110 posts and we have a break

Dear followers (and first timers) of Abkhaziadiary!
This is the 110th and the last (for a while) post in Abkhaziadiary. I hope you have enjoyed reading my complex observations and feelings. I give a break since I will not be in Abkhazia for a while. I may have information that I wish to share but I will very likely give this in research.bazala.net website. We are still working on the Problems and Perceptions of the Youth Survey. (Mramza Chikirba, political scientist- researcher is leading the field work).
We have completed another short term research project of an international NGO- photos from the field work will be available soon in the abkhazidiary photoblog. (My computer crashed down so gotto wait).
The text message for Abkhazia works only for true belivers :) Upto now only one super friend managed to send me a text message (the first one). After now- my Abkhaz line is closed till I will be back so not to worry.
*Abkhazia has changed a lot since my first visit in December 2006. It has recovered a lot, now you see more colorful buildings and less bullet halls in the apartments and houses.
*Social life has turned very active, I missed a lot of great concerts in the last few months; however I managed to watch -for the first time- a 3D movie- AVATAR- in the philharmonic hall. It was fun and extraordinary.
*Political life is in constant mood of change, Abkhazia is trying to become multi-polar in external politics and has succeeded a lot in this by the recognition of Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru after Russia. Now we have a lot of internet sites in Spanish- and Spanish teachers and speakers of Abkhaz-Adyghe origin should use this to repatriate since there is need for them.
*The Committee of Repatriation has a new head, which means there will be changes in politics and practice of return migration in the next period.
*Education system still has many problems but at least everybody is aware and talking about these problems.
*Health Care Institutions are all under renovation. Which makes the sick people feel more comfortable about local treatment.
*International Abkhaz Passports are being distributed to students and soon they will be distributed to all citizens.
*The new term at the university have started and the youth want a change in the system to a western style education classification (instead of aspirantura, candidatski, doktorantura they wish magistratura and doktorantura).
*Now you can buy cheap and quality products of all kinds in Abkhazia. However, local agricultural production still needs promotion and infrastructure (roads) to decrease the food prices in the market.
Maybe there a lot more things to say and maybe I will edit this posts in the next few weeks but for a while, just for a while use other sources of information to learn about Abkhazia.
I will be back one day.

How can you watch the clear sky and the stars as you see the lightening?

Yesterday I was in the balcony lying on the floor and watching the stars wishing for a falling star... I really needto catch one these days/// :( Anyway, the sky was clear but there was a kind of light. I thought it was someone with a porch lite. However, it was not. It was the lightening because I heard the thunder in a few moments. And one more time and one more time. How can you watch the clear sky and the stars as you see the lightening? In Abkhazia it is so possible. Yesterday morning, I was in Gulrypsh and it was raining. I came to Sukhum and there was no rain. It was sunny. Than a few hours later it started to rain in Sukhum. I went to Gulrypsh and it was sunny there... Climate is really interesting in Abkhazia.

Whats going on in the Diaspora?

This has become a frequent question I hear in both political and academic level in the last few months. Especially the last week, since they have shown the Abkhaz Associations Federation First General Council that took place in Ankara, in the state TV. Now everybody realized one thing: They have no idea about the Diaspora. They don`t know how to conceptualize the speeches given in the event. They don`t know how to understand the reasons of these divisions. They want to know more about the counter arguments that hinder unity in the Diaspora. They want to know what was done wrong in other institutions in the Diaspora that led to current divisions.
Sometimes people ask my personal opinion. I used to respond: I am an Adyghe living in Abkhazia what do you except me to think of new organizations that hinder Adyghe-Abkhaz unity?
Now I know better, and I say, I am a sociologist. For me every change is a phenomenon to study. Now I have a lot more things to study! :)

SMS to Abkhazia

World is turning the other way around :) Yesterday I sent an SMS to my friend in Turkey. She knew that she can not send me SMS back, but she gave it a try and WOW - now we have SMS to Abkhazia. This means that we can communicate cheaper with the world! Long live technology- at last you have reached us. It is a shame that now not many friends keep contact. Still anyone who wishes to send me an sms- you are welcome.

31st of May-Official Memorial Day of the Exile

On the 31st of May everything started as usual. People come together in the area where by September the memorial statue that weighs 3 tons is going to be installed. (I must have a picture of a smaller version somewhere and should remember to upload it in my album!)
The first flowers were put by the committee of repatriation which used to include a group of repatriants till this year. They were only employees of the committee. The repatriants except a bunch of 6 had protested the event since the government had not supported their event ten days ago. However, it must be noted that they did not ban the event as some argue. They just said they want the event to take place on the official memorial day for Abkhazia- 31st.
Anyway, the Presidential Administration followed the Repatriants, followed by groups of ministries, city administration, military representatives, police, students, war veterans. The most scenic moments of the event were the prays of the Imam and Bishop (and priests from the Abkhaz patriarchy) in front of the memorial.

From 2010-05-31 Memorial Day and Sukhum from the Sea

From 2010-05-31 Memorial Day and Sukhum from the Sea

The people scattered to their work or lives just after the Bishop`s pray by the memorial. However, the youth committee had other plans. With the tour ship that is now working between Gagra and Sochi transporting tourists, was loaded with young people and a little more crowded group of repatirants (12) they throw flowers to the sea.

From 2010-05-31 Memorial Day and Sukhum from the Sea

And that was all...

Kindergarden Graduation

When I was invited to the graduation ceremony of a repatirant girl, Yasmin, I was very excited. It was amazing to see all those little ones singing songs in Abkhazian, reading poems, playing small dramas, dancing all kinds of dances, and being so enthusiastic about life...

From Kindergarden Graduation

Visiting the Olympic Sports Center in Eshera

I decided to do something different on this nice silent sunday morning and we visited the Olympic Sports Center in Eshera.

From Olympic Sport Center

It must have been amazing before the war. Wish there would be resources to renovate it. Eshera is at the entrance of Sukhum and the war was harsh in this area... Now we can only sense and listen to stories of what had been here... If it would have been renovated, it would have changed the future of many children, giving them opportunity to become good sportsmen, and ofcourse good people...

From Olympic Sport Center