«The most entertaining surface on earth is the human face»
Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
What do we usually expect from travelling? Some new emotions, new places. We are eager to see the Grand Canyon, the majestic Himalayas, dense forests, prairies…
Monuments and ruins of the past, amazing architecture, grandiose cathedrals that amaze our imagination. We want to experience the unique cuisines of different countries and cultures…
However, we are missing the main thing, what gives soulfulness – live communication with people, people who differ from us, they have different background, a different philosophy of life. Failing that, the journey loses its charm and becomes a mere sightseeing excursion.
As for Turkmenistan and the nations inhabiting this area, many ethnic groups live here, but the vast majority are the indigenous inhabitants of these lands – the Turkmens. The ancient nation managed to carry its cultural code through the centuries.
The faces of the Turkmens are amazing; they reflect the thoughtfulness and wisdom of generations. As the Turkmen proverb says, «The beauty of a person is the face, the beauty of the face are the eyes.» The eyes reveal a lot about their character. Turkmens always maintain direct eye contact, radiating kindness through their gaze and wrinkles on the eyelids frame them like rays of the sun, from the heat of which one has to squint. Interacting with the Turkmens, it seems like you have met an old friend you have not seen for thousand years; there is always a sincere open smile on their faces. The smile you trust.
That’s what makes me want to return to this amazing country in order to meet these glorious people again, to be saturated with their kindness.
