I’m a Turkmen international student in Germany and basically no one has even heard of my country before, lol.
I knew it existed, that’s about it. What can you tell me that’s interesting about your country? I’d love to learn!
Nomadic heritage, we love horse riding (we even have our own horse breed - Akhal-Teke), Ashgabat and the marble, Karakum Desert, Darvaza Gas Crater, Köýtendag Mountains… without getting into politics.
Karakum desert? Is that the one that has the red building in The Rose Field (Philip Pullman)?
Is that the place with the 8 lane highway with no cars on it?
And the presidents daughter was apparently the most corrupt business person ever?
Common OP own up to you question and answer 😬😁!
To be fair, it may not be in their own interest to discuss these kinds of things publicly.
Fair enough!
I had a foreign exchange student from Turkmenistan stay with my family in the US for a year and it was pretty interesting, he was able to slide into our culture pretty well, the biggest issue I remember actually came when he went back home and the government pretty much refused to let him leave the country again and treated him kind of like a potential threat. To be honest, I don’t really remember very much about Turkmenistan other than that, he didn’t talk too much on it.
I saw the episode of Dark Tourism where they go to Turkmenistan. It seems like quite a grim and sheltered country. I wouldn’t have thought they sent anyone abroad for education, are you expected to return with certain skills?
The average person isn’t allowed to leave the country. If you’re well connected, you can. The most popular study abroad country is definitely Turkey though. No. I’m studying computer science for example. For students in Turkey it’s pretty popular to work for the Turkmen embassy/consulate there.
The average person isn’t allowed to leave the country.
Allowed to or able to? That’s surprising to hear. I didn’t know that was a thing countries did to their citizens (except maybe North Korea?)
The place has been described to me as an oppressive shithole similar to North Korea. I know nothing else about it.
I know the John Oliver episode on it, and therefore of the Leader’s appreciation of horses and weirdly big marble cakes
Is that the guy with the obsession with Guiness World Records?
edit: yup
What can you tell us about traditional cuisine? Are there recipes we should try?
It’s the second most controlled country in the world, right after North Korea.
A mad place!
Also, almost all places on trains are reserved for party members, meaning that to get to another city you neither need to bribe somebody or book your ticket a month in advance.
Wait, is that the country where they sell access to free internet? The future model of the US and UK internet?
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The location, that the previous president was a dentist, and that horseback riding is an important part of the culture. Other than that, not a whole lot, to be honest.
Also, welcome.
I’ve heard of its cities of marble and gold with no people in sight. I’ve also heard of a megalomanic leader.
It sounds as a very weird but interesting place to visit as a tourist. Less appealing for those who have to live under the oppression though.
Don’t worry, that’ll be the US before too long. Then we won’t have to travel to see it!
That’s perfect. The majority of USAians don’t like to travel.
If you go to the Osaka Expo 2025 (you’ve only a few weeks left), Turkmenistan’s is the only pavilion on the entire site where the entranceway is just a big gold-framed photo of the cunt in charge. I’m not sure the people designing it thought about how it would look in context of all the other pavilions.
Here’s what I think I know, some may be wrong:
- It’s in the land of the Stans
- It has steppes, high mountains and high mountain deserts
- it has a bit of the Fergana valley, one of the fertile and most contentious valleys in the world
- the president is a dictator, but not as bad as Uzbekistan
- y’all make a giant dish that you all share and scoop with your hands
- you have a fermented sheep or goat milk drink
- you’re on the Silk Road and had one of the most populated cities in the world at one point
- some if the Turkic people moved to Turkey and Hungary, which is why those countries exist
- you really weren’t organized as a country before the USSR rolled in, more of loose group of regional leaders (I hate the term warlord)
- y’all are known for your horses
Judging by the name, I’d say it’s the land of the Turkmen. But where’s the land of the Turkwomen?
Not just the Turkmen, but the Turkwomen and Turkchildren too!
Well, I have heard of it before, and on a global map I think I have a chance of putting my finger at least close to it. That’s all. Sorry.
