to her house again but I said later. Anyway, together with Liza we went to see a flat that belonged to somebody Okan knew. They asked for 3000 Rubles. Top floor, single room, nice view, little balcony, new fridge, tv, no hot water (and maybe no water- i did not get that very clear) but promised to build the water pipes and I could get a heater for myself. All payments included at the rent- electricity, water, taxes, etc... Floor wooden (clean), wallpapered (not bad) and an average door (would be safe э guess because we could not even open it from inside). Said I will think.
At the internet cafe where Liza worked we came across another relative of Hayri who too us to Eteri- another close relative. Eteri showed me a flat in her appartment. 2000 Rubles for a room with bed, table, broken tv that will be repaired soon, working fridge and heater, all things that I may need. There is water but no heater so Eteri told me I can use her place to wash. This house seems safer since you enter one hall and than on the right the tenders house and left mine. Disadvantage: telephone will be shared- wonder if I can take another line?...
Later that day, I met with Gkecpha Selin and Sinejan. Selin came to study here 4 months ago. She has build her life, she had a housemate Jansel but since Jansel had to leave she lives alone. Everybody repeats to me that I should stay with her but I do not want to destroy her life, also that way we can never improve our languages. We will communicate in Turkish and all year goes to rubbish!
Anyway with them we had a dinner- hachapuri and tea- 50 Rubles each! I also met Tuрcan, another returnee here for about 8 months now. Sinejan is the daughter of a returnee family and is in Abkhazia for 4-5 years. After dinner they left me to the hotel. It was nice time we had but they told me I can find very good places for 2000 Rubles and now I have a question mark. Should I take the place or not hurry????

Sorry...

Sorry for the styles, and problems but first of all the telecommunications technology is not much developed in Abkhazia, and second i am not very much used to the russian computer language :)))

The real Day 1- 22.03.2007

I thought I slept too much. I was wrong! It was only 8 o'clock when I woke up. I spent some time to tidy my stuff and more important my mind. Took some pictures of my room and the view from the balcony. Locked my computer in by luggage- incase... Got ready and left "Holiday House Abkhazia" at 9. Went out and walked through the town. Made a call to my mom- she was still asleep, or she did not answer since the numbers are not visible. I called Kutarba Hayri Ersoy, my collegue and consultant. He was so worried about my trip to Abkhazia that i did not have time to worry for myself. Later during the day, I learned he called everyone till morning since my Turkish line didnot work after I entered Abkhazia (nobody knows why) and he was really worried.
I said hi to Maxim and others at the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs while I passed by the parliamnet building. They were so sincere in their manners that I felt I have done right to come. They made me feel I belong here... I felt really shame when Maxim told me they are fasting (oruз) at the moment for 40 days till the Eastern. He told it when I gave him a box of chocolate. I felt so uncomfortable, but he was very kind and he wanted to reject the choclate. I told him to distribute it to his friends though later I wondered if they were all the same... Cultural differences- most important differences come with religion and religous beliefs.
After that I just dropped by to see Kutarpha Liza, but her sister was there instead. We hardly communicated with her but she hugged me and kissed me many times...
I arrived at the Ministry for Repatrition (Demographia as the returnees call it) at about 11. Kutarba Erkan, the vice president and a returnee met me there and took me to the University to become a prep student and study Abkhazian and Russian. However, the office was closed. We returned back to the Demographia. While I was waiting there all the girls working at the offices remembered me from the Congress time, many of them hugged me and show their happiness for my "return to the homeland". As we wait time passed and I started to wonder when the lunch break was since I only had a cup of coffee all day. At about 2:30 the girls at the office asked me if I would like to have a cup of tea with them. That was a very interesting combination of food at the table. Turюu (???), a kind of Sэzbal-Salad (Pancar Ezmesi), cheese, bread and of course ajuka. It was the greatest breakfast I had for days since I was so hungry. After, we went to the university one more time. This time we met the president and she said we need to register and she asked for health report, diplom, passport, 6 photographs. After I may start my classes, 2 days Russian and 2 days Abkhazian.
Later, I left and had a walk back to the Ministry from Demographia to meet Temur who we had also met during the Congress and had been in touch. Since his brother (cousin) was getting married he had a day off but when I called him he was very kind to meet me and spend a few hours with me. While I was waiting for him, I met Kuchba Ali- my Apsua Koshara teacher from Ankara who was doing some investment in his homeland. He insisted I should not stay alone since it may not be safe. I was a little uncomfortable with him insisting like that. I am still not very sure about this issue. Anyway, Temur than took me to buy a phone number. However, one of the two firms- aquaphone- asked for 50 dolars for the line that can be called internationally. The other one-amobile was 250 Rubles (1/5 percent of the other). Unfourtunately, since his sister was working in aquaphone she would arrange us taking it without passport. So with a-mobile we passed the street to see if Kutarba Liza was at the internet cafe she works, to ask her this favor. Her sister responded they have already bought a line for me and that they will give it to me next day. I met Kopsirgen Fэrat at the cafe. He is also a returnee from Turkey, married to local girl. He told me his wife speaks Turkish and that insisted I should be their guest.I found the right response to all those invitations: "I want to build a life here. If I will be your guest, nobody will help me to find a place of my own. Than it will not be my life, I will only be a tourist. Please let me find a place to rent. Than I will frequently be your guest." After he left, Liza's sister was very angry, as far as I understand becuase they wanted to take me to their place and that if I will go somewhere it should be their house. They met me long before and ask me to come to their place when I came in December.
Temur was very kind in giving me his second number and phone for the night. I may say I felt a little more comfortable, but thats not true because I started to think about the negative things when everybody told me it is not good to stay alone, in a hotel, etc. Than I realised, it was not the real danger that made them talk like that- it was part of the culture- they would feel guilty if they didn't show their hospitality. So I watched some parts of "Dark Angel" series to relax my mind and I slept a little late. By the way we just had Turkish coffee again and I bought a pack of biscuits for the night. Loved it but couldn't eat much of it. "Wada nigazarovannaya" (Still water) was also available at the shop so I may say I was lucky.

Day 1_ 21.03.2007

I wished it for so long... I wished to come to the Caucasus. I wished to come and study Circassian, imporve my Russian. I have already written a thesis about the North West Caucasus. But I knew the day I sat foot in the lands, where the grandparents of my grandparents, and relatives of so many people I knew were forced to leave, I knew that I belong to these lands... I left to come back as soon as possible. That was at the end of 2005. It does not seem to long when you count it. I came to see Abkhazia, exactly 1 year after I left Adygeya. The feeling was same. This time, I was not alone. There were 150 people with me at the airport who had come for the World Abhaz-Abazin Congress, many of which were living their first "homeland-motherland-fatherland" experience and a considerable amount had some kind of connection to the life here due to frequent visits.
I decided the first day, if I could, I should come to Abkhazia. I had many reasosn for this. For example, Sohum is more beautiful than the somewhat "urbanized" Maikop- though I could never put aside the beatiful days I lived there and it was much better than any town I had been to until than. Still, Maikop lacked the sincerety of Sohum. Sohum, had lived a war where most of the city was destroyed and the wounds did not yet fully covered from this experience. It is possible to see torn out buildings, holes in the walls, completely broken down houses and an unrenewed infrastructure all over the town. However, this does not make you feel a stranger to the realities of this city. Though the war is not forgotten and a young Abhazian reminded me that the smiles on the faces of the people was only for us-the exiled siblings, it was great to meet all those people who hugged you the first minute you met and invited you to come back to the homeland. Another reasons was I felt like I could be some use to the people of Abkhazia. I could help for the construction of the "social knowledge" infrastructure. I could do necessary impact assessment research for the development projects of the country. I could say at the Russian Language course "Abkhazia, eta maya strana". They appreciated the work I have done and told me I could be of use if I came.
They made me feel, I could do it. And here I am. In Sohum. After waiting for so long... I decided at the last minute to come with the plane. We were late at the airport. Last one to Check in and the contuar closed. They wrote my name wrong on the boarding card and changed it with complaints. The police at the passport controll accepted my paper saying I will attend a language course in the Russian Federation- though not there I will attend a Russian and Abkhazian language course soon. At the plane I realized I did not open my phone the international roaming- bad timing. Tried till the planed moved and manged to turn it on- it was as simple as dialing *131#. The girl sitting infront of me was very kind in arranging her seat in such a way that I could hardly breath. Who cared... The red wine and the mixed luch of cheese, salami and pasta was fine. I rushed to the door and than to the passport conttrol, which was of no use since a group of girls kicked me and passed me. After all, the passport controller asked me questions in Russian, and took my passport, leaving her place to ask some questions to her chief, and I had to wait for about 15 minutes at the first check. Than came the second check, I do not know why. This time it took about 5 minutes. Than they told we could take our luggage and I was again kicked by some ladies carrying 20 bags out. Than a policeman checked if we took our own bags... Than we had to wait for the customs check line. The girl sitting infront of me and her boyfriend kicked me to the side and passed infront of me. I saw them putting some rubles among their passports. I think the police find it too little since they kept them for some time. And they did not even look at my passport or bags, not even to my face. Just made a hand moment saying me to leave. I was so happy and I rushed to the door, and than to the exit. "Stop" said a policeman at the last door. "Passport" he said, showing another control personnel. Had to walk back, and give my passport and the guy, who had asked me to marry him when I came in December, told me I have to have a transit stamp and I have to wait till everyone leaves to take it since I have to return to the first desk! Bureacuracy!!!
Fortunatlely, Akuzba Yavuz was there to take me to Sohum. I told him and he said there is no need. When he said so, they said "if you are sure they won't ask at the Psou Customs..." he said yes and we left... And there was no need!.. Anyway, when we arrived to the Psou police controll, it was their dinner time and we had to wait for about 20 minutes. Than they let us in. Another, passport controll but this time to leave the Russian Federation. You have to walk through the bridge over the River Psou with your bags and we did. And we were in Abkhazia, and the Abkhazian customs checked our passports too: and we were in Abkhazia!!!
Than we came to Sohum in about an hour. They brought me to a hotel Abhazia- where they told me I could stay for a night with payment, and after they will give me a paper from the demographia and I may stay for free for a month.
Than we went to a restaurant to catch the last minutes of the dinner in honour of .... Soner, the new parlimantarian (choosen by the people of Abkhazia on 18 March 2007 elections) who is a returnee from Turkey. Did not stay too long and they brought me back to my hotel. And this time I had a good look around my room. It was not the best, neither the wors. I had seen worse conditions among my friends who were students in small towns of Turkey. Also, this was to change soon when I found a house for rent. The only annoying thing seem to be the voice of water splitting from the broken tub. I put a plastic piece under the splitting part and there was no more "shirrr" sound. Some kind of a truck passed seconds ago- making a lot of noise, but after Baрdat Street where I stayed at my grandpa's house the last six months it was nothing.
The phone doesn't work here though it did at the customs. I do not know why... I will anyhow have a local line tomorrow.
The electric heater makes the room warmer and it is not really cold. But I feel it is time to sleep now, since it has already been the second day. :)