Morning Commute

Our morning Marshurutka



Most people in America get in their cars and fight the morning traffic.  I on the other hand, fight the elements.... Okay, I live up the hill close to the mountains and to get to the marshurutka, I need to be at the Post Office (20 min. walk) by 8 AM.  Now they are putting in sewage lines (thank God, flushing toilet some day) that is the good news, the bad news that most of the roads are toren up.  I leave my house at 7:40 am, but any later, I must take another marshurutka to catch the Aliabad marshurutka at the Post Office.  The Aliabad bus makes a special stop at 8 AM only to pick up teachers.  After that I will need to walk another mile and half to the bazaar to catch an Aliabad marshurutka.  So I try to take the early bus especially when I bring my computer to school.  The Aliabad driver is an awesome guy (not typical), he was the one that turned his marshurutka around when he saw me walking to school in Aliabad and it was snowing so hard, I could barely see the road. He picked me up and drove me directly to school and wouldn't take my money. See picture..

Our morning driver


This morning a couple of school boys (about 13-14 yrs old) got on the bus in front of the teachers, he made them get off the bus and wait until all of the women got on.  And then when they got on the bus, he had them stand up and made sure they understood to respect the women.  He also swated them upside the head, not hard (mostly in fun), but made a point of letting them know to be respectful to all women.  What a great role model for these boys and not your typical role model of treating women as second class people as I see so much in this country.  It is good see that even in a country that has a large population of chauvinistic men, that there are some who rise above it and are very respectful.  His mom should be proud.

Life Challenge: With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.. Eleanor Roosevelt