I want to tell you about a person I met just a couple of months ago. He’s a young and very energetic guy, well-educated with serious experience running a successful business in his homeland. But most importantly, he has a wonderful, almost fantastic dream, and a completely realistic plan to make this dream a reality in the United States. This young man’s name is Javokhirbek Azizov, and he came to us from Uzbekistan. You can learn more about what he can offer curious tourists by visiting his website (click!) – and I want to tell you about his Dream. A Dream that this young man is sure to realize.
Before I talk about Javokhirbek’s interesting and ambitious plans, I want to remind you of a time, long ago in the Soviet era, when the most enticing, exotic, and expensive trip was to Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva. People from Moscow and Leningrad, Kyiv and Minsk would save money for this trip; they participated in lotteries for discounted tours at work, and returned from unforgettable vacations with huge collections of slides and souvenirs.
Unfortunately, I never got to visit these magical places. I’m sure many of my compatriots, having moved to America and traveled half the world from Alaska to Rome and Paris, also left Samarkand for later, “in dreams and plans.”
Those Russian-speaking Americans who have already realized their childhood dream of visiting Uzbekistan share their enthusiastic impressions. Recently, I saw a post on Facebook that said, “If you dream of becoming a millionaire, buy a ticket to Uzbekistan, take $100, exchange it for local currency, and you’re set! And your expenses will be minimal: We ate a portion of plov, achichuk salad, juices, and tea at the Plov Center. All together with tips, it cost us $4.5 per person.” Sounds tempting, doesn’t it?
On the other hand, there are people living in America who call themselves Bukharan Jews. These are Americans who don’t speak Uzbek or Tajik, only English – but that’s not a big deal. The sad thing is that they’ve never been to the homeland of their ancestors! Their great-great-great-grandfathers lived on these lands long ago, about 500 B.C. And yes, Kanesoi Gumbaz, built at the end of the 19th century, is still a functioning synagogue today! According to TripAdvisor, it’s one of the most interesting sights in Samarkand.
And there are so many other amazing historical sites in Uzbekistan! It would take a long time to plan a vacation and choose the sights that are important to you. And this is where Javokhirbek Azizov comes in and how he can help you. After all, group and individual tours of Uzbekistan are exactly what he’s doing now. That’s why he came to the US: not only to fulfill his cherished dream but also to help us fulfill ours. He believes that if someone in America doesn’t dream of visiting Uzbekistan, it’s because they simply don’t know that Shah-i-Zinda in Samarkand, Chor-Minor and the Madrasah of Nadir Divan-Begi in Bukhara, or the Pahlavan Mahmud in Khiva are on par with the Taj Mahal or the Great Wall of China.
To truly appreciate the capabilities of Aziz and his company, talk to him (in English, Russian, or Uzbek – whichever you prefer), tell him about your interests and preferences, and he will create and implement your own personal itinerary, your own unforgettable vacation. By the way, US citizens under 16 and over 55 don’t even need an Uzbek visa, so you can take your grandchildren with you and save money! However, a visa costs $25 and is unlikely to significantly impact your budget.
City walls of Khiva in Uzbekistan
Whether you travel to Uzbekistan independently, using Javokhirbek’s advice, or book a tour with him, including hotel reservations and excursions, is up to you. Javokhirbek can create your itinerary, but it’s up to you to decide if you want to save time and money with his help.
Having worked at home in his family business and become a professional (the Azizov family owns a network of hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies), having visited 13 countries by the age of 30, and having written a book on business that can be read even by those who don’t know Uzbek, as it is translated into English, Javokhirbek is now focused on developing tourism in America. Perhaps he’s doing something no one else has done before. In addition to organizing group and individual tours of Uzbekistan with English, Russian, Uzbek, and Tajik-speaking guides – your choice! – he is also ready to accompany you, your family, or a group of friends to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, or other US cities and conduct tours in Uzbek. This is truly a unique service! Over 20,000 Americans of Uzbek origin, many of whom live in New York, would love to travel with an Uzbek guide. After all, it’s so nice to spend a vacation communicating in your native language!
And now, about another cherished dream of the hero of my story. Javokhirbek dreams of taking tourists to Antarctica. Moreover, he wants to organize tours in Uzbek. But most likely, he will start with English-language tours, which is logical for America. But sooner or later (and Javokhirbek hopes that sooner rather than later) the entire Uzbek community of North America will know who to turn to when planning their next vacation and who to go with to Chile, taking their non-English-speaking grandmother with them. And who to fly to Antarctica with, taking a relative or friend from Tashkent whose English is far from perfect.
Architecture of Registan, an old public square in the heart of the ancient city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
And we wish Javokhirbek the fulfillment of his boldest plans, and our readers – exciting travels through beautiful Uzbekistan!
