Daily life in Tajikistan is not so different from life in the U.S. People go to work, go to school and spend time with their families. Take it from my boyfriend, Ardasher, who was born in Dushanbe and has lived here for most of his 26 years.
"Wow, it's a long one! My first name is Ardasher, my last name is Khashimov, and my middle name (which in this part of the world is usually a father's name plus the ending -vich) is Abdurashidovich. Yes, Ardasher Abdurashidovich Khashimov. Now try saying it three times really fast!"
"I live in an apartment downtown. It's full of natural light and furniture covered in scratches -- the price of having a cat. There is also a whole bookshelf of books about basketball, my favorite sport."
"My immediate family is very small -- it's only my mother, my sister, and me. It is different from typical Tajik homes, which usually have three or four children and grandparents all living in the same house. My mother is an accountant. My sister recently graduated from university and is looking for a job."
