Bagapsh re-elected

Election results:
59,7 it is 59% for Bagasph, 15,44% for Hacimba, 10,8% for Ardzinba, 8% for Butba, 1,5% for Bganba
Bagapsh re-elected for presidency.
The observers have positive impact- they say it was free and fair, democratic. Will let you know more later...

Bazala TV Ad

Life fast and busy...

Everything is in a period of change. Martha Jonua (linguist-social researcher) has left for Moscow-getting married tomorrow.

From GoodbyPartyforMarthaJonua

Dijin Churey (linguist and ethno-musicolog) came to Abkhazia and got married today...With traditional clothes on her, the groom, the tatsayuza (brides' friend who is an unmarried girl from the family of the boy). I wanted to have something traditional too. But time and economic limits resulted in this creative piece. Of course it is a result of 4 day delicate embroidery work by Trapsh Ece from Shelly.

From Achara/Jeug/Wedding/Düğün

I have also prepared an advertisement for the training that will start on Tuesday but I couldnt catch the advertisement on TV tonight because i did not realized the time after I came from the wedding and missed the first 15 minutes of Abkhaz State TV So I can not makes sure if they published it :(

And posters to be hanged tomorrow.

And though it is after midnight and I am dying since in total i slept 15 hours in the last week I feel like sitting here and writing all about these...

New Visa information for International Visitors of Abkhazia

I frequently hear and read complaints about the problematic entrance to Abkhazia. I had visitors from Hospitality Club before and I fought for them in four languages with all levels of the bureaucracy. I promised them if they arrange the visit of my friend I will never ever again come to their door for an international visitors visa issues. Though, I failed to keep my promise since I value the outside view and the importance of non-Russian speaking/Western visitors' word in the recognition or even increasing the knowledge of Abkhazia's independence.
Ofcourse, the international visitors do not realize that the citizens of Abkhazia can not go anywhere outside of Russia, only a selected few can take visa for Europe or USA with the international Russian passports since they are officially registered, working, studying in Abkhazia- which is an unrecognized country. For repatriants the situation is really much worse since they do not have Russian passports but Turkish or other-which receives Russian visa for really expensive and hardly. Besides most repatriants passports have very likely expired since they are here for over a year (the 2-5 year Turkish passport costs really a lot) and the Russian visas are not given to expired passports. And there is no direct transport from Abkhazia- so nearly all the population has been limited to the small country all their life. Because of many impossibilities, - economic, social, political, security- many did not have the chance to see even the most touristic attractions in their own country like Ritza Lake or Bedia Church till recently.

So please do not complain about the visa and entrance procedures of Abkhazia but make suggestions, tell the responsible personnel how it can be better, easier for them and for you. Give examples from similar situations. But do not compare to Europe where citizens of Europe, USA or Canada can go around however they want, whenever they want. Compare with realistic examples... Consider that that responsible person who is responding to your request my have never been to a country other than Russia which is a land of bureaucracy!

Here new information in English is available for the interested:
Press here or copy one of the links:
http://www.mfaabkhazia.org/en/mfa_chart/visa_to_abkhazia/
http://therepublicofabkhazia.org/pages/contact-us/visitor-info.shtml

Going native!

That is the term used for social scientists (anthropologists) when they start to behave like the people they study. "Why, after about three years I feel like this? Did I felt like an outsider before? What made the change?" can be some of the questions that come up to your mind. But the reason I used this wording is that I have find out myself talking just like on a recent conversation with some strangers in the Botanical Institute. I went there to find out if I can have an appointment or a phone number to make an appointment. I entered the room greeting in Abkhaz. There was a young girl who greeted back in Abkhaz and an old lady who was the secretary who responded back in Russian. I started my sentence in Abkhaz, continued in Russian got different responses from them in both languages, than started in Russian again, continued in Abkhaz and ... I have gone native in terms of language!!!
It really disturbed me when they talked in mixed languages. Maybe it was because I could hardly understand a single one in a long conversation and the combination of the two was very tiring since they were both foreign languages. Thinking a little back I realized I have been doing this for a while.
I remember, back in Turkey as I thought SPSS lectures to the sophomores as a senior, one of the students had critisized my lectures for being discomforting becuase of constantly talking in two languages- Turkish and English. I hated that too but if I talked only in English about statistics and computers, more than half of the class could not follow the lectures. And I had asked which language they would like me to talk at the lectures at the beginning of the year, and people had voted for multilingual lecturing.
Still, I don't like this mumbling and bumbling in many languages at the same time. Since I came to Abkhazia, constantly I talk in 4 languages- Turkish, English, Abkhaz and Russian. Sometimes, I feel like I am going to have a brain emboli. Or as some repatirants will start to create my own language- of mendacious words, ungrammatical mixed language sentences, full rubbish.
This language issue is really interesting. In my life I have met so many bilingual and multilingual people. I think if you are multilingual since early ages it is easier to add new languages to your knowledge. And it becomes less disturbing to talk in many languages in a day. I myself, am not a multilingual child. I learned English with the encouragement of my mother. She was importing English language text books and reading books to Turkey.
My French is a disaster though I finished 4th level of study in high school as electives.
My grandfather was not so succesfull in teaching Adyghe neither to his children nor to grandchildren, though he started to tell the Nart stories he knew from his childhood in Adyghe just before he died... I studied for 3 months in Adygeya but it seems to be lost as I started learning Abkhaz since these languages are really close to each other.
My Russian has tolerated 5 different teachers of Russian language, and seems to survive and even develop in the recent month so I can say the best teacher has been the field work in Abkhazia!
We are doing a research at the Center for Strategic Studies on the topic of Multinguality and Culture. I printed 1000 copies of questionnaires in 6 months from an ordinary printer. (I hated myself in most days that I had to sit infront of the computer for hours just printing!)
For the last month they have been distributing the questionnaires around but the total sample has reached to 37 only!!! So within a year they will finish than I can tell you about the situation about this multilinguality in Abkhazia.

Knock knock knocking on heavens door

Yesterday in the middle of the night I found out that our senseless satellite is capable of reading music and photos from a usb- unfortunately no films. But you can record scenes directly from the satellite tv to the usb. Really interesting. I even tried playing it back at my computer and it was ok. So I can now record important news or programs about the diaspora and ask to show them on local channels.
Today on the other hand I realised our satellite is also capable of playing Turkish radio channels. I catched a good one. Bob Dylan is playing. Knock knock knocking on heaven's door...
Yesterday, I remembered what I wanted to tell before. There was a hotel (for real it was a low quality guest house) called Jasmine (Yasemin) in Sukhum, built by a repatriant about 7-8 years back. The owner used to say it was always a tough job to do-being the first and for a while only hotel in town. That's why it took about 70$ per night, per person. Many repatriant families spend hundreds of dolars on their first arrival because here there was Turkish speaking personnel and Turkish breakfast. And that was the only place they were directed when they come with the touristic groups from Turkey. I even hosted 22 academicians for a conference a few years back- since it was the only place in town with enough single beds. Luckyly this year another one opened called Inter-Sukhum which was even a little more cheap than this one and of better quality- or maybe it is better to say "new and clean".
Still the Yasemin hotel was full in the season- esp. Victory day by old timer visitors from the diaspora. However, the words had already been going around that the hotel was rented to the Russian Consulate which has already started working about a month ago in another office. They are making some repairs and I guess by the end of this year the consulate will be fully working in its new place. Since this building is just next to where I rent a flat I dont really have a picture of it as it is not so beautiful building.
I also learned that the consulate provides transit Russian visas now. Which decreased the costs for repatriants who have valid passports but no Russian visas from 6000 rubles (2 months ago!) to about a 1000 rubles. I don't know if anyone can take that visa or only repatriants. But I guess things are getting in their place now.
By the way we finished the fieldwork of the first research project. Still a lot more things to do.
And the presidential elections are coming- 3rd of December. And my friend has a wedding on the 5th of December. And I have to do the second fieldwork but I can not start before the elections- people are afraid though my topic is not political. I can not do it after the second week of december- it will be drunk people all around because of Christmas and New Year. Oh so many things to consider. I think I should go back to writing my report...
I will try to write more since now I am in the city and infront of the computer till I finish the report...
And more photos are available from the field....

From Researchers in the Field

Accident

Yesterday was an interesting day. My field work was canceled in the last minute because our contact person "forgot". We decided to drop by to a friend's shop- Shelly, a shop for trendy designs.

They had brought winter collection and I -not very likely of me decided to try a few things. There were really nice coats and cardigans. I was trying the last one and than we would step up the stairs to the design section where there were seats. Than I heard a big sound of crashing and I turned to the door of the shop only to see a car with a woman driver coming towards the shop. I did not photographed the car crashed into the door of the shop but believe me it is as alive in my eyes. Lucky for us it did not break down the door, just the concrete step and side of the door.
Still we were in shock for the rest of the evening. And to this was added a long theater in Abkhaz-Russian. I will write about that later when I finish the short movie from pieces of the act.
Anyway, I don't remember if I wrote about Shelly before. But I help Abkhaz dubbing of the advertisement that was prepared in Russian. It was fun and it gave me a lot of ideas. For example, I really wish to make movies from off-the road historical places and unknown corners in Abkhazia. I plan to do it in Abkhaz with English subtitles or vice-a-versa. I will see into it.
I thought I had a lot more to write but nothing comes to my mind at the moment.
So I shall better get back to work.

Joy of doing research again

I realized how much I had missed being in the field. Seeing different lives and places. Sharing moments unlivable ever again... It is much more exciting for me to do this in Abkhazia. An ex-soviet, post-conflict, trans-traditional context where what you can live is very much variable and very little expectable.
It is not as simple as finding a sea shell at the top of a mountain. It is as complicated as finding a sea shell in your pocket. You have so many questions to ask- when did i put this shell here, where did i find it, with whom i was there, how did it ended up half broken there, what makes it unique compared to thousands of shells i have collected from around the world, why are these shells so important (turkish speakers can find it out here- in the short story i had written a few years back).
When I am in the field, i do not ask the questions any more. I have a great team to do that for me. Though they are still learning how to question, i think it is important they discover those shells that exist in their own pockets, in eachother's pockets, in the pockets of people they are meeting for the first time, in the unseen corners of the half broken down, half restored church at the end of bad roads, in the traditionally structured houses at the end of never ending roads that meets us with the unexpectably beautiful scenery we had scene till that time...
Well, some of you may think this kind of philisophical writing is not my type. And I will ask you if you know how many more shells do I have in my pockets. Everytime I loose my phone i myself find out another one....
See more photos from the field and Bedia Church

Art exhibitions in Abkhazia

I recently attended 2 nice art exhibitions at the hall of the Artists Union in Sukhum.
The first was the traditional painting exhibition by Huta Avidzba, an elderly artist who surprised experts. What was interesting about his work for the experts, was not the traditional rural Abkhaz village life concept he chose for his recent works but his recently changed technique after the age of 70. They say that it requires a great courage for an elderly artist to change his style at this age.
But what I liked most in his works was the traditional rural details with the youth of his nation...
Another original exhibition in the same hall that started this week and will last till the 9th of november is Batal Capua's exhibition of graphics based on abkhaz mithology.I think these graphic works would have been nice as amblems or as a background to a photo project like- "Abkhazia Memory". I hope that nice hall will be busy with such nice, original and Caucasus peculiar exhibitions...

Loosing phone in the middle of no where

Maybe you thought I lost my phone in the middle of no where and had some problem. But no- it was the most beautiful part of Abkhazia, high in the mountains where cars could hardly go because there is no way but where people live without much thinking of the things like mobile phones. And I was too busy to remember every time where I have put my mobile phone, in my bag's front pocket, or side pocket, or another side pocket, or inside pocket, or just in it, or maybe not in it at all. Consider that I received tens of phone calls in this day when I should have been consentrating on the field work of my firms first research. I had to search for my phone for minutes while trying to answer a question of my interviewers, or see the beatiful country flowing from the window of the minibus we were in.
I wanted - really wanted to have no mobile phone at all. Back in the old days when there were only landlines, researchers would make a call to the local administrator, or the single market of the village to send the word that they will be arriving on a specific day and related people should be waiting. Since there was no way to call on a mobile and cancel in the last minute they would be there. However, what we had to do was call the exact same persons over and over again. Many times they were not reachable, there was no network where we are, they did not have money on the phone, or when we talked we were asking the same questions of where, when, how, which, what to eachother and when we could finally make it we would have talked over the phone so many times that there will be repeated conversations, things that we talked mobile-to-mobile minutes, hours and days ago many times...
But, those places we had been, needed silence. Silence divided only by smiles and dreams of "congenial" people... The silent blue skies got colored only by flying birds... The green grass lost only by being eaten by goats. The trees singing out of silence only by a warm wind that reminds you of how simple life was once.
We have been to rural Abkhazia today. In the middle of nowhere for many of you. For me where life exists. With all its people regardless of their ethnic origin or education or even their level of awareness of the fast flowing life outside of their beautiful surrounding... With all those questions to ask, all those details to see, all those realities to understand, all those forgotten stories to remember... We were in places many of you have never been. Many of you will never be... Where I wish I didn't have no phone... Where I wish...


I lost my phone in my bag (or out of my bag) so many times today. Maybe, it is I did not want to share those moments over the phone with someone who would not understand because they have never been there. They have never seen the things I saw as I saw at that moment.

Take Away Italian Pizza

I was going to the small shop on the next street to my apartment flat in Sukhum, to buy bread for dinner when I realized the small restaurant behind the trees. It is at an unfortunate corner since the remaining of the pavement is not so good and not used by many people and the shop is hidden behind trees when you look from the other side of the road. Some young people opened this Italian Take Away (and Service) PER TUTTI PIZZA and they are slowly improving their work since every time they have at least a single pizza in the oven, or customers waiting whenever I pass.

Two days ago I was too tired to cook and had a chance to try this take away pizza.
I was not sure of the contents of the pizza since they did not have many choices and the choices included interesting contents like turkey, eggs, sea food, etc. Maybe they are not interesting for many but not my type. I had choose between the cheapest Margharita (180RR) or Three Cheese (200) RR or the most expensive Pepperoni (220RR) and though I had doubts about the quality of pepperoni I choose that one to try. (Margharita can survive the day anytime but I had to know if I would like the meaty stuff.

I was surprised to see they had real pizza boxes because in restaurants the take away is usually a disaster.
The Pizza was really thin. Something mom would probably love and it was delicious. However, on its own it was not a full course for two hungry people. I know, for two ordinary it would be enough but I come from a family where two people finish one packet of pasta (macaroni) with salad and sauce.
And the inside of the restaurant you can see here

Dranda Abkhaz Church

For my birthday last weekend, we decided to do something special. We decided to go somewhere we have not been and suddenly I remembered the Dranda Abkhaz Church from a documentary I watched. We just made ourselves some sandwiches, took the photo camera and got on the way.
It was really unique and beautiful church, made of bricks. The outside have been plastered for protection but some parts have been left to show the beautiful brick structure.
However, when you are inside you can see complete brick structure and you are amazed by this wonderful architectural beauty.
I am not much familiar with Christianity but I found this piece by Khrushkova on Spread of Christian Church in Black Sea Litoral. She says that "The plan of Dranda church contains its own combination of rotunda and cross, while the sanctuary includes a prothesis and a diaconicon. The interior is dominated by the broad dome, which rests on the vaults over the arms of the cross, and on parts of the walls. The bricwork is noted for the marked care with which it was constructed, particularly interior, in the brickwork of the vaults and the dome. During restoration, amphorae of various types were discovered in the vault over the narthex; in my view, they date to the end of the 6th or the first half of the 7th century. ... It is possible that the church at Dranda was the see of archbishopric of Abazgia: its dimensions and its architectural excellence closely connect it to the Byzantine architectural tradition, and all the sources affirm that this building was not an ordinary one.... At the end of the 6th century or the beginning of the 7th, the church at the village of Dranda chracterises the passage from Antiquity to the Middle Ages." Pages 35-36.
See more pictures from the Church and region here: http://picasaweb.google.com/abkhaziadiary/DrandaChurch#

Istanbul restaurant in Abkhazia

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A repatriant has opened a Turkish Meat Restaurant in Sukhum this summer. I just recently had a chance to take a pic (and eat meatballs-which I usually miss). It looks like a high class restaurant and they serve Islama Kofte (a kind of Meat Ball which is served with bread dipped into meat broth.) The restaurant is called Istanbul. It is funny because when I came to Abkhazia there was a restaurant by a repatriant which was called Antalya. Is this a longing for the long lived -second homeland host country, or is it a call for Russian tourists who love to go to these cities but come to Abkhazia for a cheaper holiday? Or is it just the cousine -Turkish they say but meat is all that they serve here- that decides the name?













And I added another pic from a cafe-restaurant called San Remo. I sat there only once since it is a very expensive cafe. I tried a fried camamber but it was nothing close to the one I ate in Stutgart Wine Fest a few years back. Still, if you got money for a drink I suggest you to drop by to this fancy white restaurant just opposite to Agop's coffee house (where Castro and many other famous people have sat) and within the building of the best hotel in Sukhum- Ritsa....

See more from Restaurants and Food from Abkhazia at: http://picasaweb.google.com/abkhaziadiary/FoodRestaurants#

30 September 2009-16th Victory Day of Abkhazia

It has been a very nice, active, tiring, and sometimes even annoying day. There was no clear agenda announced- neither on tv, nor among people! Very Caucasian, listen to your heart and maybe you will catch an event.
Day started for me with a running since Hayri had forgotten to take the car key with him to his relatives garage where we keep the car for safety purposes (it was robbed once and still has a broken window and a broken key talon (i hope this is the true word in English).
Than we went to meet with Diaspora members and returnees to put a flower at the War Martyrs Statue together. However, there were already tension between the returnees and the representatives of one group of the Diaspora- they are so much divided even it is getting harder for me to understand the divisions so I wont explain that here.
Than I got it in the neck- unnecessarily and I found out that it was all because I was carrying an Adyghe flag together with Abkhaz.
Last year, after loosing 2 flags I sticked my Adyghe and Abkhaz flag together. So it is now a combined flag representing for me many things but not for all. For many, that is a necessary division and should stay seperate. Though these people speak languages of same root, follow similar social structures (family, clan, ...), have similar traditions, customs and ethics, share a similar history-esp. in the Diaspora some reject their close connection. This true for both Adyghe and Abkhaz groups.
Anyway, than I walked to the front of the old Parliament with some friends to find out a prepariton for a baloon and paragliders. So where was to be the parade? A Canadian journalist said at 13:30 so after the gliders at 12:00. However, it turned out that it was earlier in the park that I left because of the tension. So I missed the most interesting national symbol related event for this year- the soldiers singing the NATIONAL ANTHYM. So whats so interesting you may think but I have not heard anyone singing the anthym except some chorus recordings. It was important for my paper on national symbols. :(
I managed to watch paragliders and the balloon. Take many portraits and realized many flags and green white strips representing the remembrance of the War Martyrs among the attendees.
We had some tea at Anna's Cafe (which turned out to be named Glitsinia meaning witsaria). I realized the blue white Nicaragua flag on the wall. :) Nice thinking.
Than we had long and tiring walks by the seaside. And found out about a children pavement painting contest.
Than I came accross a collegue- Toto as they call him here an international anthropologist, and than we together came accross another two anthropologist, one guest another local sitting together with a journalist from Wales and a valuable informant-as one put- from the Diaspora who is speaking the Sadz dialect of Abkhaz language.
Than there was a concert at 4 at the filarmonia however it was impossible to enter beacuase it was over crowded.
The day continued with a concert infront of the theater.
And at 6 something the people from the Diaspora and returnees came together to dance Apsua Koshara (Abkhaz dance) as they refer or the old Apsua Koshara as locallers say with wood and amyrzakan/mizika- a kind of accordion- to make the music. It was funny to see how local people wanted to take part in the dance but did not want to understand the traditions of this dancing. For example, a boy-man has to hit the wood with others before gaining a chance to dance. And a girl has to stand on the row with others and wait for own turn. The local Abkhaz on the other hand wanted to cut a girls or boys dance on the middle and dance when they liked - which was very phasharop (shamefull) for the others.
One boy who was not allowed to cut in brought local musicians and invaded the dance field so that all will enjoy to dance whenever they want and whoever they want with the Apsny Apsua Koshara (Abkhazia's Abkhaz Dance) as they call it in the Diaspora being played. The scene was amazing by hundreds of flags.
The dancing ended with Awrasha- a paganist style singing-dancing, where everyone is lined in a circle and somebody explains the purpose of being together, makes a pray for the country and the nation, thanks everyone and says goodbye as everyone responds him by shouting Awrasha.
Than we looked for a place to eat and I suggested we go home but they did not want to be inside. Which resulted in the sabotage of our cars tires at the back of the only restaurant we could find place and tea to drink (the annoying part of the day). And we had to buy some bakery from a shop since there was nothing left to eat.
And I found out that the real reason for my husband to be cross was an accident he saw during the day where 1 young Abkhaz boy died and 3 were heavily injured.
So I have to admit it was a typical Abkhazian day, with lack of planning and communication, with accidents where young boys suffer, with many interested international researchers and journalist visiting, with Diaspora not managing to come together even for the simplest event, with children enjoying themselves and showing their enthusiasm for their country by things they do, shops being closed, restaurants not serving choices, but independent and hopefull for the future -today and forever...
PS: It was the most sunniest day recently!!!
Photos available at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/abkhaziadiary/AYAYRAAMSHVICTORYDAY2009#

Victory Day

It is again the time for smiling faces, increasing number of flags on the streets, fireworks, concerts, a lot of guests from the diaspora, and many more returnees... It is AYAYRA AMSH- VICTORY DAY!!!
Though I am a social scientist I have not believed many things written in history books since my high school history lessons, where we had to read "the Ottoman Emperor died because his nose was bleeding". I dont like listening to history lectures nor watching historical films. However, my feelings are different for life histories. The truth of ordinary people. And I met many telling me short realities of the war and how much these people suffered. So 30th September is not simply a day of Victory, it is a day of Remembrance of the martyr, it is the Independence Day, it is a day of national revival for which many have suffered 16th years ago.
Many people heard of Abkhazia (and South Ossetia) very recently, when Russia after 15 years recognized her independence and sign mutual agreements. Many people are surprized to see the 16th year of independence words around.
Anyway, my topic is neither the war nor the suffering not even the recognition. The topic is Victory Day.
This is my third Victory Day in Abkhazia. And I realized I have never wrote about it. Though I had uploaded photos in picasa in 2007- though I did not do even that last year because of lack of quality internet and I gave it to friends and they uploaded to facebook.
Here Victory Day celebrations start with the arrival of the Diaspora around the 25th of September. They come in huge numbers, 100s. In 2007 it was about 300, and lat year (since it was 15th and just after independence) 500, this year about 300 again.
The importance of the day is reminded with ongoing every evening TV programs about war from mid August. (14 August is the Remembarance Day and the Starting Day of War in 1992). We watch scenes from the time of war, documentaries about the war, women in black still mourning for their martyr sons and husbands and fathers....
The 27th of September is the day of Victory for Sukhum city. In 2007 they made a great activity in the University. Oratorio, fireworks, documentaries on screen, flags, all youth took part in the event. It was a meaningull agenda all and some best students received certificates of success.
Than it was concerts and fireworks in the city. (The university is not in the city centre but on a hill looking at the Blacksea in a district called Kelasur).
Anyway, this year there was a different event in Sukhum's 16th Victory Day. It turns out that relations with Diaspora results in change in National Symbols. Or better to say in the intensity and use of National Symbols- namely Flags in this case.
The story is this- last year 20 selected young Diaspora representatives came to visit their sisters and brothers in the homeland. So another group of 20 went to Turkey to visit them. A project develeoped so thatthey will understand each other better. What the youngsters saw in Turkey was the use of flags all around. (I dont aggree there is so much necessity to have flags all around the year in ordinary homes and as some kind of facist reaction to something- as it turned out to be in recent years- but as the representative of the nation state it is a necessity since everyone around the world evaluate the level of nationalism by such symbols- am I wrong?) The youngsters together with the support of the Aquafon (a local mobile phone line) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Abkhazia, as well as the Diaspora and Returnees (mainly our firm Bazala) build up a 20 meter flagpole on the port in Abkhazia. And then they brought a 30-60 m flag to put on the burned down parliament building. In 2007 they had brought a big one- dont exactly know the size- which turned out to be really small in comparison to the size of the building.
Last year for the celebration of recognition Amobile (the other local mobile phone line) presented many people with flags for front of shops and cars. On the day of the recognition everyone crashed into the only local flag making point- Dome Mode- Fashion House. Howeveri even if they would ask to pay double price or accepth to wait there for hours as people celebrated all were not able to get it. (I had presented my 1st flag to the library, the second was taken by an unknown person in the meeting for recognition and the third was really made for a nice Abkhaz lady in Dome Mode on the Recognition day and she decided to give her turn to me since she had seen me 4 days ago in the big meeting and said she can wait for another hour).
Anyway, people took flags from their offices, from top of the buildings and get on the cars going around the city. I think last year was the real turn point in terms of flags for ordinary people but it has gained importance in a more representative -state -country level this year.
Tomorrow, I guess as it always happens at 10 oclock people will put flowers on the Martyrs Park. Than there will be a parade of military and other security personnel in the Freedom Square infront of the old Parliament (or in other words in front of 30x60m Abkhaz flag).
Than people will be enjoying themselves all around cafes, and if the weather will be good by the sea side and all around. At 6:00, the youth will walk around Sukhum with flags and at 8:00 will be concert in the Freedom Square.
I am too tired to tell more for now. (I forgot we were in horse games in Muk on Sukhum's independence days. There is a necessity to explain the role of Polo and horse race in Abkhazia so let me leave it for later. I had been to another one last year in Lyhny- I also need to tell about these two holy places. But later)
Wait for news after the independence day....

Anna's Cafe - Restaurant- Patisserie

I had a student called Anna in one of my trainings. She had written a dissertation on Indian rural-urban migration and stayed for a while in India. She was married to an Abkhaz guy and that had brought her to Abkhazia from Moscow. I dont know the details of her story but she is a hard working, honest and creative girl.
She told me her wishes to open a patisserie. However, what she opened in the end is a great cafe-restaurant where you can find some homemade delicious muffins and cakes as long as she is around.
The restaurant is styled in a comfy way, couches and puffs inside, colorful walls and services, Nice big plates for delicious food and big glasses for drinks.
I started with a cup of cappuccino served with cinnamon on top (60 rubles). Delicious.
Than went on with my favorite junk food: Hamburger!!! It was served with fried potatoes. It turned out to be a cheeseburger but the meat ball was really thick and had tasted fine. There were sliced pickled cucumbers and mayonnaise and some tomato dressing. The fries were not too fatty and many were perfectly cooked though some tasted uncooked. Still it was worth the 90 rubles price.
I wanted to go on with some fresh juice- lemon or apple. Unfortunately, they did not have anything natural - i guess Anna is away from Abkhazia since she did not appear yet- which results in lack of choices in homemade stuff like juices and muffins...

I asked for tea in the end. That is served in a pot. Hot and tasty. About four cups of tea came from the pot. I did not check the price for that since it was not in my first choices. In this pic of the tea pot and cup, you can also see the general look of the cafe.

I am still sitting at the cafe. Here you can see detail of the material that gives a relaxing look to the whole place, on two side walls. I think this resembles an indian style.
Well done Anna!!!
This place is on Prospect Peace (Pr. Mira-Atinchra Amyoadu) and it gives the guests a peacefull environment...

Internet... Freedom of communication...

It is a period of change. I am telling you. Its fast. Its good. Its life changing!
Today I came to my office to find out that we have really fast but really fast internet.
This feels great. And the computers (we have three in our office) can enter the internet seperately! So everybody who comes to our office do not have to use our computer which was the first of the network. So it feels great. I put a password and defined password protected users.
From now on my dear partner would not blame no one else for deleting an important file, for making my personal files public, for bringing a virus (which we seem to be protected by the new AntiVirus too), and losing her files. So everybody responsible for their own faults.
Computer, especially for the new generation is not a tool for genius. However, it is much better used by the genius. Post Soviet world have adopted to the global technological changes in communication and computers, fast. I had worked in a research project on the role of internet in democratization- a comparative project in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzistan and Kazakhstan. Now I can see how people use phones and internet in Abkhazia. It is getting widespread and cheap each day. And ofcourse faster and higher tech.
I remember my father telling me how important computers will be in my future life- so that I had to learn whatever I can while still a fast learner. It happened faster than I thought but he had seen it. Today even in Abkhazia, you can not get a work without knowing the basics of computer and word. (Ofcourse it is just opening, writing, printing and saving yet. )
Still, I have to admit I hate knowing computers more than other people. Recently I spend a lot of time trying to fix my friends computers, and building a website for my newly established research firm- research.bazala.net (multilingual), and another one for my husbands construction firm: bazala.net (only in Turkish this one).
Yesterday my phone fell and got broken. So I do not have a mobile for now. I have been dreaming to get a new one for long. Just never had the chance. Now maybe a good time. I also want a big plazma screen so that I can connect my laptop and watch movies. Plus I have a wish to buy a dvd-divx player. I am longing for technology! What can I do? We live in a time of technological hunger! I want more technology!!! More and more...
By the way- since I know we will have more devices I want to put many many plugs in our new house. On both walls of the rooms, multiple in the study, living room and tv room and kitchen.
Nobody seems to understand the necessity around me. But I know. Time will come there will be a need for all those plugs.

FAST (!!!!) FOOD is in Abkhazia

I know, starting with my mom, some of you say "oh no" to the global invasion of fast food. And now it is in small Abkhazia- and it is gonna be everywhere. People will forget the traditional eating culture and spend money on junk food that is served fast! Fast?? in Abkhazia? Not possible! I waited for an hour the first time, 45 minutes second time and 30 minutes the third time i visited this new restaurants located on the sea shore. As you can see in the picture it is designed with English Style tiles, big New York pictures on the walls and -what remind me of the old italian pizza house in istanbul from my childhood years- tables surrounded with red couches. By the way i forgot to mention two of the times i waited i did not eat anything since the burgers and the baked potatoes had run out. Only the first time I tried a sandwich which was similar to what we usually eat in tea breaks at the office so not much of a change. But we finished with a choclate sauced creppe which was a full course as it is and too sweet. Cant say anything about the burgers or the potatoes. Will let you know as soon as I know. But for now, I can say that even the fastest food is slow in Abkhazia (And people sit for hours to eat the food served which is really little according to world standards) and we long for nice and clean restaurants.

Tkuarchal bridge is falling down... falling down...

70 year old bridge, connecting the Tkuarchal city to the coal mines has fallen down due to a big amount of rain followed by a flood... The best thing about this scene is that the man driving the truck survived without a scratch.

From interesting

They have already rebuild it but i did not yet have a chance to visit.
However, i would like to take you for a walk in the outskirts of Tkuarchal to the place where you are surrounded by a variety of trees and flowers---a deep, infinite feeling of greenness. A greenness cut only by the blue-pink Hortensia flowers...

From Tkuarchal

Tkuarchal is the most beautiful city of Abkhazia- with its nature, and people's sincere fight for ecology of the city. It is the cleanest. And very interestingly, people like to grove flowers in their balconies in the middle of that nature. (Tkuarchal is the only Abkhazia city that does not border the Black Sea....)

A campaign to present children with books

A few months ago I took this picture on the main highway that connects Psou border to the rest of the country.

From interesting

It is a campaign to present children with books. You can either bring your own books and give it to the Gudauta Raion Administration or put money on bank accounts. I don't know the outcome of the project but put it on my list of things to find out...

It has been a long time since i wrote. I promised myself to not to give so much break any more. First of all I dont have the excuse for bad internet connection. Because we have the 3G technology in Abkhazia which brought fast internet connection for affordable (not cheap but just affordable) prices. So i can upload pictures in minutes, post a blog post in seconds. Write online (i used to write offline and than posted which was a lot of trouble for a blog, i mean the meaning of a blog is writing realtime isnt it?)
Anyway, 3G is not the only change in Abkhazia. To summarize the last year shortly, Abkhazia's recognition brought people happiness, wisdom, power to make a change in their own lives, infrastructure (progress not full infrastructure), peace, unity, comfort and so many other things. The change is faster and stronger, so are the challenges but people care to make things better which is good.
About my personal life, I got married, we are trying to build a house, started raising vegetables in our garden (which is a job i hate from heart), watched a lot of new serials (chuck, true blood, supernatural being my new favorites) and movies, bought a satellite tv which connects us to the world i have not missed to hear about (theft, murder, war, political fights, inequality, poverty, economic crisis are not things you would miss to hear about the world), traveled back and forth to istanbul, traveled to nalchik, printed 1000 questionnaires in the lowest quality office printer due to lack of resources, entered a job, quit a job, started my own research business, got new friends, got angry to friends, had fun with friends, missed old friends, wrote many proposals for phd, wrote many letters to many people, did not hear many responses, among the responses could not find anything to make me send any of my proposals, changed departments to apply, changed sub topics for my study, changed method of research, gave methods of social research trainings, made the first country wide scientific political participation survey with 1134 sample size, wrote a book for the training, wrote stories that i never finished, thought of poems that were never typed, wrote articles, got interviewed, made interviews, organized a photo exhibition, shot a short movie for 21 May- Remembrance Day of the Caucasian Exile, been to exhibitions, been to concerts, missed movies, missed concerts, missed teaching, missed writing, missed dreaming, missed writing on my blog....
So i hope to be more active in writing from now on...
I dont know where to start. I will find out. Soon!