TURKMENISTAN, LAND OF STARK BEAUTY AND HOPE

Before the Trip

I had a working stint in Turkmenistan for almost ten days. When I tell family members and friends about going there, I was shocked that so many never knew the country even exist. These were some of the responses…”Took Me What??? Where in the world is that? How do you spell it, I cannot find it on the Internet? What …stan again? Are you sure there’s such a place?”

I asked them to look it up on Wikipedia and other google sites. Turkmenistan, formerly part of USSR, is now one of the richest country in Eastern Europe in terms of natural resources. The country is bordered by four nations, Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekhistan.

Almost like Home

The best part of it is that Turkmenistan and Malaysia enjoy a special relationship. It is primarily through the relentless efforts of the two nations’ former premiers – Mahathir Muhammad and Turkmenistan’s former president. These two charismatic leaders shared similar aspirations and visions for the country and the people of their respective states. When you first see Ashgabat the capital city, you will find it a haunting replica of Putrajaya. Both are modeled on the illustrious Russian City of St Petersburg. The dome-shaped roof tops, austere white buildings, cobbled walking paths and even the street lights are almost exact copies. Well, that made us ( Irhan , Fathi & I) feel at home even though the sight of police personnel ala KGB agents from James Bond movies we encountered with, every 100 meters gave us some jitters.

Picturesque Backdrop

But elsewhere, the stark beauty of Turkmenistan made it memorable for me, like no other place I have visited before. I was particularly mesmerized by the snow- clad mountains viewed from the plane before we landed. The scenery was so beautiful, it took my breath away. I felt so blessed to be alive to see another one of God’s Masterpieces. I could imagine these magnificent mountains weaved with historical paths and tracks made by conquerors the likes of Genghiz Khan, Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, Ivan the Terrible or was it the Horrible; if only these mass of rocks and terrains could speak, imagine the stories they would tell!

Even though I did not have the opportunity to visit museums and palaces which I would have loved to, I managed to look at pictures and art pieces depicting legends and folklore and speak to people who could spin a tale or two about them. One cannot help feel that this place must be rich with culture and history.

More than a Job

Our work took us to another town, Turkmenbashi which is an hour away by flight. This is Turkmenistan’s “Pot of Gold” . The small town is located close to the Caspian Sea and is bustling with activities which tap into the country’s Oil and Gas resources. This is the location of PETRONAS’ business hub and although the infrastructure is still in its infantile stage, and the whole area requires major development works, the place is brimming with potential. Even in the peak of winter where the frost and the wind blowing from the coldest part of the continent have the tendency to make you want to curl up in bed and cry your heart out for home, PETRONAS staff – local Turkmens or Malaysians are still looking bright. They go about their work with happy, contented faces as if the foul weather is no reason to be gloomy. I applaud them!

The food for me, was another story. I am not into meat and chicken, and the hotel does not provide fish or seafood for meals, so I survived only on bread, salad and eggs. Pretty good deal if the salad each day was varied and protein like nuts and legumes could have been included, but I had no such luck.

What Went Well

It was not that bad really. A PETRONAS staff from Kuala Lumpur with a heart the size of Asia and Europe put together invited us to his home for a sumptious lunch on our first Sunday. God bless him & his wonderful wife! Some friends took us out a couple of nights for some good food; once to a Floating Restaurant where I got to eat fish and the second time to a PETRONAS campsite. Eating at the campsite dining hall created a nostalgic effect. On the way to the hall, the tantalizing aroma of “mamak” curry beckoned us. On a cold winter night, having had no spicy food for more than ten days, that hit us like the voice of Lorelei to seafarers.

Anyway the trip was extremely meaningful for me. The people we encountered made it worthwhile. They were sweet and welcoming and were learners par excellence. They made us feel like we have contributed to their personal enhancement and managed to add value to their lives. That’s all my pals and I were hoping for anyway. That we have made the journey that far, not only to just do a job but to extend our services to people in the hope of making a difference in their lives and in the process learn more about life too.