Thursday, January 26, 2012

Buz Kashi


He awakens from his night of anxious anticipation.  Fear and longing tear him in two.  An honor so great as this is tasted by few.  To be the center of pride and power.  The target of unconditional motivation and affection.  To be the course to success and the pathway for ovation.  The ancients have praised others like him.  Kings and greats of old have tucked them under their wings.  To be one of them.  One to which others will look to with pride.  Oh, to be a buz!  To be a goat in a Buz Kashi match is to possess the world.


One of the most treasured sports in this part of Central Asia is called Buz Kashi.  A game (if I can call it that) that centers around a goat.  This goat is not alive and it doesn’t have a head either.  They are slaughtered fresh for the game.  An offering, if you will, to the king of masculine expression.  

All power and intensity is focused around the goat.  Men on horseback tear forth to grab, control, and strive through to place it successfully in the tire upon the ground.  Such results in ample applause and a prize for the victor.  

Those wanting to see a nice relaxing Buz Kashi match need not come.  Without boundaries for the field, the crowd itself quickly becomes a part of the excitement.  When there’s a pack of 10 large horses running at you, with men on-back clinging to a goat, your relaxing day has turned into one of adrenaline.  

Enjoy some pictures!

Notice the goat on the rider's lap.  They weight up to 70lbs.

Like I said: adrenaline!   

Two riders fighting for the goat.

Maybe 70-100 riders in all that day.

The goal posts: a tire.

Intensity.




Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Meet the Office


So what fills our days?  Where do we go and what do we do?  
Let me introduce you to our office:

Located right next to the river.
Out of this building our projects are pursued.  Our major project: The Business Incubator (for a fuller set of details, please read our teammate Jonathan's blog:

As a part of the Business Incubator, we are working to complement its goal (below).

Tim testing and pricing out coffee.  The only
cup of Real coffee sold in the valley.  We hope
to provide a location for good conversations to take place.
Maybe in the future we'll be able to expand into a
full fledged restaurant.

Joanna leading the first English class meeting.  Potentially
20 new students will begin classes next week.