Living in Tashkent

Next month marks a year since I moved to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. This land is seemingly not well-known to most Koreans. I am ashamed to say that I did not know the name of the capital city before my husband was assigned to work in Uzbekistan.

I will never forget the feeling I had while flying to this country for the first time. The scenes that took place on the flight bound for Tashkent were very new and completely overwhelmed me. Uzbekistan is a predominantly Muslim country where people faithfully follow the prayer routine at specific times. The flight time happened to coincide with prayer time, so numerous people knelt down to pray in the airplane aisle. I had never seen anything quite like this in my life. Admittedly, I felt frightened and intimidated, unsure whether moving to this country was the right choice for my family. It has been almost a year since we have relocated to Tashkent and I can say confidently that we have made a good choice because resettling here has brought new and valuable things to our lives, little by little, every day.

Exploring new cultures is so much fun and an invaluable experience. Unlike Western culture, which I am quite knowledgeable about, I knew little about Central Asian culture, which is very distinctive and unique. This experience provides me with new perspectives on another side of the world, helping me genuinely embrace differences with enthusiasm. People here are very polite, favorable and respectful to newcomers, especially women. I often feel very cared for by locals. Muslims here seem relatively conservative and many women wear a hijab to dress modestly as outlined in the Quran. In the beginning I was not used to encountering people in hijab, but now I respect their custom because I learned the reasons for wearing it.

National security initially dominated my focus, but I now feel safer here than my home country. The presence of police, strict governmental control and no alcohol sales may have contributed to greater security in Uzbekistan. I cannot generalize these, but that is what I have witnessed over the course of this year.

As I accept the differences, I begin to feel a sense of belonging in this new land. I am also exposed to the cultures of various countries. Due to its proximity to Europe, Russia and the Middle East, I can easily meet people from diverse countries that I might not have met if I remained in my home country. Tasting authentic cuisine from many places is also a plus. In short, a broad spectrum of people and culture makes life more exciting.

A few more years are left before I leave this country. I am happy to continue unfolding my new life journey in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The writer (faith0906@gmail.com) loves to weave a story of daily lives and is currently navigating a new life in Uzbekistan.