Interview. Tashkent in the eyes of Helen Douglas
We met this woman for the first time when she was in the process of work, on the reception devoted to the Union Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She was so energetic and active, all smiling and friendly. We liked her so much that decided to take an interview, and upon making an appointment found out that she is Helen Douglas, the Food and Beverage Manager in the Intercontinental Hotel. The interview took place in warm and friendly environment of the lobby bar of the hotel where she works and was punctuated by occasional jokes and hearty laughs of this wonderful woman.
When did you arrive? How long have you been here?
I arrived 16th of June last year so this means I have been here for a year and some:
Have you brought a team with you?
To start: I have been with Intercontinental for a while now about five and a half years and I came over from New York City. Then there was this opportunity to come to Tashkent. It was actually a choice between Tashkent and Toronto. And I said: Hmmm Tashkent, where is Tashkent? (jokes). So I decided to do a little bit of research and it was a good opportunity for me since in New York I was the Assistant of the Food and Beverage Manager and here I get to "take charge". I decided to go for it!
What was your knowledge of Uzbekistan before you came here?
Let me ask you a question: Where do you (TOT) think I am from?
USA?
Helen: It's typical. I am actually from a small island in the South Caribbean Grenada (N.E. of Venezuela, South America. I knew about the stans from school days: Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan. Of course before it was just the USSR but then when it that dissolved, all the countries recovered their names and I certainly heard them. Specifically did I know where Uzbekistan was located within Central Asia? No, I'll be honest. I had to look, see and do research.
Did your impressions change upon arriving to Uzbekistan?
I will never forget my arrival. I was picked up at the airport, 3 o'clock in the morning,in a little Damas (laughs) and I was just looking around. The country where I come from is also a developing country so I can't say that I was expecting anything unusual. What I saw, I saw. For me it has been a process of learning. You know, I really work all the time and so I didn't have an opportunity to go all over and visit the other interesting areas of Uzbekistan. I did manage to make it to Bukhara. Have my expectations changed? I did not have anything unusual to begin with because that's how I am. I don't have any preconceived notions. What it is, it is. This is the best way for me.
Do you have any favorite spots here, where you like to spend your time after work restaurants, bars or clubs?
Helen: Is there a favorite spot per se? (Thinks) There is a nice little place that I enjoy quite a lot Melnitsa. Also, once I took my staff to Istiqlol, the one behind NBU and they have very good shashlik! (laughs)
Wha t do you think of Uzbek national cuisine?
I'll give you a joke about Uzbek Traditions. An employee invited a colleague of mine to a party at 5 am. I wondered why did I not get invited to go to this morning event. My colleague and my boss at the time decided to leave at 4 o'clock in the morning and I said I would go to check out this morning event - I would "crash". My colleague, at that time did not know about the local traditions and included me in the headcount for the car tri p. In a panic my assistant whom had found out painfully explained that I was not permitted as a woman - a party for men. I contemplated whether I should create a stir but then thought not. So this was my first experience with the tradition of Uzbekistan.
Anyway,what is interesting in terms of the food? I enjoy the shashlik,I have to admit. But what I enjoy overall (as it is my industry and my profession) is fusion food. Let's say you take the international food and incorporate the local food structure with it. Uzbek cuisine is a specific, it's rich, full of taste and sometimes that richness is too overpowering so it has to be modified a little bit. I notice that Middle Eastern food is quite popular over here. Also I find very interesting the fact that plovs are different all over Uzbekistan!, do tend to enjoy a lighter styled plov (the version which has the raisins & lamb particularly) I believe they call it the "wedding plov". I have a coin phrase here tip top. The wedding plov is tip top! 
And what are your impressions about the Uzbek markets bazaars?
Of, course I have been to Alayskiy because it is straight down the street, and I also visited Chorsu. At Alayskiy bazaar, probably because there are many expats or tourists that go there, everything is organized,everything is for tourists. So if you want to get the real experience than it's better to go to the other ones. But I have to be honest, I am particularly not a bazaar (market) person because even in our islands we have markets, but smaller version, and I don't frequent them. Your Bazars are huge and what is nice in your markets is that you can always have a taste of everything and may even manage a free lunch as most tend to give a little taste (laughs) of something or the other.
Have you been to any other countries before coming to Uzbekistan?
Well, I worked primarily in the US and in the Caribbean, lived in Brazil for a year & brief stops in several European countries and recently in Malaysia. Work-wise, this would really be the a third continent experience. I started working in the hotel industry since 1987 so I have been in the business for a while.
What did you dream to become when you were young? What were your ambitions?
In general I am ambitious; I come from an ambitious family. This helped me to find myself as a person. I always liked the hospitality industry. From a supervisor to the manager of food and beverage operations feels like an accomplishment - I think. Do I have more ambitions? Of course, everybody has them. Dreams? Even more!
Have you made any friends here already?
Helen: I have met a lot nice people and many acquaintances. There are some very nice people that I work with that I, of course would never had known if not for Uzbekistan. Here, people are very friendly. There is a word in Spanish (I speak it a little bit) simpatico which is a term used to describe friendly, but friendly from within. There is no single-word translation in English and I don't know if there is a word in Uzbek or in Russian to demonstrate this warmness and hospitality in people. I will never forget when I left for vacation, it was the 31st of December. We worked at the New Year's Eve party and at 4 o'clock in the morning on New Year's Day I went to the airport to get my flight off. One of my assistants said: Helen we'll come and get you when you come back. I of course said: Oh, no forget it, there's no need. I purposely did not give my itinary as I was content to take a cab - a trusty "jigoli". I was in shock when I returned from the vacation and there was my assistant along with his uncle tapping on the window in the airport saying: Hey, we
are here for you. This is not something that happens typically in the West, at least as far as I have encountered, you take a taxi and you find your way.
Being in Tashkent for over a year, have you had time to visit any theaters?
Yes, llhom. It's super, I liked it and the energy of the place. I went to llhom on a Sunday and they were showing Stravinsky. I am not a classical person, but you get to appreciate a lot of it in Uzbekistan because you have beautiful talent. I don't know if the Uzbek people appreciate all of this richness in this form of entertainment because it's beautiful. In the States one has to pay hundreds of dollars to attend and listen to great performances of the huge stars, but sometimes the young kids here are equally as talented, but just not known. For me this is one of the most beautiful things I have experienced in Uzbekistan.
In short words, can you say that you fell in love with Uzbekistan?
I fell in love with the opportunity provided to explore Uzbekistan!
You know you are a very exotic person for the people of Uzbekistan. How do people react when they see you walking on the street?
They stare and people always want to take a picture (laughs). You know, it was very interesting when I went to Bukhara and a little boy came up to me and said: Ooo, l like your skin! People stare; they don't understand me because there are not many black people in Uzbekistan,so they look at me and they don't know what I am. It's very strange. When I go to the bazaar they say: America, America? And I say: Net. Then they say: Frantsujenka (French)? And I say: Net. And finally they say: Africa? Then I say: Yes (laughs).
What is your evaluation of the people who work in the sphere of business in Uzbekistan? Do you compare them with the businessmen in the states?
Well, obviously when you come to a place you have to understand the culture, the dynamics of how it works and that is like getting yourself acclimatized. You have to feel the customs and traditions because how you do things in the west is different from how it will be done here. So here it is also very interesting because you do everything over chay (tea) sometimes it is very long, relaxed while in New York everything is done in a matter of minutes. You have to slow down a little bit, you have to understand the people that you are working with, you have to go through the rituals and that's how business gets done pretty well. I am different because we offer a service something that you cannot feel, you cannot touch. I tell you to come and I take care of your wedding, I'll make sure you have a wonderful experience. How can I sell this to you? I am selling you an image. So I have to do a lot of building relationships and building contacts and utilizing resources of the people who work here.
Where do you do your shopping?
Helen: I am not a shopper. Whenever I run out of small things I just go to a small shop.
Do you have trouble communicating with people here?
Helen: Big time. The only thing that I wish I can have here is to speak Russian or Uzbek. When you don't speak a countries language you are in a vacuum. I manage with napravo, nalevo, pryamo, stop (right, left, straight, stop). I am so envious when I see my colleagues who speak the language because without it you're lost. One of these good days I will apply myself and learn a few more words a day. I am a language slug - so this will be a challenge!
As you probably know Uzbekistan produces many wines. Have you tried any? If yes, what are your favorites?
Yes, there are various styles of wines. If you want a nice drier style red wine then Tsarsky is super. However most people's tastes are on the sweeter side so they have Omar Hayyam, Mardona and Elite.
Do you miss the urban style of life in New York? Many people consider the life in Tashkent as quite and a little boring.
I am person that can adjust no matter where I go. Of course, sometimes I miss going to a wonderful club or something like this but I am not starving for it. I can read a very nice book and be very content, do a trip to the mountain (though I have not been yet I am ashamed to admit) and enjoy it. I am from a quiet place, so I can fall into that routine of a quieter lifestyle.
It took Helen Douglas one and half years to fall in love with Tashkent,and it took us a few minutes of our conversation to fall in love with her. The conversation passed so quickly, we did not even notice the time. So we hope that this was not our last meeting with her and look forward to encountering her again.
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