From Russia to Uzbekistan

An opinion piece by our team member Maria Osep’yants

All photos in this piece courtesy of Oleg Osep’yants – https://pilottttt.dreamwidth.org/

At the very beginning of my stay in Tashkent, on a wonderful spring day, I was sitting in a café with an acquaintance who had come to Uzbekistan from Russia, just like me. The conversation turned to clothing, and my acquaintance said, “Local people can immediately recognize newcomers by their way of dressing.” I replied, “It would be nice to look like someone who isn’t easily identified as a newcomer.” “Why?” my acquaintance was surprised. “To become one of them!” I answered without hesitation.

Later, reflecting on this response, I decided that I absolutely did not want to give up my identity, and the desire to “become one of them” is quite natural for someone who finds themselves in a new place, especially if they like it.

About the Uzbek language

Two and a half years have passed since that conversation. Did my wish come true? In some sense, yes. At the very least, I now know exactly how to dress to be accepted as a local resident—but I still don’t strive for cosplay: people are interesting just as they are. However, let’s talk about more important things than appearance.

I have always known that the key to a country is its language. Master English perfectly, and you’ll fit in in English-speaking countries; learn Arabic, and you’ll belong among Arabs. But… I still don’t know Uzbek. My vocabulary here consists of about 100-200 words. I started learning Uzbek almost as soon as I arrived in Uzbekistan, but my knowledge didn’t come in handy: everyone spoke to me in Russian. Thus, the learning process slowed down significantly without any motivation. Of course, in many other countries (for example, Morocco, where my husband and I planned to move at the beginning of 2022), such an approach would have been impossible, but in Uzbekistan, I didn’t need to learn the language for adaptation. It’s quite simple here.

Cafés, theaters, earthquakes…

I think that to adapt to a new country, you need to immerse yourself in its life. Get a local job. I also had such an experience in Tashkent—though it was short-lived. The memories are good. However, more and more I work remotely here (my employers are outside Uzbekistan). Nevertheless, surely a significant number of locals work the same way—these days, remote work is widespread.

I believe that to integrate into the life of a city, it’s enough just to live there for a long time. Specifically speaking about Tashkent, you need to gain the same experience as all Tashkent residents do. Discuss cultural events, communal issues, earthquakes, cafés and restaurants, summer heat, air quality… And before you know it, Tashkent life becomes your everyday reality.

Adaptation to the weather and food

By the way, speaking of summer heat… Adapting to the climate is one of the most important aspects. Uzbekistan has a hot, dry climate. We didn’t get used to it right away. But when this summer, during the peak heat (it was about +40 degrees Celsius), I happily went to the sauna, and my husband said to me: “It seems you have finally adapted.” Probably, he is right.

It is believed that in any new country, one also needs to get used to the local cuisine. But in Tashkent, there are cafés and restaurants for every taste—cuisines from all over the world; it’s a paradise for gourmets. The only adaptation I had to make was to the weight gain during my time living in this city.

What else helps?

Does travelling around the country help you “become one of them”? Honestly, I don’t think they are necessary for this purpose. My husband and I have traveled almost all over Uzbekistan, but that’s simply because we are interested in seeing new places. In them, even in your own country, you always feel like a tourist… To feel like a local, you need to live in one place. And this feeling, this sense of home, we get when returning from travels to Tashkent.

We keep track of city news and its pulse; we participate in cultural events. Several times I have read my poetry at local poetry evenings. This is also important: not only to see others but also to allow others to see you.

Connection with the homeland

Some may think that to adapt to a new place, one must forget their homeland. It seems to me that the two are not connected at all. My life has unfolded in such a way that I have moved several times: from my hometown of Chelyabinsk to the seaside city of Makhachkala, and many years later to Moscow… Sometimes I feel that among my distant ancestors were representatives of nomadic peoples: I even have a desire to change my place of residence from time to time. But every city where I have lived for a long time remains forever in my heart. Even after leaving, I keep track of events happening in the places I have left through the internet—and, of course, I maintain friendships with the people who stayed there. Friends from Russia often come to visit us… When moving to a new city or country, you also expand the geography for your friends: now they learn about this place firsthand and can always stay with you when they visit.

I think, however, that one day we will return to Russia. But Tashkent and all of Uzbekistan will forever remain in my heart. And I will come back here if I can.

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