Farewell meals

It's the bittersweet time of farewells.

The embassy asked the Fulbrighters still in town (three English Teaching Assistants and me) to lunch on Thursday at the Bukhara.

(Nice atmosphere, but we waited a long time for the food and then each person's meal came out one by one.)
Tonight the teachers I've worked with at Moscow State University Dushanbe invited Lee and me to an early dinner. A few were unable to attend--one is eight months pregnant and only says yes to must-do work assignments; another is fasting for Ramadan.

They took us to Chorbog Restaurant, perched on the banks of the Varzob River, on the north edge of the city.

(Here our food came out so quickly I wanted to tell the staff to wait, that I wanted to linger more with my dear colleagues.)

I couldn't resist one final bit of fun in English--a game of Categories--with prizes (suitable for taking home to their kids or grandkids).

They surprised me with a gorgeous gift (and I had some small gifts for each of them).

Thank you, dear friends!

Valentina, Tahmina, Shanoza, Sanovbar (absent: Gulnora, Daler)