Pizza "Obamy" and Chicken Nuggets "Khillari"

There isn't going to be a tidal wave of excitement surrounding the inauguration here in "the Dush" -- at least not when compared with what there is to be had, I'm sure, in any American location, let alone in DC. There were some plans to gather at a colleague's house, but illness thwarted them at the last minute (not mine, the host's). So Anya and I will have to settle for watching the proceedings on our satellite TV broadcast alone. The two of us are settled in before the TV now, watching and listening to the Thanksgiving-Day-parade-like pre-inaugural commentary by the Today show's hosts, and awaiting the official start of kuchi nacht at 9pm as it fast approaches. (Dan is on a work trip to the north of Tajikistan, in the city of Khojand -- home city of our nanny. He expects to miss seeing it on TV. Although, come to think of it, I don't rule out some cafe having a Russian broadcast of the events up there. As many are aware, foreigners are almost as giddy over the transition as most Americans.)

It's funny, someone mentioned "looking forward to the 20th" to me in a recent email, and -- "horrors!," I reflected afterwards -- I actually didn't understand the reference immediately! The inauguration just doesn't come up in one's daily life in Tajikistan as much as must at home. It does pop up in random and unexpected ways, though.

Take last week, for instance, when I joined my fellow expats on a "ladies night" outing to a local restaurant. Three drunkish Tajik businessmen sent us champagne and Raffaelo coconut-coated white chocolate ball candies and, after the slightly masked nervous laughter and giggling around our table waned, and we proceeded to field several questions about Obama, amid invitations to join them at their table and queries about which of our number were single.

Or tonight, when, after I was tipped off that there was a new cafe opening not too far from our house, I went by and looked at the menu. A sign outside boldly proclaimed the new establishment, called "Friends." Or, actually, "F.r.i.e.n.d.s," just like the name of the TV show is written. And announced that they have wifi internet on offer. And, very uniquely for Dushanbe, home delivery. All of it was in Russian and English, so I guess someone has a good idea of his target audience, in this northern neighborhood enclave that does include several diplomatic and expat NGO households. I laughed out loud at the names of three dishes, which really were along the lines of those in this post's title (I can't remember the third -- it wasn't Mishel, wasn't Baiden, and it wasn't Beel. Not Dabl-Yu either.) The proprietor was really friendly, though, and urged me to stay, although I protested that my foreigner friends and I were gathering elsewhere for the festivities. But surely I'll return soon to try out the food and the coffee and the internet.