And so it begins...

Hello friends and internet strangers,

After 23 hours in transit (the Fly America Act blows), a near kidnapping in Istanbul, and bribing my way out of Turkey, I made it to Dushanbe, Tajikistan. I will spend the next 10 months as a Fulbright ETA, teaching English language and cultural classes and conducting independent research.

So before I begin blogging, some disclaimers:
I am not a regular blogger, and after some persuasion, I decided to write a bit. Please excuse poorly written reflections, occasional inappropriate language, and rants about international development, cultural authenticity, the government, and corruption.

I hereby acknowledge that this is not an official Department of State website or blog, and that the views and information presented are my own and do not represent the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State, my colleagues, my family, or my dog.